Any teachers here?

[Kitten22]

Hi ladies?
Are there any teachers here?
How are u copying with workload, planning marking, assessment, paperwork (observation if EYFS teachers) all while pregnant?
It's so draining. 28 weeks preg on Monday and I just cant bare the workload. This week was half term but spent most of it working at home. Really cant wait till maternity leave!

Kitten22
Oh no, they're not covering my lessons for me!
But our department is good at shared planning, bulk copying and generally looking after each other etc. E.g. If I need to go to the bathroom and a colleague is free then they'll get my class in for me. I've been taken out of certain additional tasks this term such as intervention, duties and centralised detention rotas.

@Teachermaths lool. Really? I wonder why that is.
Yea defo SLT job. Sometimes I feel like that. Just saying I'm going on maternity earlier. Goodbye!..... just not reality I guess

25 weeks and secondary Food teacher. I'm coping physically, but struggling emotionally with the stress of getting my GCSE classes organised before I go. Hate the thought of letting them down, but noone else seems to care. I'm thinking I'll go at Xmas ( probably c sectioned at end of January). Would there be any financial benefits to staying on for a couple of weeks into Spring term?

There's a nationwide shortage of Maths teachers, some areas are worse than others. I know of a local school with 1000 students and 4 maths specialists. The rest of the lessons are covered by supply or non subject specialists.

I'm similar to Lola in terms of being taken out of some centralised activities like duty/detention etc.

45 name your first day of mat leave as the first day back in January and not the last day in December.

If you know you have a replacement starting in Jan, name a later date and drag yourself in for a "handover" (ie they teach, you watch!) so you get longer off with baby.

teachermaths
It must be a core subject problem. There's schools I'm aware of with HOD English has under 5 years teaching and 75/80% of the team are non specialists.

It's good your school have a similar approach. Good schools realise it's better to keep good teachers in as long as possible

@teachermaths Nice tip! But... I really doubt there will be a replacement. Much like maths, there's a shortage of food teachers, so no practical lessons for my poor students...😫😯 I've just thought, I'm not going to be expected to set cover work am I?????😒

@Teachermaths. That's insane! What happens in situation where theres no supply teachers?
@lolasmiles and @teachermaths it's a blessing to only worry about your class rather than those extra activities and duties.

There's never no supply teachers. We rarely get Maths supply but there is always a body in front of the students. Same thing happens in schools with few subject specialists. It's awful for the students but there's literally nothing we can do. Ask your children carefully who is teaching them Maths, English and Science.

45 under no circumstances are you setting cover!! Go for the first day back as the start of mat leave, at least you get full salary over Christmas holidays then.

You don't need to go back for one day - you can name the first day of the summer holidays as your return to work date and be paid from then.

Im long past that, but i Started mat leave at 32 weeks.

Btw how is maternity pay calculated for teachers? Do u get paid the same salary for up to 6 months or is that wishful thinking?

@Teachermaths you dont need to go back at all! Your first day back should be the first day of summer holidays.

True that re not having to go back. I just like to for peace of mind that I can function as a teacher before September!

Kitten it depends on your contract if you're part of a MAT. Standard teacher maternity is " the first four weeks, you will be paid at 100 per cent of salary. Weeks 5 - 6 are paid at 90 per cent of salary, and weeks 7 - 18 at 50 per cent of salary plus the standard Statutory Maternity Pay rate of £139.58 per week. The remaining 21 weeks are paid at the standard Statutory Maternity Pay rate.".

I'm a secondary English teacher and deputy head of department; my workload and timetable is scary. I'm aiming to get my work for the department, that I would do over the year, done before I leave.

I'm 32 weeks and planning maternity leave at 38/39 weeks. I'm due the 21st of December and my replacement starts on the 2nd of December. I plan to take a week for handover and probably go off on the 6th. I'm just playing it by how I feel.

I've struggled with exhaustion and focus to some extent. Braxton Hicks are really hard to teach through and they've hit big style recently. Fortunately, I have an amazingly supportive department and school.

With all that said, I'm so pleased to have half term this week - an 8 week term has been a killer! I'll only have about 5/6 weeks when I get back.

I'm aiming to get my work for the department, that I would do over the year, done before I leave
Your role's work for the year becomes your maternity cover's problem once you go. Why are you running yourself into the ground when someone else will be paid and accountable for it after you leave?
Serious question here.

My friends out of teaching talked some sense into me on this. My responsibilities become someone else's problems when I'm on maternity leave and until then I do my job.

My la pay a month full then 90% and then it drops quite rapidly.

I agree with pp. When you're off, it isnt your problem. Enjoy it!

I’m not a teacher as such but I am the deputy manager of a busy preschool! I work 5 days a week. I’m shattered by the end of the day. 8 weeks until we finish for Christmas! It’s daunting! I’m currently 29+3 xx

@LolaSmiles @ballsdeep They're only covering my teaching hours not my additional role. I know I shouldn't care but I wouldn't want to drop my department in it so I'm just powering through. The Head of Department will pick up the day to day stuff but she isn't getting anything extra for it. I want to leave knowing I'm not adding too much extra pressure on others.

That's poor management from somewhere. Is there nobody internally who can act up? The HOD really needs to push for it. That's what's happening in my case: a maternity teaching cover has been appointed and then my leadership role is internally an acting up role.

Please look after yourself. You don't need to be overworking yourself at the end of your pregnancy.

They're basically not willing to pay anyone for the role so everyone will be expected to muck in. I just don't think it's fair hence the reason I've put myself out.

I've done a lot the last 8 weeks and I'm going to try finish everything this half term. Then hopefully I can relax for the next 5 weeks of teaching.

@Kitten22 I'm planning on going back in November (once my 9 months is up) as we really can't afford the extra weeks with no pay. I'm hoping to go back part time though.

I have no idea what's happening with maternity cover though. There's two of us going on maternity leave within 2 weeks of each other and they only had one applicant for the cover. Not my problem though!

I feel awful as I have horrific spd to the point where I can't walk up the stairs or bend at all. I basically shuffle. We are still on half term but I obviously can't go back in like this so I'm on the sick. I haven't told my head yet 😳😕 but my gp said to self cert for a week and then I have to go and se her next week and she'll sign me Off if I need it. Has anyone been off on the sick whilst pregnant