Pregnant teachers- going on day trip

[Gardenspades]

We’re booked to go to a zoo 1 hour away when I’ll be 30 weeks. Is it fair to ask a colleague to swap me?

Is it? It is part of the job to go in extra curricular activities so not outside of job description.

Yes it’s unreasonable to ask someone to swap.

If you can’t do your job then you should speak to your manager not arrange to change with a colleague.

People get sick and things happen so this wouldn’t be highly unusual. Plus they have warning clearly.

This would possibly be strenuous but it’s not impossible. There are other adults there so it’s not 30 kids all on your own either. Your call.

Depends how you're doing with the pregnancy.

I was fine, I was still commuting to work on a bike at 39 weeks. I definitely could have walked around a zoo at 30 weeks.

A friend was pregnant at the same time, anaemic, SPD, breathless and definitely couldn't.

Of course it's not unreasonable. A trip to the zoo is exhausting when it's just your own kids, but taking a class is hugely stressful as well as physically tiring. I would certainly not have been up to it at 30 weeks pregnant.
I think you should tell SLT that you won't be able to do it, and let them sort out cover. Don't ask, tell them you can't do it. If you put it as you'd prefer not to, they won't see your case as compelling. You need to present it as you won't be going, not "please may you be excused". I know what schools are like, you're likely to be pressured. They need to make reasonable adjustments for you, and that means not sending you on a trip that you can't manage.
I might add that I just did a school trip last week and I'm still knackered and my back is agony. So I do understand.

My risk assessment when pregnant meant I didn’t do playground duty or teach PE words the end of my pregnancy which are normally part of my job , that is why you have a risk assessment, because it’s recognised you are more vulnerable during that period. My first pregnancy I would have been fine, second, not a chance!

Also , depending if you are leading the trip depends on stress levels activities. Being an adult that helps ( whilst still tiring) on a trip is very different to running the show. That is hard work and very stressful!

I wouldn’t have thought it would be too much at 30 weeks, but I suppose it depends how your pregnancy is going. For me, it would be preferable at 39 weeks to 9 weeks, so different people will feel very differently!

Definitely ask. Zoos are a lot of walking without 30 kids to wrangle.
I don't even think you should have to ask to be honest - they should be asking you if you think you're up to it.

Do they have 30 children though?

OP if you think it will be too much for you, then say. No point being a martyr.

I've only been to Chester Zoo and that was with two children and I was ABSOLUTELY FUCKED by about 2pm. We didn't see everything cos it's a massive site and I imagine you're going to a similarly large one. Try and get out of it!

I would have when I was 30 weeks because I tea suffered with PGP and wouldn't have managed walking around a zoo,
so it would have fallen under "reasonable adjustments" to allow me not to go.

Used to work in a school and I most definitely would have swapped ! In fact they most likely wouldn’t have even rostered me on the trip. Everyone who is being unsympathetic has obvs never worked in a school !

I would make sure a risk assessment has been done. Also, there are probably plenty of staff who would like to swap with you! I wouldn't have gone on a trip at 30 weeks, my pregnancy was high risk and needed to be near a hospital at all times.
Do what's best for you, it's not unreasonable at all.

It's not unreasonable to bring it up at all if you are concerned. By 30 weeks I had started using my AL to work a shorter week - and my job involved sitting down all day.

And I'm really surprised that management haven't checked with you before putting you on the list.

I think you'll find that teacher job descriptions do not specify a requirement to provide extracurricular activities. The clue is in the 'extra'.

Exactly. Teaching, especially primary, is actually a reasonably physical job. School trips are absolutely exhausting mentally and physically and it is definitely part of reasonable adjustments if you can't manage it.

You're pregnant not ill.
If you can't do your job go to the doctor and get signed off sick.

I took 60 kids to Blackpool Zoo last year when I wasn’t pregnant and found it exhausting. I don’t think you’re wrong to ask at all.

Yes I'm sure the school would much prefer a teacher on long term sickness as opposed to a teacher swapping classes for one day 🙄.

She can do her job, she is just struggling with one particular. That is the whole reason you have a risk assessment when you are pregnant!

Got it. Just curious then who is responsible for class trips say to the zoo?

If you’re having a healthy pregnancy this shouldn't be a problem. You wont be unwell 🤷‍♀️

How do you know?

Oh yeah, because having a teacher go off sick indeterminately is better than swapping them for a day.

Plus, OP can do her job, aka teach. It's the trip that would be a struggle.

Yeah upon reflection it was poor wording from me - a class trip during school hours isn’t extra curricular and is part of the curriculum so in the job description. But you are right after school extra curricular is optional.

Children aren't automatically entitled to trips out of school. It's usually good will on behalf of staff members who are given the authority to run them, but are not responsible for ensuring they take place, as these often go outside the school day and are genuinely a huge additional effort on top of what is actually a contractual responsibility.

Ultimately, leaders exempt from working time in STPCD are responsible if they want to offer extra curricular opportunities. This is why they must ask teaching staff and accept reasonable adjustments required for a pregnancy risk assessment.