Joining college whilst on mat leave

[FirstMumToBe]

I’ve already posted this in the work section but not too sure how many people actually look on there but ....
I’m currently off work on mat leave, due to go back in January 2019. However I’m looking at leaving the job and going into something else...
I’m only being paid statutory maternity pay.

I have decided I want to go back to college to do an access to HE course and it starts this September So my question is can I start college in September and still receive my maternity pay? Or do I need to tell work/college and end my contract?
Thanks in advance x

I would guess that you would have to end your maternity leave but I'm no expert.
I wanted to caution you though that I left work when DS was a baby and didn't re-enter the job market until he was around 4. It was very difficult to find a job and I probably only managed it by fluke if I'm honest (and many others I know were in the same position- many in fact never managed to get back having had a career break).
Partly it was due to skills not being up to date, which obviously wouldn't apply to you if you've just finished a college course, but I think in part it was due to employers not being massively keen on taking on people with small children. Sad but true in my experience.
If you have a job to go back to, personally I would think long and hard about leaving it, but obviously only you know what is right.
All the best either way.

I’m a FE tutor so teach access courses and have an array of different students, most of which work part time. The access courses we run are three days a week so the majority will work 2-3 days on top of the course. Also worth mentioning that the course is only 9 months long but it is very intense with lots of deadlines to meet. I did an access course myself before going to uni and it was academically the toughest thing I have done. Once the nine months are up though, you will have a three month break before starting uni and uni is far, far less intense with less hours.

Would working part time be an option for you? Or could you cope financially without the job whilst doing the course?