Please help - work/undergraduate study/maternity leave

[IfYouLikePinaColadaaa]

Hi,

I’m in the final year of a work sponsored degree and have my final exams in May. I became pregnant in summer 2022, and had a horrific pregnancy with lots of complication and was signed off work for most of it, so I missed the tuition for most of the academic year 2022-23. I then went on maternity leave in February 2023, and am due to return in a few weeks.

My preference would’ve been to repeat the final year starting this September, but was informed that would not be possible. This left me with no option but to self teach the final year while on maternity, which has been pretty disastrous as you can imagine, and I’m quite behind.

I decided to spend my savings on some tuition to help me along, and because I’m a bit too honest, mentioned this in a catch up meeting with the university. They ummmmed and ahhhhhhd over whether this was acceptable because it may raise ‘integrity issues’ even though I made it very clear the tuition is with a reputable provider and would stop weeks before the final assessments.

I’ve had virtually no tuition for the final year modules and am now expected to walk in after maternity and take the exams. Without some extra help and guidance I will fail - it’s a heavy subject and not the kind of thing you can wing.

What would you do? What are my rights here? I feel very defeated by the whole thing and being made to feel I’m doing something wrong, when I’m just trying to make up for the lack of teaching and guidance on their part.

I'm sorry you're going through this, it sounds very stressful.

Who told you it wouldn't be possible to repeat the final year? Your sponsor or your university, and if the latter, who in the uni?

Have you been able to speak to the student union or the welfare/student support office?

This absolutely sounds unfair and wouldn't be the case at any university I'm familiar with. They are usually very supportive, but sometimes you need to get backing from the right person.

Thank you. It was mutually decided between the university and my workplace that it wouldn’t be possible because the course is being discontinued and I wouldn’t have a cohort to join if that makes sense.

I just want to know why they’re tying themselves up in knots over me spending my own money just to put myself in the position I would be in had I not gone on maternity leave, if that makes sense. It’s either do something they’ve begrudgingly accepted but have made clear they’re unhappy about, or fail the course.

I guess I just want to know what my rights are around having private tuition given they have no objection policy. Given it would end long before the final papers are released and I would be having zero input from anybody with them, could there really be any kind of integrity issue?

It’s my only chance at passing, but equally I don’t want any accusations made against me. I’m so stressed.

Bump

Bumping again for you. You could also post in the HE or Academic Common Room topics to get more advice.

It sounds like you are being treated unfairly. The private tuition issue is separate from possible maternity discrimination. The latter is what you need to get them to focus on, and student support, welfare, union should be able to help you. Maybe Pregnant Then Screwed too, but I'd try every avenue within the uni first

Thanks, I’ve posted to see if anyone has any advice.

Bumping again.