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.

So your not on maternity leave and you took a job as a teacher, teaching children who are at one of the pivotal moments in life and one of your students need a remark and they need your input to do so yet you feel somewhat hard done by.. please don't go back to teaching after you have your baby! I said what I said. Your not compassionate enough for the role.

I’m an excellent teacher, always get strong exam results and great value added. I love my job but it absolutely is not a vocation. I chose it in my late twenties because first choice career was not panning out and as it happened I loved it and have been doing it for 30 years. I didn’t go into it to help children- it was far less altruistic than that and that’s fine. I don’t know why OP is getting flack - her HOD should e dealing with it at this stage.

Well done sounds like you love the job and do well at it, appreciate the benefits and don't moan about it ❤️

I find it really rude when posters don’t come back with responses / updates!

Only you know what your contract says .. but presumably your maternity doesn’t officially start until either you give birth or schools re-open.

I think in your shoes I would have responded straight away stating that you have no authority over remarks & that it is the HoD’s role so could they please direct their questions to him/her… OR you should’ve planned ahead and had a automatic response to all emails stating that you are now out of the office on holiday and then maternity leave until July 2027 and to please contact the HoD on (email address) - or however TEAMS works!

good luck with rest of pregnancy and birth. (If that’s not already happened)

If you wanted to not be available to perform your role in August you should have started your maternity leave at the end of term in July.

because you wanted to extend your mat leave and instead activate it from the first day of term in September, YABU to take this approach towards your GCSE students.

in previous summers you have always responded to reasonable GCSE queries August therefore you were fully aware of the expectation of your role in august

YABU