How to ask for appointment time off without revealing pregnancy (teacher)

[SenoraSurf]

I'm off work due to sickness today and have just had my booking appointment confirmed for next Thursday.
I only started my current school in September and felt awful about having a sick day today (I feel guilty even though I couldn't have worked).

Now I'm even more nervous about asking for time off for booking appointment. It's at 10.30 so will be off for most of the school day but could make it back for last lesson period 5 and hopefully some of period 4.

What's the best way to ask for the time off without having to tell them I'm pregnant? Or is it easier to tell head of department I'm pregnant? Or the head?
So confused and grateful for any advice.

A 10:30 appointment shouldn’t mean you are off most of the day surely? It will take no more than an hour for the appointment then head straight to work after.

I booked my appointment for out of school hours as I didn’t want work to know. If you can’t reachedule for after school time then just tell work it’s a medical appointment.

Only tell HR and tell others you have a routine doctors appointment. It's useful for HR to know as there will be allowances for you to be off with morning sickness.

@Buggeroffbingbunny I work an hour away from home and it's a home appointment. GP said to allow for 2 hours for booking appointment so based on that, I'll get back to work for 1.30. Based on making sure there is cover, I'll only be back for lesson 5 at that rate. Obviously the earlier I'm back the better though.

@Bobbiepin fab. Didn't think to tell just HR. Thanks!

I’ve had 3 booking appointments and the longest any has taken is an hour!

HR are not always trustworthy and do often breach confidentiality. There's no way I'd tell HR without expecting they'd spill the beans to my manager.

If you do decide tell HR, I'd really recommend you tell your HT first.

I wouldn't expect your booking to take less than that just in case. Mine was actually over 2 hours.
Personally I'd just tell the head so it can be sorted easily.

Can't you get one in the holidays ?

Just say it's a hospital / dr appt. No need to say what it's for.

Why don't you want to tell them? They will have to know eventually and the sooner they know the sooner they can do risk assessments for you etc.

I only told my immediate line manager with both pregnancies before 12 weeks. The appointment was put down as medical appointment.

I actually felt better having someone at work knowing because they did cut me some slack when I felt rough etc.

Can't you postpone for 2 weeks then it's the holidays?

@Ariela @sunshineonrainyhay unfortunately I'm out of the country for Christmas visiting family and they don't do weekend appointments - else I would've rescheduled

@Treaclepie19 thanks, I'm basing it on the maximum time it will take so I can ensure there is enough cover arranged at work

Phone the midwives and ask to postpone the appointment for a week then it can be in the school holidays

Please don't postpone your appt until the holidays as suggested. You are as entitled to time off for your maternity care as anyone else.

Would an accountant or a shop assistant or an other postpone until their holiday? You can bet your life they wouldn't. Ridiculous suggestion

I had to tell my school early as their policy was you had to provide evidence of the appointment before they authorise the time off. I would tell them- you are entitled to the time off

Perhaps it’s different as I work in a primary, but I went to my head and told her I was pregnant and asked for the time out. I figured I’d have to tell her eventually even though I was irrationally mortified at ‘letting her down’ as I was pregnant at the same time as my partner teacher. I also realised that the earlier my head knew the earlier she could start planning for my absense.

@callmerachel that's a scalable offense. If that's happened to you I would suggest talking to your union.

They tell you to allow 2 hours in case things pop up that need longer to discuss e.g. medical history, previous social services involvement, mental health etc. Even if none of these things apply to you don't make it so you have to rush back.

*sackable offense

@allhailthetinsel amen.

@Scubalubs87 I think I'm more nervous of the impression I will give. I've only been in this school since September. I know that they will need to know eventually but feel like I've done wrong by the school in getting pregnant! Also, don't want to jinx anything as we won't have a scan probably till late January.

Equally, if anything had gone wrong with the pregnancy, I decided it was better for my head to know already in case I needed time out of school.

It's best to be upfront, my opinion anyway. You only need tell your headteacher.

Head of dept, not headteacher then. I was in primary mode!

If you're not ready to tell, then don't. I was in this exact same situation a few weeks ago. Our policy is the same as a pp said you have to show evidence for appointments so there was no way I could say it was for something else. I had little choice but to call in sick....wrong I know but I had no option. I hadn't told anyone apart from my husband and really wasn't ready until after my 12 week scan xx

I’m in a similar situation as a pregnant teacher. I wanted to go in late yesterday as I wanted to go to the EPU for an early scan first thing. In the end I just had a quiet word with the lady that does cover - I told her last time I had a miscarriage, so I decided just to tell her I am pregnant. She was lovely and arranged cover for me. Nobody else at work knows. I think it’s important that any absence is marked as pregnancy absence rather than anything else.