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?

@Pinktruffle that’s interesting as my school have said we are not allowed to wear masks. I had my risk assessment last week in which they agreed I could do outdoor duties but anything else I requested was denied. So I am being treated the same as anybody else regardless of being vulnerable. I didn’t sign the risk assessment.

It interesting how different schools are taking different approaches @BabySweet85. I spoke to a friend at work and she said that all the staff wore masks on the last day of term.

HR replied saying they don't know if I will be coming back and will let me know when they know more so no idea if I'll be expected back in September.

@babysweet85 what did you request that was denied?
I am also required to go back as normal and I will be 28 weeks pregnant. I have been told that I have a normal teaching timetable so will be seeing between 120 and 150 different students every day 😳.
It's annoying how all schools can do different things with regards to pregnant women :(

I'm a Reception teacher and will be about 21 weeks at the start of term. I haven't been into school since finding out I'm pregnant. My Head is very supportive and has said she is happy to support whatever decision I make about September, and I don't have to decide until the week before the start of term so she can sort out agency cover.

I am really struggling to decide though. Obviously as an EYFS teacher it will be impossible to socially distance, and I can't see masks being practical with young children who rely so much on facial expressions. My OH is dead against it, unless the Government and Union guidance changes from the current position that pregnant women should WFH if possible. I really miss school though, and would feel particularly guilty as a Reception teacher to hand those crucial first few weeks over to a random supply teacher.

I have asked my Head to refer me to Occupational Health in the hope that they will do an individual risk assessment for me. I'm hoping that risk assessment will either set out the extra measures needed to make it safe, or just tell me not to come in. In which case I'll be disappointed, but at least won't feel some of the guilt that I will if I make the choice myself.

It's so hard! I had a proper sob about it the other morning. 😢

I'll be 34 weeks and back in if the official guidance is that I can be back in. Going to ask the NEU for their interpretation before going back in though.

@Newmumtobe7654 We are being asked to help every child every lesson with their work within 1 metre of them. I asked to not have to do this being in a vulnerable group. The school refused to adapt this for me and just said as long as it is less that 15 minutes is fine I also asked to not teach all year groups as each year group does not have to socially distance, therefore by teaching years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 I am effectively in contact with all students in the school. They said no to this. I also asked for PPA as I am over allocation on my new September timetable by over 3 hours - they said this can’t be helped with staggered arrival and leaving times.

@FourPlasticRings what guidance is that? As far as I'm aware it hasn't changed from being that all pregnant women are vulnerable and should work from home "if possible" (which is this bit that is obviously up for interpretation).

The NEU guidance on the website still says that their position is that pregnant women should not be in school. Then again, they contributed to that new checklist which just says a risk assessment needs to be done so it's not totally clear.

@MissHoney85 That's what my deputy head said to me when I asked if I would be in- that if the advice said it was safe for me to be in then I'd be expected to be in. I presume that means if the guidance from the government regarding pregnant women changes from what it currently is.

@FourPlasticRings ah I see, sorry I misread your post and thought you said that their was new guidance. Someone on another thread told me that the guidance is due to be updated on the 1st August after some new DfE guidance due the same day, not sure if that's true though!

*there not their (sorry couldn't let that stand on a thread full of teachers!)

The NEU advice has now changed on their website. Before it said that pregnant women, at all stages of pregnancy, should not be in school.
It has now changed to "If you are pregnant, whatever stage of your pregnancy, we say you should not be in school if a risk assessment does not support this."
I am not sure what that would involve though.

Hmm, interesting @Newmumtobe7654. Presumably we should not be in until such risk assessment has been conducted? It's very tricky because I can't contact the school until after the holidays, so I'll basically be AWOL on the first INSET day.

@Newmumtobe7654 can you send the link? I am with nasuwt.

@BabySweet85
You should contact your NASUWT rep about the PPA allocation. That is not right and you should be given your correct hours, pregnant or not!

@spikelou i know! But I feel like there are so many impending battles with my head - I need to pick and choose! For example I could forego the correct PPAs if they were to say we aren’t marking due to covid restrictions. You get what I mean?

[quote BabySweet85]@spikelou i know! But I feel like there are so many impending battles with my head - I need to pick and choose! For example I could forego the correct PPAs if they were to say we aren’t marking due to covid restrictions. You get what I mean?[/quote]
Totally get what you mean about picking your battles, but in my opinion PPA is non-negotiable. It's your planning time! Worth an email to the union rep at least.

@spikelou thanks for your advice - i’m going to email them over the holidays x

@babysweet85
neu.org.uk/coronavirus-what-you-need-know-pregnancy-and-maternity
Hopefully that link works!

@Newmumtobe7654 thank you!

I'm nearly 5 weeks along, I am planning to get an early scan before I go back in September so I can tell work as soon as I go back.
I initially wasn't feeling too bad about September as I was teaching full time from June, but I am a little worried as I know social distancing in KS1/EYFS in nigh on impossible.

How are you guys all feeling as we get closer to September?

I’ve only just found this thread but I’ll be 37 weeks when we go back next week. I have a meeting with my head teacher on Friday to discuss it so I currently have no idea what I’ll be doing. I’m a primary school teacher so I won’t be having a class for just over two weeks but I was originally going to be doing cover.

I want to go back because I’m losing my mind at home but I’ll have to see what they say.

I'll be 34 weeks next week. My head referred me to occupational health to put a risk assessment in place. I had the appointment over the phone and the conclusion was that I should continue to work from home until me maternity starts. This was their advice as there was clear precedent that my role (not class based due to maternity cover already being in place) was able to be done from home as it had been since March.

Be careful on here @Newmumtobe7654 - if you dare to show concern for your health while pregnant you’ll be called out as lazy and obstructive to school reopening.

Because, you know, LOTS of other professions are working in public facing roles right up to 39 weeks...with masks/visors/gloves/social distancing, but apparently that’s Not The Point.