ANY TEACHERS CURRENTLY ON MATERNITY LEAVE - OR ABOUT TO START IT?

[popsycal]

A few questions.....
SHout if you are please
tia

rowlers- i've found the site with the jobshare policy for our local lea advisory body. in this policy it says that jobsharing shouldn't be a barrier to promotion. The only thing is that the document is entirely in welsh. I could give you the link and you could phone them up to ask if they have an english translation. i know it's not the same but they're the ones that inspect us and advise us on policy/teaching etc so surely their policy should be the same for schools.

If it's any help Rowlers my union advised me to ask for part time for 12 months. In 12 months I apply for it again and do the same until dd is in school. that way i have a permanebt full time job to return to when i want it. i spoke to a guy at nasuwt wales regional office who was sh*t hot on everything- can give you his name. Which union are you with Rowlers? nasuwt were fantastic with me.

Pixiefish, have CATed you.
I don't want to sound all weak and feeble but I will be SO grateful for your help!

Pixiefish, brilliant!
I'm with ATL, never had reason to contact them before but will start the ball rolling on Monday morning.
Welsh site is fine, my mum is Welsh and welsh is her mother tongue. Will give her something to do.
I'm getting quite excited, didn't think it would be possible so this has given me hope! THANKS

here's a start this link to general site but there is a section on personnel policy you need to click thecynnal tab at the top and then on the left there's a section on personnel policy. from here on in it's in welsh so you'll need your mum. Cat me if u want more info

as for atl- don't know how much clout they have- if you have no luck with them try nasuwt. now's the time to do it though

LOL Pixiefish! I have been updating the department's documentation and had to change the footer on every page!!!

I'm being really thick here, can't see the personnel section anywhere. Am I staring straight through it?

top right hand corner underneath where it says CYMRAEG it says cynnal. click there and then on the left blue blocks- bottom one says personnel

Got it, thanks.

But it's only in Welsh!

While we're talking teacher maternity personnel issues, can I do a quick hi-jack? I am applying for a job because I am fed up with the way certain managers treat me. I have an application in that has interviews in 2 weeks time. In three weeks time I have my first scan. I would take up the post (if appointed) at Xmas, do one term, then do one terms maternity leave. Do you think I am mad/unprofessional/wrong?

Oh, and I would not be entitled to any SMP, but DP understands I need to go and would help us to get through.

OOh, that's a hard one fisil.
If I'm looking at it from your point of view, I can see where you are coming from.
However, not sure you'd be very popular at the new school...
Having said that, I know it has been done before and will certainly be done again.

Not at all. You wouldn't get SMP but you would be entitled to Maternity Allowance which is paid at the same level and for the same length of time. It just comes from a different source - straight from Government to you, rather than via your pay cheque.

I did something similar. I got a new job in a different LEA, started the year a few weeks pg. Did until Feb then went on mat leave for rest of year.

If it is the same LEA you would still get SMP as normal.

BTW, the head was lovely to me and I was in o way made to feel bad at all by head or any staff there. They were really understanding; just one of those things when they employ women according to my head. And they completely supported by choice to go PT too.

That is one positive thing with where I work

I'm glad you answered hula - because the school is in special measures (I know, I know, I like a challenge). Do you still think it is acceptable to treat them that way?

Yes; you have to think of yourself first. At the end of the day work is work.

TBH in special measures schools are just desperate to have good, experienced teachers. IME not that many of then bother to even apply to schools in SM - I still have no HoD!!!

So long as you give them plenty of notice to arrange suitable maternity cover then there is no problem to the school anyway.

Are you planning on telling them you are pg?

Hi there,,,,
I have heard of lots of heads of departments doing job shares
that is the problem though - I am a head of year....there are 180 kids in my year group so a fairly hefty responsibility......I dont think there would be so much fuss if I were a HOD

Yes, but only once they have offered me the post. Legally they cannot make their decision factoring in the fact that I'm pg, so there is no point telling them (or rather, only a negative reason for not). If I do get offered the post and I want to accept (lots of ifs) then I will make it absolutely clear that only that head, dp & the cat know, and that it must go no further. But I think it's only fair at that satge - I wouldn't turn up in Jan with a big bump lol!

Sounds a good idea fisil.

fisil- I told Rowlers that the section she needed was in Welsh and her mum's going to translate it for her. I have suggested that she phones them ans asks if they have an English translation... \HTH.
Regarding going for another job and then going off on mat leave- if you're the best person for the job then they'll appoint you regardless of this... I know at least 2 people who have done this and then gone off on mat leave- told the prospective employer that they were pg and got the job on their merits. The school should look long term at this not just that you'll be off on mat leave but that they'll get a good teacher back after.

Popsy, any info you have on HOD doing jobshare would be much appreciated! I haven't heard of this before and am really keen on hearing examples of it working successfully.
Fisil, reading through everyone else's replies, it sounds like it's absolutely fine. I suppose I just look at things from the work point of view - it's so hard these days to find good staff and even harder to get maternity cover (well in my school anyhow) that I must admit a part of me would be peed off if I'd employed you but then Pixie and Hula are right - work is work!

Popsy- don't they have asistant hoy's at your place- that would be one option. Can't see why they wouldn't share it though although I can see that it may be difficult. BUT if you had an AHOY then when you weren't there the kids could go to him/her. Agree it's a bit difficult though popsycal BUT another thing- to refuse to let you do it they have to prove that it wouldn't work... have they done this before????? If not then so long as there's cover for when you're not there I can't see how they can refuse- you may have to drop some money to share with someone- I'd have done it before dd- to get the experience mainly for when a vacancy did arise for HOY.

I know Rowlers - you're talking like my conscience (and it's an AHT job!)

Fisil I know 2 people who got AHT posts while pregnant and went on mat leave soon after starting so it is possible.
As far as HODs jobs go, I did mine for part time pay but there is a department in my school where the HODs job is done as a job share - worked fine and again I think the school probably got more for their money than having one person doing the job.

geogteach, how did you manage the HOD post only part time? Did someone else do part of the job when you weren't there like pupil discipline etc? If you have the time / energy, I'd love to know how you managed it.
Sorry, I'm asking everyone now!