Teachers - when to start maternity leave?

[rubyinthedust]

Have noticed there are a lot of teachers on here so thought I would ask!

I'm a secondary school teacher and I'm due October 22nd with my first child. After Easter the head is going to want to know when I intend to start maternity leave, for staffing purposes.

I think I have two options:

1. go back for the first INSET days and then start maternity leave early Sept (seems like a popular option at my school!); or
2. go back for a month and finish late September/early October to maximise the maternity leave time after baby comes. I'm not really sure what I'd do during that month as it's very likely that my replacement would start in September anyway and the school wouldn't give me any classes. In the past teachers have been given admin tasks to do and some cover.

Also, I'm pretty sure that I will resign during the year anyway as DH and I want to relocate - if we do this, I'd need to come back and work for the last half-term. This depends on whether DH finds a job in the area we want to move to, although I'm pretty sure he would - he's a Physics teacher and there seems to be tonnes of jobs.

I think I'm leaning towards option 1 as I probably would need to go back to work in June anyway, but am a bit worried I'd be really bored for 8 weeks! Obviously I'd get paid less over the year too.

Any thoughts?

johull, as far as I know the 6 weeks summer holiday counts as part as the "going back to teaching" time - many teachers I know have come back for the last half-term and then left, and didn't have to pay back anything. For me it's not about wanting to quit teaching, it's that we want to relocate, so I'll be looking for a job elsewhere, and yes - hopefully part-time. I've watched the Jess Green thing, it's excellent!

cupofteaplease I'm a secondary school teacher so no announcement will be made, I guess kids will start noticing after a while and if they ask I'll confirm! I might tell my form by May if they still haven't noticed, as I've had them for 4 years.

I think I'll aim to stay until early October and hopefully there'll be some non-teaching duties for me to do. Thank you so much for all your replies, very helpful!

FB- you are absolutely right! You will only ever have to pay back the enhanced part of the mat pay you'll never have to pay back the stat mat pay. Furthermore I'm getting 20 weeks full pay, I'd have to pay that back (minus the stat pay) if I decided to leave work and not return. I am returning though part time, this has already been decided.

I would suggest you always say a date tgats ambitious e.g 37 weeks, cover supervisors can also be used if you go early, however if you feel fine at 37 weeks then your replacement will already be at the school. You can't push the date back, but you can bring it forwards- albeit not by too much

My announcement came via the fact that I wait and see needing to run out of the room to vomit. One day I vomited in a bin in my classroom which I had hidden in a cupboard for that purpose as it was a 5 period day.

I'm going at 29 weeks!! But I am relocating straight away, my DH has already moved and it's really becoming difficult being apart, juggling the travelling every weekend and paying for 2 properties so even though I will get less time off with baby before I have to look for a new job it will make things easier in the 2 months before baby is born! I won't get bored, I'm doing a pt floristry course and will swim, walk and sort my nest out for when bubs arrives!! Im also not going back full time to teaching, I'm not willing to put my 1 year old into full time care whilst teaching, planning and marking all hours, it's not worth it!

Ruby - I'm a year 11 form tutor and I told my lot before we broke up (I'm 19 weeks and had got some sideways glances for a while!) because I might not make it to GCSE results day!

Second option. You can always change your mind nearer the time. Whereas you can't say that you want to finish on sept 1st then change your mind and carry on

If I were you I would maximise the time and work up until Oct if poss. I'm due 22nd Sep and plan to go back for the first week if I'm still doing well, I will be 37 weeks so I'm not sure if it will actually be possible. I'm assuming after 6 weeks off I will be quite rested and would be able to cope with a few days in. Our term starts Sep 1st and if I start my mat leave it would have to be on Sunday 31st Aug and I'm not sure if that would affect my pay over the summer or not. They have not exactly been helpful with this and I'm still waiting for risk assessment, paper work and an actual response from the school as to what I need to do and who to notify.

I am due on the 24th of September and also a Secondary teacher. I have been offered the choice with Mat pay of taking my enhanced pay as a lump sum on return to work if I go back to avoid having to pay it back if I don't return - not sure if you have that option.

I am going on to start Mat leave on the 8th of September - one week after the start of term as I have TLR responsibilities which are changing in September, also I have two peoples PMR's to do at the beginning of the academic year so will help out the HoD by me doing them as I started them this year and my Mat cover will not be able to do them.

Lots of people think I am mad but the idea of finishing in the middle of July and not having bubba till the end of September I might just need a week back to break it up - I may regret this decision in September when the idea really doesn't appeal but .......

Give the latest date possible. You are allowed to leave earlier than the date you give, but not later. Also, I believe you have to go back after mat leave for 13 weeks, otherwise you are required to pay back your mat pay. Check that if you are planning to resign.

Secondary HoD and due 20th October here.
I didn't realise I would have to let them know about maternity so soon!
I am planning to give myself about 2 weeks pre-due date, so definitely going back in Sept (easiest month of the year!) and I reckon it's up to the head to decide what he wants me to do about time tabling. Am banking on feeling nice and relaxed after 6 weeks off, and sept not being a heavy month (comparatively!). Can always go earlier if needed.

Mine don't need to know for a while yet (have chatted to HR manager informally) and I am due September! Given that your Maternity letter from your GP isn't generated till 17+ weeks, it seems a lot of schools want to jump the gun to make it easier to plan cover?!?

BTW I am saying that as a manager with quite a lot of staffing input in a large secondary so not being blase! Haven't heard much about HR involvement - we have a proper (2 person) team which really helps avoid SLT panic.

Mine is pretty straightforward though: if all goes well I am being switched over to maternity after INSET at the start of September and coming back the last 2 weeks of summer term. No intention to move school, we're pretty settled.

Hey!

I'm a secondary teacher, due May but I've already dropped so u think it may be sooner... I'm taking my leave as of the end of the Easter holidays which will make me 38 weeks. To be honest, my school have been brilliant and let me come home in afternoons when I have PPA which really helped and I really don't feel too bad at all. You don't have to tell them yet when you are going and I'd suggest you try and get in for a bit in September to maximise your maternity pay. Also remember (this is a little unethical) that your maternity pay can't be forced into place if you are sick until 36 or 37 weeks, I forget which!

While I'm on here, fellow teachers, are any of you exam marking while on Mat leave? I've been given a contract to do it in June and my bursar said it was fine but somebody at school have me cold feet and said it would stop my pay. Does anybody know or have experience of this?

mummycherry I had also accepted a contract for exam marking in June, hadn't even thought about it being a problem mat leave... How do we find out?

This is from NUT maternity matters, so I think it is alright:

Working for another employer

Your SMP will not be affected if you work before your baby is born for another employer who did not employ you in the 15th week before your baby was due.

Your SMP will end if you work after your baby is born for another employer who did not employ you in the 15th week before the baby was due.

In either case, you should check that the employer paying your SMP consents before you start work to ensure that you are not breaching your contract.

Self-employment

If you undertake work on a self-employed basis during your maternity leave, this will not affect your maternity leave or pay because the rule applies only to employment under a contract of service as an employee. Self-employed work could include self-employed supply work, marking exams on a self-employed basis, or providing private tuition. You should check that the employer paying your SMP consents before you start work to ensure that you are not breaching your contract.

Actually rereading that it might matter! I might just ring the NUT and ask them when I am out of hospital.

I guess schools need to know a bit earlier than some to have jobs advertised - May half term deadline is not far away if someone is looking to leave another role. I haven't even put in my official documentation yet but they have got my cover in place - guess they know I won't be changing my mind!

Hello

I'm a teacher too, infant school though. I'm currently signed off after a hospital stay last week and have been really struggling at work. The only allowance they've made is that I get a 10 minute break in the morning (my children don't get this as it's foundation stage so have outdoor play as free flow) this half term has been really tough at least 3 after school meetings every week and just generally lots to do which I think contributed to my hospital stay. Anyway this week is sick and then 2 weeks holiday so hoefully I can tackle the last bit!
I'm thinking of going off 4th July, due 29th or maybe now the week before 27th June which would give me 4 weeks at home. The thought of outdoor play in the red hot sun does not appeal! I think we all need to look after ourselves a lot and remember you need to be rested before the baby arrives.
I might go back after May half term work 7 weeks and have the 6 weeks holiday included in this time but hand my notice in to finish 31st august. I don't enjoy my job at all anymore and find it absolutely draining! I'd rather go and earn less money but leave work at work at 5pm! Can't imagine a 10 hour day at work plus more at home with a baby!

SpoonfulOfJam I think you're right. I know about the 13 week rule, but as I said the 6 weeks summer holiday counts as part of that so many teachers before have come back for the last half-term as it lasts 7 weeks at my school. I think I'll do the same, or come back straight before May half-term if I need to.

squizita Yeah my school is incredibly quick on the trigger, they would have advertised my post already if I'd let them but I asked them to at least hold off until I've had my 12-week scan! To be fair to them there are 4 people leaving (including another maternity leave) in my department of 7, so I can understand their panic to a degree...

Thank you to everyone else for your replies, I'll be giving the latest date possible.

I would take as little time before and as much after as possible, which is what I did. And IIRC, if you go back to work (even just a day or two) before a holiday, you are back on full pay for the holidays.

Thank you for that! I'm a naswut, might send them an email an ask...will let you know. I did ask my bursar at school and she said it wouldn't affect pay as it is nothing to do with my school contract. I only got cold feet because another teacher said it would! What a nightmare !