Pregnant teachers

[Newmumtobe7654]

I am a secondary school teacher. I will be 30 weeks pregnant when the new term starts and I have been told that I will be going in and teaching a normal timetable. I read that shielding people will not have to from the 1st August and I feel fine that I will be going to work but I was just wondering if any pregnant women have been told what the plans are for them in the new academic year. Are you required to go in or still working from home?

13 weeks pregnant today. I've been wfh since lockdown and it was confirmed I can return as normal from Sept. The only pregnant women who cant are ones with heart conditions guidance says. I'm also looking forward to getting back as normal.

I’m also a secondary school teacher. I’ll be in for the first half term, but my maternity cover will also be in (I’m reasonably likely to need a fair bit of time off as I’m technically “high risk” pregnancy and will have fortnightly scans and may have to have bed rest). I won’t quite have a normal timetable, but I will be working at school rather than from home.

I'm a primary school teacher, will be 29 wks when we go back but as far as I know it will be work as usual. I'm not having a class, I've got an NQT in there that I'll be supporting amongst other things. I will welcome the structure back in my life! X

Pregnant women don't fall into the same category as shielders (unless you have an underlying condition too). The ROCG guidelines are very clear, after 28 weeks you are at higher risk, and so you should be working from home or suspended on full pay. By law they must undertake a risk assessment for you and if they can't ensure you are SAFE (2m from anyone else all day) you shouldn't be at work. Mat leave can only be triggered from 36 weeks if you have preg related illness or for health and safety reasons. Read the RCOG guidance www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/ , and the NEU guidance neu.org.uk/women-work-childcare-during-coronavirus . It doesn't sound like your head is being fair. I'll be 29 weeks in September and have been told I'm not expected back (secondary, English).

I’m a Reception teacher and I will be 29 weeks in September. I haven’t been asked to go into work (been teaching online lessons) and they have said unless there are any major changes they will have me working from home in September until my maternity leave in November.

I’ll be 36 weeks by September so I will be starting my mat leave then and not taking the risk for those few weeks.

I’ll be 31 weeks in September and I have been told that I will be going back. I’m actually really glad about this too. The category for pregnant women from the new gov guidelines is unclear, and if you click on some links, it takes you to the shielded/pregnant woman guidelines issued in July, not the ones in august. Its somewhat confusing and different schools have interpreted it differently. I’ve spoken to my HR department and they are happy for me to go back (my maternity replacement will also be there too). I had to interview my own maternity replacement due to my role so we have chosen for him to start in September, as things may change government wise. So even though I’ll be back, I won’t be strictly on a full timetable (I’m HOD too anyway). I am going into school over the holidays (with support for lifting from a school technician) to pack up my personal stuff just incase the government advice changes though.
I was asked if I was happy to go back and I don’t fall into any extra risk categories (BAME, obese, over 35 or diabetic) so I said yes. I will require another risk assessment though (so expect a lot more paperwork)!

My school (secondary) havent communicated anything to me about expectations in September. Everyone but pregnant or extremely vulnerable people are back at work now. I think they will wait till September to tell me. I'll be 28 weeks the week we go back and I'm not keen on going back if things are as they are at the minute. It's taken me 3 years and IVF to get pregnant, this may be my only chance of becoming a mum.

I'm awaiting more guidance from the union, the email I recieved this morning seems that they will be fighting for staff at risk to stay home.

I'm BAME and asthmatic too which I think puts me at slightly higher risk anyway

I have had to go back in for a while now, now back with kids too. I am 17 weeks. Seems I am in the minority though but we were told to come back!

I am 18 weeks at the minute so will be 27 when we go back in September. I have been working in school with children for about 10 weeks now because I couldn't stand being at home. Obviously I don't have a class in September but I am still hoping to be going in but my school have said they are not sure whether I will be allowed! Can anyone directed me to the most recent guidelines. I can't bare the thought of not going in! I will go mad!

I haven't got any links @clover22 but I have been told I have to go back in September (and will be in my third trimester) and so are women on some of the previous posts. If you want to go into work they can't force you to stay off.

@Clover22, I’m exactly the same. I want to go back mainly for the structure, I’ve been into school for 6 hrs in total since 23rd March. The mat HR is being quite strict about where I eat my dinner and go to the loo! My school did casually drop in a few weeks ago ‘how would you feel if you couldn’t come back in September’ the look of horror on my face said it all. I did send an email after I’d got over my initial shock stating that I wanted to go back, I was told that they would back my decision to the MAT hr if it came to that. I think it was their way of working out the staffing situation for September.

The first one gives the links to the videos about transmission from mother to baby
www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/

This is the school guidelines (be aware though, they are as clear as mud, and watch the dates on links it sends you to)
www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools

There is a a lot more on the RCOG website too.

I am about 8 weeks and have been wfh since I found out. I will be back in September as far as I am aware and have a meeting on Friday to do a risk assessment with the head.

I've been told that I'll be back (will be 28 weeks in the first week) - the government guidelines for reopening do seem to suggest that's what is expected. I'm planning for September on the assumption I will be teaching in school.
They're not risk assessing it until August though - no point in doing that too far ahead.
Have any of the unions put out updated information/advice since the September guidance was released on 2nd July?

I'll be 32 weeks when term starts and going in for first half term (my due date is the day we break up for half term 😳). I'll be an NQT so a slightly lesser timetable though

@EithneBlueMy local NEU have said that in their conversations with the LA they have recommended that all vulnerable staff stay at home until safety can be guaranteed and they have said that this is likely to be the message that NEU will be sending nationally but an official national statement will be made in the next few weeks

*my local

I am a secondary teacher. All staff are expected in, in September no matter what group you fall into. This is giving me huge anxiety as I am only 4 weeks pregnant. What fo you guys think about marking books and touching them all?

My situation differs slightly to those above as I will be 36+6 on the first day back in Sept. Since finding out my due date it was always my plan to go to work for the 3 INSET days we have planned and then take my maternity leave from the following Monday which will put me at 37+4. I'm assuming that this will continue to go ahead despite WFH since March 17th as just this week the head has said im welcome back in school if I wanted to go back (our current provision sees staff in school 1 day a week only) I'm looking forward to hopefully being able to attend INSET, catch up on changes for the school that will take place whilst I'm away and see my colleagues. As for many, for me the lack of routine and seeing people has been hard during lockdown.

I recently told my head and deputy that I am pregnant (approx 9 weeks). I want to be in school and have made that quite clear to them! I have been risk assessed and told I am not to do 1st aid or support with any toileting accidents (early years teacher) but I have been in school with small groups since we opened to children on the 29th June. My deputy has told me to have the expectation that I will be working up to when I would normally start maternity, however she also told me that whatever Cardiff Council decide later on in my pregnancy that is the advice I will have to follow. I have also been given a class in September.

@mrsb12 that is similar to me. I have a normal timetable in September

@babysweet85 I would tell your school do they can do a risk assessment for you. I know it's early to tell them but I think it's the best thing. I told my school when I was 6 weeks pregnant. I too was thinking about marking books! I am so worried when I go to the shop and touch my shopping, I don't know how I am going to cope with constantly being around others.

Anybody got any new updates on how their schools are running or what is happening with pregnant staff. I will have a risk assessment tomorrow morning so will see what they saw but I doubt it will be much. One thing I am failing to get on board with is that masks now need to be worn in shops because of risk, but there is no concern over risk in a classroom?

Going by emails I've seen this morning, I think that masks are likely to be worn at my school. Maybe as part of your risk assessment you could highlight that you want to wear one?

I've had no communication from my school regarding September so I've bitten the bullet today and emailed HR to ask and to say that I am anxious about the risk should I return