AIBU to ignore GCSE results queries during holidays before maternity leave?

[LilyGreenJade]

Currently 38+5 pregnant. Teacher and so fortunately finished for the summer as normal in July. Had it not been the summer holidays, I would have taken maternity leave at 37 weeks anyway. DH and I have also been ill for a few days this week with a fairly bad stomach bug.

GCSE results’ day yesterday. Only Heads of Department and senior staff expected to be in school/contactable on the day, which I am not. This is stated in contract.

Received an informal Teams’ message from Head of Department yesterday saying they needed to speak with me regarding a particular student (a simple case of organising a remark which only HoD can do anyway) and could I let them know when I was free to talk. I felt really annoyed that firstly I was being contacted during the holidays, secondly that they are fully aware I am close to my due date/would have been on maternity leave otherwise, and thirdly that there is nothing I can do to help. HoD has form for passing on work which is their’s to do. I ignored their message. I then also had several students sending me messages on Teams late last night regarding remarks. I very briefly replied to them saying to speak to the HoD.

I emailed the HoD and Deputy Head Academic this morning explaining that although I had seen the overall results, I was not really in a position to begin analysing paper breakdowns, discussing remarks, and contacting students/parents. I said I was happy for any remarks to be processed. As of tonight, I have had no reply.

YABU - results are important and you should be involved as their teacher.
YANBU - You should not be contacted during school holidays as per your contract, and especially given the proximity to your due date and that you would have been on maternity leave anyway if not for the holidays.

At basically 39 weeks pregnant, YANBU on a human level. However, are you technically on maternity leave? Or are you proposing delaying it until u up give birth to maximize time at home with the baby? If you’re not on mat leave yet, I think YABU.

I don't really understand teachers contracts and how much you should be contactable /involved in things during the holidays normally but I don't think you can claim " if I wasn't on holiday I would be on maternity leave" because you are not on maternity leave and presumably had you wanted your maternity leave to start during the holidays you could have requested it.

you just sound awkward, it’s a simple request for help. You never know when you’re going to need a favour back and as pp said if you’re not on mat leave anyway then it’s still your job.

I’ve said Yabu because I think kids really want their teacher involved if possible, but I think you WERE involved - you read emails, replied, and forwarded them appropriately.

Equally you could have been travelling in Machu Pichu and not been able to reply - it’s holiday time and sounds like HoD is the one who has the job of sorting out all the queries about results.

I had to go back for a parents evening during my maternity leave (and they knew I was only going back short term then to get the extra maternity pay). I guess I could have refused, but I felt I couldn’t as my temp replacement hasn’t been there for long.

Yanbu to feel you shouldn’t be involved but yabu to not follow through with your students really. Sorry

Why are you even checking Teams if you're not working/not meant to be contactable on results day?

Have you commenced your maternity leave? If so, then you’re on maternity leave and should say you’re not available for work, but if you’re not on maternity leave because as a teacher you are able to take advantage of the school summer closure to in practice avoid triggering your maternity leave until later then I would agree with the previous poster that YABU as you can’t have it both ways. Of course it would feel very unpalatable so close to your due date and after being unwell so you could say that you don’t feel well enough although your employer has the right to trigger your maternity leave if you are classed as off sick from work at this stage of your pregnancy.

YANBU. I went above and beyond right up to my mat leave start date, thinking it will serve me well to leave with a good impression. None of it mattered a year later, no one gave a fuck. Everyone just cares about what's in front of them and how to make their own job easier.

Teachers have no need to be involved in the process for reviews of marking

YANBU - I don't understand what they think you should be doing!

A lot of school SLT will check marks against grade boundaries on the Wednesday & any which are close will be discussed with the students when they come to collect.

No need for you to do anything. If they have sloppy processes that's nothing to do with you.

If you are formally on mat leave, you are NBU.

If you are not on mat leave, you are a PITA BU.

Have you started maternity leave yet? If so yanbu whereas if you haven’t yet then you should reply

If you're so adamant you shouldn't have to do work.... Why are you doing work?

What would have happened before TEAMS/emails existed? Presumably there was a system to organise re-marks? Did children get to speak to their own teachers then- whatever happens, surely schools should get organised long before exams and communicate with families to let them know about this, and it should be discussed with their own staff so everyone knows exactly who is doing what, with contingencies built in for Mr S being ill or Mrs B having a family emergency.

YANBU

Put your own child first

Who would be a teacher 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've got no idea what is expected of teachers around GCSEs results day, but your insistence that if it wasn't the holidays you'd be on maternity leave is annoying. You're not on maternity so you should do whatever you're expected to do. If that's nothing, great.

🙄

Absolutely no need for you to be involved. Don't check any more emails or teams.

If youre not on Mat Leave then of course you should reply. If youre not well enough then go off sick and trigger ML. You cant have it both ways! Presumably you've not been working since schools broke up which is already a very luxurious lead into Mat leave.

What date did you give as the start of your mat leave. If it’s the start of term YABU. If you gave it for the middle of the holiday when you would have been 37 weeks YANBU.

I think if you taught the student and you know the course, have access to their results in each paper, you may be the best person to judge whether a remark is a good idea or not, hence why they are asking you.

i’m not contracted to work during the holidays but have answered a couple of queries regarding potential remarks. I’m not obliged to, but happy to do so and to be honest it doesn’t take long to do and there is nobody else in my school who can
make the judgement on my subject. I’ve had 3 students this year enquire, of which one I recommended a remark. They do cost £50 per paper so it is a decision that needs to be carefully made, plus technically they can go down a grade as well as up.

it’s not like you have to do the paperwork - that’s the job of the exam secretary.

Whether or not you should work depends what your contract says, I don’t know the rules for teachers in summer. But don’t use ‘I would be on maternity leave’ if you bring it up. You’re not, so that’s that. Argue that it’s not in your contract and not your responsibility, if that is the case.

She doesn't need to be on mat leave. Baby isn't here and school is closed.

OP it woukd be irresponsible to start doing anything for the kdis which you will potentially drop at any seocdn with no warning or hand over cos you've gone into labour, and thus starting maternity leave.

Imagine tell the kids you'll process something, then you go into labour tonight, spend a few days in hospital, have the baby etc. and they're just left in limbo.

Much better delegating this stuff over to someone else and slightly concerning your school haven't worked out for themselves how unfair it would be on the kids.

Not sure what the negative impact on her unborn child would be if OP answered a call / spent 30min reviewing a student’s results.

« Who would be a teacher » … in many professions people wouldn’t mind having a quick work call when the business was closed for two months.
OP has chosen not to start her maternity leave, so not sure why being close to her due date has to do with anything.

Even if you weren't on maternity leave/ or at least approaching it they should not contact you at all. Holidays are not directed time ( unless as you made clear you are SLT l dept head or similar).

Someone senior should make the decision s on this( as they will have to when you are maternity anyway.)

If you are not supposed to be working - put your out of office on Teams to direct people to the relevant person.
there is generally an agreement with HOD who will be available for results day. Many students want to ask for guidance particularly where it affects college places.