Work in a school and unsure when to take maternity

[CathyandHeathcliff]

I work in a school and traditionally staff leave at the end of a term. Number one, this makes handover easier, number two, it's less disruptive to the kids.

I'm in a tricky situation in that I'm due on 20th October. Summer hols start on 24th July and end on 3rd Sept. I'll only be 28 weeks when we break up and 33 when we go back. I was going to start my leave on the first day back and just not return after summer, so at 33 weeks. But I feel this seems a little early. So if I go at 35 or 36 I'll only be back in the classroom for two or three weeks and then leaving which I feel might be disruptive to the children. So I'm not sure what to do for the best.

Any advice would be great.

Can you go back in September in a supplemental role, so a bit of class cover, small group work, prep, etc? Obviously it makes no sense for you to be given your own class for a few weeks, but on the other hand I don't think that they can insist you start mat leave at 33 weeks. Will you be taking the full year off? Coming back in October might be trickier.

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Not sure how much this helps but his has happened to several ladies in my school- they have still come back after the summer holidays but haven't been assigned a class. Instead they have been used as PPA cover, small group support interventions and class cover etc. I've not been in your situation personally but surely it's better to try and stay at school for a few more weeks so you can utilise the maternity time 'the other side'. I think you decide your maternity start date as well- not the school. I think us teachers all feel very loyal to the children and other teachers and often don't want to put anybody out!
I am myself currently grappling with when to tell my head as12 weeks will be end of June- not ideal at all!

If you're a teacher, I'd go back for a few weeks. You might find that it's a nice few weeks as they would probably not give you a class (primary speaking here).
You don't want to go off earlier than you need to because you want the time with your baby! If you're getting the full occupational pay, you only get 4 weeks of full so you don't want to throw that away too soon!
I'd think about yourself and not school because you matter too!

Are you a teacher?

Do the dates that suit you best and make the most sense financially. You'll be bored rigid if you start mat leave at 33 weeks.

In the nicest possible way, the children won't care or notice that much. Children are adaptable and they will be fine.

I'm in the same boat OP but secondary and due 23rd Oct. I'll be back for September and a couple of weeks of October.

Schools have measures in place for maternity cover - it's their responsibility- not yours. Would they even give you a class in September knowing you're going off in Oct? My school won't. I imagine I'll just be on intervention and support roles in lessons until I go off. Don't do something that doesn't make sense financially for you - it's the school's responsibility to sort this out.

Had the same thing and teach secondary. I went back on a reduced timetable and taught for 6 weeks, leaving at the end of the first week of six, baby was born on the 24th.

Ideally I would have liked my mat cover to be in for a week or two with me to hand over properly but that didn't happen.

As a fellow teacher, do what suits you not the school! 33 weeks is pretty early to start leave unless you have health issues. My first baby was due in November and I just went back and taught normally until she came early at 35 weeks.
This time I went off at 38ish weeks. Again I taught right up. Once you tell the school when you want off they'll put together the plan.

I am due 24th sept. I am going back in for 2 weeks to support the new teacher. I wouldn’t be going off at 33 weeks personally. What if baby is late? You could have 9 weeks off without the baby

Do what you want! I'm going to go back for a fortnight in septemver- it's money I could do with! You decide when to go, not school. They might end up employing a mat cover teacher for the whole year and there would be some overlap but that's something every school deals with. I'll just be used to lighten people's workloads/ do cover etc until I go. Do what works best for you!

Im not a teacher but my work have made me take all my holiday allowance before starting maternity leave as our holiday runs jan to december and im having 9 months off and they have a policy of if you can use it prior then you have to. So ive been finished work since 35 weeks and trust me im bored senseless if your feeling fit and well to continue working go back for as long as you want to im sure the head teacher can find a suitable alternative role rather than giving you your own class for just a few weeks but at this point you should be selfish to your own needs!

Last time I was due just before Feb half term. Told the head pre 12w scan as it was booked for day 2 of summer holidays! I taught the first term, may cover started in jan and I had a three week blissful handover and special projects. There were quite a few of us that year - one was sent home in labour without cover in place and another signed off around 28 weeks! Do what suits you. They'll cope, even if you're the head or only specialist

Just say what you prefer. I'm going back in a month's time and I will be doing cover/ admin, then starting with a proper timetable and classes in September. Imo, if you are healthy and pregnancy is going well, you will be bored stiff finishing at 33w. I finished at 38w and still got bored in the remaining 2.5 weeks of my pregnancy.

Do not go off too early! You have to be a little selfish here and leave when it is right for you. The school will cope and as previous people have posted, they may place you in a cover type role. I regretted how little maternity time I had with my twins so would recommend taking leave as late as you feel you can leave it. Congratulations!

I'm a teacher and lucky enough to be due mid September. Someone I work with is due on a similar date to you. She was told the other day that she would most likely just cover lessons/ do department admin tasks etc until her maternity starts. They are employing a teacher from 3rd September to take the classes that are usually hers.

I am a teacher and worked up until I was 38 weeks. I had a student in during the last term so was doing a lot of paperwork but I left mid way through the final term. The school should be used to people going off at random points in the year for maternity. I have covered maternity as well and was meant to start mid way through a term (although I ended up starting at Easter as the teacher was unwell). You have to be selfish in these matters I am afraid.

There's no money available at my school to allow teachers who are nearly due to start maternity leave to be able to have no class of their own or to do PPA cover etc as suggested. They'd have to have their new class in Sept no matter what.

I was due Nov but left 3rd week in Sept as my first had been early - and so was my 2nd so it was good I left earlier than some of my colleagues have.

That said, leaving earlier for the sake of your school leaves you with fewer weeks with your baby when it comes, which is a big downside.

As a PP said. Do what suits you, not the school. A few weeks in Sept is not the end of the world and your class will quickly get used to your cover teacher.