Can I do full time hours after mat leave/being PT

[Cherryfloat]

If you go on maternity leave, and come back part time for a year or 2, what's the deal with going back to full time hours once the child is either settled at nursery or starts school? If the hours aren't available are you just stuck PT? Is it just based on company policy or do you have a right to go back to your original hours at some point?

You will have no right to go back to full time. It's a contract change and they do not have to give you your full time hours back.

You wouldn't have a right to your old hours back so it would be up to the employer

This is at the discretion of your employer. You have the right to come back to the job as it was before you went on ML.
Use end of ML to ‘get your child settled at nursery’ rather than faff with your contract unless you are happy for any changes to become permanent.

Yes, they may recruit someone to cover the hours your drop so there is no guarantee that you can go back to full time.

Your permanent hours are all you are entitled to if you are permanently part time, that’s all the company needs to give you. If you are forward planning, then agree a temporary change for two or three years and then return to full time.