Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Teachers - when did you tell your head?

24 replies

Tea1Sugar · 18/08/2013 09:07

At the start of term I'll only be 7/8 weeks but I'll need time off for my booking-in appointment in the second week. Also, I'm nervous about having to dash out if I'm sick leaving my TAs with the class if nobody knows. Wwyd?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ILiveInAPineappleCoveredInSnow · 18/08/2013 10:01

I teach in a high school, and luckily I have a science prep room off my lab, so I used to go in there to throw up in a bin!
I just asked for time off for "medical" appointments, and didn't tell the head until I was 20 weeks, as I went for a promotion first (which I got), and didn't want it affected by the knowledge I'd be going on maternity leave at October half term.

If I hadn't been going for a promotion, I would probably have told him quite early as I have had a lot of appointments for scans due to previous losses, but I'd have asked him to keep it to himself until I was ready.

misskatamari · 18/08/2013 10:06

I told mine pretty early - about 7 weeks but only because I was feeling so rough and ill. Ended up signed off with sickness for a few weeks so he definitely needed to know. It did mean that my hod changed some of my classes for next year too to take into account maternity leave. I would probably have left it longer if I'd been well, but like you was worried about the urge to puke when teaching a lesson!

Shirehobbit · 18/08/2013 12:32

Mine had to know early due to a residential trip I had to go on at 7-8wks. I also had a history of mc at that point, so they needed a plan in case I started to mc while away - it was so stressful.
Tbh I would have probably told anyway because of my history. They also needed to know before 12 weeks to properly advertise my mat leave, just due to timing with notice periods/summer holidays looming etc.

Whatever you decide - congratulations!! And hope things get easier with sickness as you enter the 2nd trimester.

BigBongTheory · 18/08/2013 13:55

Very early because they were having a nightmare planning for next year anyway, withou extra confusion once it was all settled.

Previously at 12 weeks. I just asked for time off for a hospital appt. Very unlikely they'll ask what it's for. They'll probably assume you're pregnant tbh - mine did but didn't say anything until I confirmed it b

Xenadog · 18/08/2013 14:27

Really late on as school was restructuring and I think they would have made me redundant rather than go through the hassle of sorting out my maternity. Had I been at one of my previous schools (or even not going through the restructuring process) I would have told then immediately after my nuchal screening results were back. As it was I waited until 22 weeks and I had had my 20 week scan and been told everything was OK.

sanityisamyth · 18/08/2013 15:52

I had a slightly complicated situation - I went for a promotion at a different school (which I got) but didn't know I was about 4 weeks pregnant at the time. Got really worried about telling new school but was encouraged to do so by current school which new school were grateful for. It meant they could design me a role around my skills and expertise but also take into account me not being there after Christmas. I don't have a timetable as such as I'm only doing intervention work whilst I'm working there which is lovely. I feel really guilty but I didn't set out for it to happen this way. Hopefully I should have a more standard second year there!

sanityisamyth · 18/08/2013 15:54

P.S. I think I was about 12 weeks when I told new school.

Danilou22 · 18/08/2013 21:41

It was very early both times for me. With my son (now 2) I had to tell our head because I was so sick and this time (now pregnant with twins!!) I told her early because of the planning for classes in September so will only be there until christmas.

Our head likes to wait until we are 20 weeks before telling parents - I think as I am having twins they are going to realise on the first day back!

barebranches · 18/08/2013 21:44

day after my 12 week scan. didnt have time oof though as it was summer hols... im 15 weeks now!
i didnt want her to get a shock on the first day back!
didnt have sickness though or might have told earlier.

13loki · 18/08/2013 21:52

I told at about 9 weeks this time,but only because a friend was being made redundant and I hoped they would offer him my maternity cover, as I am only working 10 weeks this school year. In previous job I told HOD at 4 weeks, but because we had a school farm and I knewI couldn't work with the sheep. We only told colleagues at the farm until 8 weeks, when I had to tell the rest of the science department, because I was running into random labs to be sick. I think I told head about 13 weeks, because I was sick at work at least a couple of times a day, and it was quite obvious I was either pregnant or had serious issues.

CubanoHabana · 18/08/2013 22:06

I will be telling mine on thursday, gcse results day,I will be 13 plus 4 and already showing, so didn't want to rock up on first day back showing even more... Really nervous though, as someone in dept already pregnant and obviously head may or may not be in a good mood depending on the results - also I'm a core dept, so it's mainly our results she will concentrate on to start with...

enjolraslove · 18/08/2013 22:07

I told my head early on because I started bleeding at school and had to leave. Ended up crying in his office explaining it - not the calm professional way I had planned! (All ended up ok though so :) )

SuffolkNWhat · 18/08/2013 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wonderstuff · 18/08/2013 22:14

Really early as I was signed off for a fortnight with HG on both occasions.

EvilTwins · 18/08/2013 22:17

Told my line manager v early as was suffering with MS (turned out to be twins) and she was able to cover for me if I was late for registration. Told HT day after 12 wk scan. Ended up having v frequent scans because I as carrying MCMZ twins so there was a risk of TTTS. I think I missed the same class every time!

CupcakeFanatic · 19/08/2013 08:12

I'm a secondary school science teacher and informed my Head in the last week of term in July before we finished for the summer. It was the day after we'd had the 12-week scan. He has been positive and supportive so far (he knows we've had a stillbirth, chemical pregnancy and a miscarriage previously).

Hermionewastherealhero · 19/08/2013 08:20

At 6 weeks as I had MC previously and head knew that so I knew she would be pleased for me, Plus they were worried about staffing for the next year, as we were going to be over staffed and my ML solved that. Finally we had a 2 week period of observations and if I needed to run out it would have been understood!

ch1134 · 19/08/2013 08:55

I'm 17 weeks now and still haven't told my head. I don't trust him and thought he'd change my timetable if I told him last term - also the 12 weeks scan fell the 1st day of the Summer hols so I thought I could get away with it. I'll tell him the first day back in Sept - I'll be 19 weeks and will need an afternoon off the following week for the next scan.

juicyjuice · 19/08/2013 09:00

I told mine early (7 weeks) as there was a child at school with a medical issue and the school nurse emailed staff the ask if anyone was pregnant- I did feel my hand was pushed! I probably would have waited til 12 weeks otherwise.

Yorkiedodah · 19/08/2013 09:27

Had to tell my head at 10 weeks. Got a promotion first so was umming and arrring for a bit but then came down with HG so told her over the phone...

sunshinemeg · 19/08/2013 12:19

I will be 14 weeks the day we go back and will talk to the head in the morning of the first day. My head of department knows already, couldn't hide the sickness in a team of 4.

Smerlin · 19/08/2013 14:55

About 8 weeks as was having issues and needed time off work. Wish I hadn't had to.

My head was very unsupportive about the impact my time off was having (wasn't even that much but just all within 1st trimester) and very unsympathetic. Hope yours is better!

riskit4abiskit · 19/08/2013 15:04

about 8 weeks to my head of faculty but only because there was an outbreak of measles AND some other disease I had to be wary of.

risk assessment about 21? weeks maybe.

officially in a letter, filling in all the maternity forms, only about 25 weeks.

my school are very good with regards to this type of thing.

pinkr · 19/08/2013 15:19

I'm on maternity leave but still haven't told my head! We just tell our business manager...he runs staffing etc. big secondary school. I told at what I thought was six Weeks but turned out to be four! I was worried as we had ill pupils with chicken pox etc so for health and safety I informed him and the matron. That said our head isn't exactly hands on and I've only spoken to him once or twice in eight years!

Flip