To not tell work about pregnancy yet? (Teacher - timetabling)

[kmurray1]

Recently found out I’m pregnant (about 5 weeks) and ideally I’d wait until after the first scan to tell anyone. However, I’m a teacher and timetabling is being done now. Nothing is set in stone yet but I’ve been told I’ll likely have at least 2 exam classes next year (GCSE/A level). It’s a private school and we break up at the end of June, when I’ll be about 10 weeks.

WIBU to wait until 12 weeks to disclose my pregnancy? Or should I tell my line manager ASAP?

I myself wouldn't feel comfortable telling them before 12 weeks but I can understand why you're considering it.

Ultimately. tell them when you want. Anything could happen which would mean they need to redo the timetable and get cover (sickness, resignation etc)

It depends on what kind of relationship you have e with your line manager but you might experience significant symptoms between now and June like morning sickness, fatigue and will need to have a midwife appointment 6 to 8 weeks to confirm the pregnancy. It would probably be better to tell them in confidence even though it's hard at this stage. They also have a legal obligation to carry out a risk assessment at work for expectant mothers, even though it might be you're not doing risky activities, it still means they can support you better. Will it give you peace of mind to tell them?

Ah that's tricky, but I'd say tell them. Discreetly of course and explain you wouldn't want to be telling them otherwise. But it's good of you to give them a heads up, they'll probably appreciate it.

You're not obliged to tell them this early so it's entirely up to you. I told my work about 7 weeks (also teacher but primary) because I was feeling really sick and needed to book time off for scans and needed cover for those appointments. I was glad my headteacher knew because I certainly wasn't firing on all cylinders for a few weeks! But if you're feeling good and want to wait to tell them, you absolutely can.

I would just let the Head know. They can direct the timetabler without needing to tell anyone else why. Job done.

If you trust your HOD and head I'd say tell them in confidence. They will appreciate your candour and if you're close you would presumably tell them if, heaven forbid, anything went wrong with the pregnancy - in which case no harm done by saying something now.

I would personally tell them. Not so much because of the timetabling but so they were aware if I had to run out of the room to throw up! In primary it’s not really ok to leave the class alone so if the head saw me run past she knew to run to my class and cover if my TA was on lunch. I told my TA too so she knew to step in when needed

I told mine early first time around because two people in my department handed in their notice and I knew they would need to recruit a replacement for me too.

I agree you should tell them. Depending on your subject they may want to reallocate the A level class in case they can't recruit a good mat cover person. They absolutely should not have an issue with keeping it quiet for a few weeks until everyone knows but it enables them to make the best decisions for the kids. Timetabling is horrendous and very difficult to unpick once it's in.

I told work as soon as I found out I didnt care what legally i had to I do what I thought was right and that was to give people as much notice so arrangements could be made and it helped colleagues with planning , although I was not in teaching

I'm a teacher and I would tell the head. They should keep in confidential and they should know from a safety point of view anyway. You might have pregnancy related symptoms that you need adjustments/time off for and if heaven forbid, the worst was to happen, you would need time off anyway.

My husband does the timetable at a private school. It takes him ages, even with all his geeky computer/algorithm/excel knowledge. Sitting on information like that only to screw up all that work and having to start again…it’s soul destroying. Don’t spread it about the whole world but tell the necessary people please.

I would not tell a soul at five weeks. I might consider it at 8/9 if an EPU scan indicated a healthy pregnancy.
Otherwise the earliest I would tell or expect to be told is after the 12 week scan.

The employer does not need to conduct a risk assessment if they don't know a member of staff is pregnant.

It won't help timetabling to be told now if you lose the baby and it won't particularly help you to know they know and now have to reverse accommodations and next year for you to be wondering if they are wondering whether it's worth offering you x, y or z because you might be pregnant.

I don't think you need to tell them, but I think it is the polite and right thing to do. Realistically there is a good chance you won't lose the baby, and so you will leave part way through next year. That will be disruptive for classes and so if they can load you towards less GCSE or A level classes, that's going to be better for the students.

Do what you feel most comfortable with.

There is really no right or wrong.

I gess it depends a lot on how you are feeling with pregnancy symptoms and your relationship with your manager.

Thank you for all the responses. I am leaning towards telling HOD and line manager early as there are a few staffing question marks already and I think it would be the considerate thing to do. It’s a big school and timetabling must be a nightmare. I also don’t want to disrupt my classes any more than necessary.

It just feels strange to tell when I’m not even experiencing symptoms yet! I doubt I’ll get an early scan as with previous babies I could only arrange the booking appt once 10 weeks then nothing until the first scan at 12-14. I hope everything is ok.

There's no right or wrong. As someone who does the timetable, there's always someone handing in their notice in the first half term back, so it's not unusual to need to make changes so that shouldn't worry you.

That said it would be appreciated, at least your HOD, who would likely inform the timetable person of their preferred allocation to exam classes. They don't have to tell anyone why they want teacher X on such and such a class. And they may decide to put you on anyway, depending on how flexible the department is and they will cross the bridge with cover when you go on leave.

Best of luck with the pregnancy

Congratulations.

I don't think you should tell anyone until 12 weeks.

That's giving them a full 6 months to rearrange their timetable and if that isn't sufficient notice that's their weakness and their problem.

It's very weak management that haven't any ability to manage absences due to pregnancy.

For Me I wouldn’t tell them, but I have had more than one miscarriage and find it harder the more people know. You may find it easier so only you can judge.

Private school teacher here. I had to tell my deputy head because I was off sick at 5 weeks! This was in June and they still gave me exam classes for September (timetables are decided around April). I taught 11 and 13 for a term. They just changed the timetable in January when I left and found a mat cover who could pick up exam classes too.
I wouldn't tell them until 12 weeks if I didn't have to. But you might find you need time off for appointments or sickness.

I told those who needed to know early, and I think my subsequent career benefited for that. If something does go horribly wrong, your managers would need to know anyway.

Congratulations! As long as your work relationship is decent, I think it's ok to tell the HoD in confidence, as long as you are ok not having exam years and make that explicit (she may worry you'll then say it's discrimination).

Just to put a spin on this. I told my lines managers at around 7 weeks with my second. I went on to have a miscarriage found at my 12 week scan. I had to have 3 weeks off for the medical management so told them about this. It was much easier talking to them about what I needed because they already knew.

Saying all this for my (hopefully) next pregnancy I plan on telling people early as I told everyone about the loss anyway.

I told my headteacher and I am glad I did because when I miscarried at 10 weeks I needed time off and I was an emotional wreck for months. I couldn’t have gone through that in secret.

I’d tell them, but emphasise how early it is, so you don’t want the news to become general knowledge across the staff just yet.
That’d be the kind thing to do.