TTC and wanting out of teaching!

[BeetleBear]

Hello! I have been TTC #1 for quite some time now. My partner and I are in the process of getting some fertility tests done as we haven’t had any luck. I am a teacher and have found this year at school pretty miserable due to understaffing and oppressive behaviour from the Trust. I wanted to leave and even got a job offer earlier this year but decided (regretfully) to turn it down as we were in the middle of ttc and I had more optimism of something happening. I didn’t want to put ttc on hold while I changed job.

I am now in a situation where I am sick of putting my life on hold, waiting for something to happen and then nothing. The earliest I can leave is Christmas as I have missed the May deadline but I want to be out by then, pregnant or not. I am aware that this will affect maternity pay if I were to start a new role pregnant but we have done the sums and could just about manage on Maternity allowance and my partners pay. It would be tight but we could manage 39 weeks.

My dream is to work in the civil service, but wonder how it might be received if I were to start there pregnant, and go on ML not too long after? It could be that I’m not even pregnant by then! But as I said, I’m sick of being so unhappy in my role, so want to plan an exit route!

TLDR:

1. should I stay or should I go? Happiness and a new challenge vs enhanced maternity pay
2. starting new jobs pregnant - anyone experienced this?

any advice/personal experience welcome. Thanks 🙏

True. Thanks for your prompt replies. The plan would be (if on MA) to return to work full time/4 days and DC would attend nursery. I want to make a good go of a new career, just hard when the uncertainty of ttc is in the mix! Oh and rigid teacher transfer windows 😩

When would you have to give your notice in to leave at Christmas? Have you got time to see what the outcome of your fertility tests are? You could also use the summer to be applying for different roles and then reconsider your options in the Autumn?

By 31st October. So yes, in theory got a bit of time to wait on results from the tests and apply for jobs. I’ve heard PECs at the Civil Service can take a while so don’t want to leave it too late. Thanks for your comment.

I’d definitely take the pressure off making any decisions for now then!

Enjoy the summer, get your CV up to date and apply for some different roles and maybe get a resignation letter drafted as just having it written can make you feel better 😆

Very true. It’s adding to the stress at the moment.

Oh hello are you me 👋🏻 also TTC and want to leave teaching. Hate the May deadline. The only reason I've stayed is because of starting TTC. And TBF I also thought even if I did want to quit for a new job before the May deadline, I've earned the summer off with all the unpaid overtime and sleepless nights this year. I'm hoping the 5 weeks actually helps with fertility a bit because I've had my period delayed from stress this year.

As a PP said, your financial situation is going to be unique to you but it's worth looking at the maternity policy for anywhere you're considering starting. Me personally, I'm giving it until October to see if we conceive before then and if not, I will be looking to hand in my notice and apply to other jobs (civil service sounds great but seems to take a bit longer to get into, would you consider a temporary job in the meantime? I've hit points this year where I've been fantasising about admin just to be able to get in and leave on time. And go to the loo when I wanted! Let alone having a proper lunch break).

For me, it's worth trying to stay to get mat leave (do look into how teachers can use split mat leave to extend how much of mat leave we're paid for, because we don't get to accrue holiday like other jobs do). Assuming I got pregnant while teaching, I would make a decision about whether I'd leave after 6 months statutory (in which case tbh I don't think it matters about moving jobs as long as I didn't start the job pregnant) or coming back after a year part time. It would be convenient to either see out the remainder of a term or year part time as long as the dates worked and then leave or even TTC no 2 but we're miles off from there yet.

All the best with your decision!

I completely feel you! I left teaching last year as my daughter had just started school and it was unbearable, I parent alone most of the time as well as partners in the navy. I felt suicidal and saw no way out. Then I got a job in the civil service and everything changed.
They paid 6 months full pay if you’ve been working there 1 year 13 weeks before due date, which works out you can start trying after 7 months so we started TTC last month.
I personally didn’t think the teaching maternity pay was that amazing and I heard of so many teachers not getting approved to come back part time.
Advice: apply for loads, don’t sell yourself short, aim high, see all the skills you can bring as a teacher and don’t stay in teaching for the mat pay, do what’s right for you and your mental health. Think about how stressed you might be for most of your pregnancy as well.
Ive heard of so many teachers leave and then get pregnant, probably stress related and I would suggest joining the Facebook Group “Exit the Classroom and Thrive”
Good luck!

I heard on a podcast (the rest is money) that Labour are planning on giving workers rights like maternity rights on day 1 of their employment. I don’t know if it would come through soon enough to benefit you but I thought it would be helpful for those in your circumstances.

Ah I knew I wouldn’t be alone! Feeling trapped in a job that’s draining you because of ttc is very frustrating isn’t it. I’ve done a lot of thinking over the weekend and think I’ll give it until October. Just need to know there’s a way out. Thank you 🙏