Pregnant/schools/corona

[Lnix]

Hey, would love to chat with people in similar situation(s).

I'm 21 weeks pregnant.

Two things really:

1. Just curious to know if there are any pregnant teachers out there, and if so what you have been advised re. working in a school once shielding etc has been lifted? I have been doing online learning with my classes during lockdown but am feeling a bit anxious about what the expectation will be in August/September when schools are fully back. I am a teacher of 5-6 year olds so despite what the reccomendations might be, I would imagine that there will be minimal distancing due to their young age.

1. Anyone currently pregnant but have school-aged children due to return now or in August/September? Will you be sending them? I am not particularly worried about getting the virus just now (although I'd infinitely prefer not to!) but I know there are some slightly elevated risks after 28 weeks, which for me will coincide with my daughter, aged 4, starting primary school in September.

Hi, I'm a pregnant teacher. Currently doing home learners etc at home but will be back in school from September. I teach Year 2 so quite young still!
I am not sure on the risk assessments just yet but if I'm being honest, I'm sort of imagining business as usual in terms of Teaching. As the biggest risk is adult to adult contact I imagine my risk assessment will focus on attendance at staff meetings, where I eat my lunch, that kind of thing!

Hopefully we get some clarity soon. It is a stressful time for sure.

@Jess1309 thanks for reply! Yes, mine are year 1 so pretty similar to yours. I am in Northern Ireland though so they are not (yet) saying ALL children back in September but I would imagine they will do so soon enough. It idea of it can be stressful but it helps to hear another pregnant teacher talking matter-of-factly about it 🙂

I'm a secondary teacher - currently working from home (school have been very supportive in following the guidelines) but it looks like the guidance will change and I'll be back in September (going on Mat leave at October half term). I am trying not to think about it too much to be honest. On the one hand, teenagers understand the need to social distance. On the other... they're pretty likely to disobey 😂

I work in a school, not as a teacher but come into contact with staff/students/parents a lot. I'm due back in Sept (currently wfh) but have already warned them I might have to wfh again once I get to 3rd trimester, depending on the situation with Covid-19.
Not been advised anything yet but will be ensuring my work keeps contact with others to a minimum, as will break times etc. I find it strange to be honest that I am allowed to wfh now but expected back full time in Sept with a full school of students and adults. I am being cautious for now but may enquire about a mix of being physically in and wfh to minimise risk. But again, all depends on how the virus behaves then, if it seems to have died down even more than it has now, I will be ok being in full time. Luckily my 3rd trimester is due before autumn and a possible 2nd peak so I should be safely wfh briefly before mat leave starts!

I work in a school, not as a teacher but in a pastoral role. I'm currently working from home and hear that all staff (other than the shielding/vulnerable) will be in school for the last 2 weeks of July - not just rota'd staff as is the case now. So I think they are gearing up for a full return in September.

I'm due in November and I start the third trimester the day we start back at school. I'm quite reticent about going back as I know my kids won't distance and I end up in close contact with kids quite a lot. I'd be happy to go back if I could be in a position where I'm not student facing but I don't know how that would happen. I think we will see a second wave around October

Also not a teacher but regularly in close contacts with children/staff/parents. Currently wfh and school is working on the basis that I won’t be back in before mat leave starts at october half term. But also hasn’t ruled out bringing me back in for September if things are looking significantly better.

Good to hear some opinions on this. I am currently wfh and will be 28 weeks pretty much on the date schools return. I'm not totally isolating currently - will pop to shops at quiet times, have seen family in the garden etc or been with a friend for a 2m apart walk...but I would prefer not to go back into a crowded room situation, which will be the case even if the gov keep the distancing advice for schools. I am not keen to start my mat leave from 17th August when I had originally planned to start it on 6th October! I would like to have a role that requires less face-to-face time with children but I'm not sure now feasible this is.

And on top of what I've just said I have the added issue of my daughter starting Reception (P1 here) in Sept. I really hope to send her. Anyone else on here with school age kids sending them back?

I am 14 weeks tomorrow so will be 20 weeks I think when we go back in August. I have spoken to my HT who was very supportive. At the moment I plan to go back next term but the guidance for 3rd trimester definitely seems to be working from home. I asked my HT what the situation would be if this was still the case come October and she said I be able to work at home rather than having to choose to take maternity leave early as it isn't a choice if you're advised to essentially shield.

I hope you have the same experience.

Not sure how helpful my situation is to you as im a secondary school teacher and am 28 weeks pregnant today. Im due to go back in Sept (and not before according to gov guidance i should now be WFH, although ive been fortunate enough to be doing so since Marcb 17th) Although im starting my Mat Leave on the 7th Sept, which means I'll only be in school for 3 days (these are all INSET days and so wont have any contact with students)
Im waiting to see what the guidance is come Sept before making plans, but im hoping that things will be good enough for me to go in and see colleagues and help get set up for the new academic year.

Thanks everyone! All situations helpful 🙂 it's just a tricky situation. I'd love to go back but need to see what they can do in terms of minimising risk.

I am 25 weeks, secondary teacher. My school can’t tell me what to do as guidelines are changing weekly so no idea what the situation will be aug/sept. I will go in if they ask me to but I’d rather not risk it. On the other hand, I will be sending my children back to school in August as I am worried about how much they have already missed; they will be P2 and P4.

@quercusrobur yes! This! Will have to send my daughter as don't want her missing a further 8 weeks. She is currently an only child has has had no contact with other kids since middle of March...she needs to go to school in Sep. But, like you, I'd rather not add to the risk by also being in the school myself. It's a dilemma!

Hi, I'm not a teacher but am 23 weeks pregnant and my reception aged child has been back for a couple of weeks at school. I'll be in the third trimester in September after the holidays, when I guess it's higher risk but I am fairly reassured by the RCOG guidance and feel that the mental health and educational risk to them by missing out on school is higher than the risk to me or the baby. Its very much a personal choice based on your own circumstance but this works for us.

Yep, I was thinking of their education but the social side of things is a big deal too, plus the physical benefits of going back to sport clubs etc. Feel a bit hypocritical then saying I don’t want to go back into the classroom myself but it is an added risk 🤷‍♀️

Hi, not a teacher but as dp and I are both key workers unable to wfh my youngest has been in school since after the Easter break. I'm 30+2 and going into work 4 days a week. My employer has been very good at adapting my role as much as possible so that I don't have to be customer facing. Luckily I'm on a term time contract so only have just over 3 weeks to go before school finishes and then mat leave will kick in.

We only had the pregnancy confirmed 4 weeks ago (thought I was menopausal) so there hasn't been much time to worry about it. It's been absolutely fine and the school have also been brilliant so far.
My two will go back to school in Sept if they open as usual.

I'm 28 weeks and my daughter has been back in preps for the last four weeks....it's been much needed! She's private school so breaks up next Friday for the summer hols! The baby is due just before she starts reception in September and I'll definitely be sending her in!

That said, it wasn't a clear cut decision for us - we reviewed the 12 page plan and discussed with the headteacher prior to sending her back but realistically we both (me and her!) needed the break for our mental health! Her reception class is made up of 10 children so the school are easily maintaining the 'bubbles' which was reassuring.

so what you have been advised re. working in a school once shielding etc has been lifted?

It is only the pregnant who have certain very severe heart conditions who are advised to shield

You probably need to talk to your cardiologist about this. so what you have been advised re. working in a school once shielding etc has been lifted?

Not least because you probably need to know whether you would also have been placed in the shielding group if not pregnant.

Shielding is set to be paused from 1 August, and no SSP for being in the 'formerly shielded' (you'll see the info on this in the letter you should have got this week).

When is your return date? If you are in England you will,be 31 weeks pregnant and so have a huge advantage over the rest of the shielding community because you could start your maternity leave.

The world will be quite different if you take the full year and much more will be known about the transmission patterns and his to counter them.

Hi

I am a secondary teacher, 20 weeks pregnant. I have been working at home for about half the week and in with the key worker groups the other half. I’ll be in full time next week with year ten bubbles.
My school have been really supportive but haven’t said anything about September, I guess the guidelines changes so frequently it’s pointless looking until closer to the time. Personally I am hoping to be able to work until the October half term (due mid Nov) as I was under the impression it was third trimester and underlying health conditions that were advised to shield and I have no underlying conditions though. I could be wrong though and I haven’t looked for a while so happy for someone to correct me.
I really hope to be able to work though as I want to get my year ten, then year 11 as prepped for their exams as possible!

It's not third trimester for shielding. It's (specified) severe cardiac issues and pregnant (any length gestation)

The former shielded population will be lumped in with the 'flu jab' group (aka clinically vulnerable, aka moderate risk) from August, and can attend workplaces (provided it is Covid-safe - but that's not a defined term).

I think currently shielded people like OP really need to talk to their consultant about their ongoing risk. There will be no shield to rely on, but you can take unpaid leave, or start your mat leave early. Which is a fairly shitty set of options, but the shielded have been living with a series of (often inadvertent) shitty options and opinions all through this

I'm pregnant, my eldest is at school in the educare bubble and my youngest at nursery. I'm not concerned at all, I'm otherwise young(ish), fit and healthy. Post 28 weeks I will probably work from home, although that's no different to now, but avoid doing my site work. I'm currently only doing site work that it outside and where I can easily socially distance.

@MrsR87 that's great your school has been really supportive. Mine has been too, but the Education Authority here has said no pregnant women should be working on the premises at present, unless they take all the risk on themselves. I have gone in anyway to sort my room and gather books etc for the children as I am not currently shielding, just being careful as per the guidelines. (Not sure if my original post on this was clear - apologies if not). I think the advice for pregnant women is precautionary unless there are underlying health conditions and/or you are over 28 weeks. But yes it keeps changing so can be hard to keep track of! I spoke to my consultant yesterday and he said the reason for the 28 week advice is that in the unlikely event of a woman at that stage of pregnancy getting covid and needing ventilation, the baby would have to be delivered early. Anyway, thanks for your input. It is really good to hear what other people think. Ultimately, I want to work until October if it is allowed/low enough risk to do so. (I appreciate there can't be no risk at all!).

@Lnix
Ah I see. To be honest I only looked at the NHS advice and spoke to my midwife who said I was fine to go to work so I’ve just been doing that. Ill go look at the education guidelines now if I can find them and maybe mention it to the school just in case but as I’ve been going in since March it seems a bit late in the day 😀

Keeping my fingers crossed for being allowed to work until October! 🥰

Ah yes, just found the Department for education advice. Thanks for the pointer! I’m happy to keep going as I am for now but worth knowing it’s there for the future if the situation changes.

Hi @Lnix. I am a reception teacher and am 19 weeks pregnant. I haven’t been back in my school, my school said they didn’t expect me back when they started back on 1st June so I have carried on doing online teaching.
I need to have the chat with them about September. I will then be in my third trimester and was hoping to go back until half term then start maternity leave. But it will depend on guidance at the time and their health and safety policy too, so all very up in the air at the moment!