Any teachers here?! Maternity leave question

[user1493400455]

Hi ladies,
Just a quick question regarding teaching and manternity leave. If I take the full year of maternity leave and then wish to leave my teaching job, do I have to go back to work my notice when my maternity leave is over? Thank you x x

Hello, I'm a teacher.

You will need to double-check the policy at your own school if it is an academy but most state schools follow the Burgundy Book. If you take 'ordinary maternity pay' only (which is basically SMP) you do not need to return at all. If you take the 'enhanced maternity pay', which most people do, you must either return to work for 13 weeks (or part-time equivalent pro-rata) or repay the enhanced pay. If you work in a local authority school or multi academy trust it is sometimes possible to move to another school within the same LEA or MAT and do your 13 weeks there but this is at the discretion of your employer.

Just to add - I highly recommend reading the NEU document Maternity Matters even if you are not an NEU member as it clearly lays out the sections of the Burgundy Book relevant to maternity.