Pregnant teacher in covid tier 4

[Luckynumber5]

Hi all,
I’m just wondering what precautions are being put in place for pregnant teachers in schools in tier 4 (am in London) with the new more contagious covid variant? RCOG (and my doctor) says strict social distancing and doctor also advised wearing a mask. Currently 24 weeks pregnant but very worried about getting sick with covid after CDC research showed pregnant women 4x more likely to go to ICU, especially in 3rd trimester. Midwife also said pregnant women with covid need to be checked for blood clots. Local authority and Union will support working from home after 28 wks. School have said they will support this too. Wondering if there have been any changes for anyone with increased risk in school? Legally, the workplace must not pose any additional risk to staff than outside the workplace so I’m interested to see what schools are doing to meet this obligation.

P.S please no posting of replies saying ‘pregnant women at no higher risk’ as my doctor has clearly told me this is not the case.

@LittleRa of course...
www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/protect-people.htm#pregnant_workers

@ivfbeenbusy unless you are a pregnant teacher or have something positive to add to what additional measures can be used in the classroom for pregnant teachers, this thread is not for you.

@Luckynumber5 Thank you for the link, and yes- you’ve said just what I wanted to say about this thread. There are so many teacher bashing threads on here- some intentionally goady (I have personally reported around 5 threads over the past few weeks that have then been deleted) and some that aren’t intentionally teacher bashing, just people who don’t understand or people who have different priorities (understandably, everyone has their own priorities in this), so it was (is) soooo nice to have this thread of a few of us in the same boat offering support and advice, our own little corner. Let’s hope we can keep it that way.

Currently there are no taped out areas to maintain distance. I will be raising this on Monday as it should be a minimum visual reminder for students and ourselves.
I will definitely start recording every time a student comes close, thank you for that advice. I should have been doing this 😪
I will be starting mat leave on 22nd Feb so not too long left for me. I will be 31 weeks as I didn't want to stay any longer and as far as they were concerned I could work up to full term.
The last 2 weeks before half term I will be above 28 weeks...hoping something changes by then!

Hi ladies
So rubbish your having to go through this, I'm pregnant but thankfully didn't return to work after my first. However, my friend is 21 weeks pregnant and has a battle on her hands. She's a senior member of staff in a nursery, obviously you cannot distance from children who are of toddler age. Her company has a policy of no taking or sending work home, so they claim currently she cannot work from home.
Does anyone have any suggestions? She's currently wearing a mask, although in the rooms she's the only one. This is causing added stress, the only thing she can think of is getting signed off which isn't the road she wanted to take.
Tia.

Well ladies I’ve received an email from my Head...

The long and the short of it is:
-She’s instructing me to work from home from w/c 4th Jan.

• For the first two weeks, a TA will cover my class and I will send all planning and resources and ensure the tasks I plan require minimal marking for the TA.
• After those first two weeks, the teacher who was due to begin covering my mat leave after February half term will take over teaching my class so I will no longer need to provide planning and work.
• For those first two weeks and the following two weeks (so a total of 4 weeks) I will be responsible for setting home learning tasks for any pupils across the school who are self-isolating. This does not include whole bubble closures when the teacher would then do it, but for random individuals. This would lighten the burden on colleagues.
• During those 4 weeks I would also carry out my TLR post from home, including preparing and carrying out a handover for the member of staff who is due to cover that role.

So far so good, so here’s the crunch:

I was due to begin maternity leave at February half term (ie last day with the children be Friday 12th Feb and first official day of leave be the first day back after half term- Monday 22nd). I have been asked to start my Maternity leave early, on Monday 1st February so 3 weeks early. I will be 35 weeks pregnant.

What do we think? I think it’s positive based on where she started from!

Has anyone any experience of how cover teaching works in primary schools? Your relying on the individual schools to ensure social distancing is taking place, even though we know it doesn't take place within bubbles? I teach over 10 different primary classes PE each week and I'm worried as they don't and Its extremely difficult to social distance from them. Anyone in a similar situation? X

What if social distancing can't be maintained? I teach in special - early years. Definitely can't social distance and many challenging behaviours including biting, spitting on regular basis nevermind the regular kid coughing/sneezing. Only 9 weeks but anxious after 3 mmc in non covid times!

@Smurf123

What if social distancing can't be maintained? I teach in special - early years. Definitely can't social distance and many challenging behaviours including biting, spitting on regular basis nevermind the regular kid coughing/sneezing. Only 9 weeks but anxious after 3 mmc in non covid times!

Do you have a risk assessment?

@K2a0t1i5e

Has anyone any experience of how cover teaching works in primary schools? Your relying on the individual schools to ensure social distancing is taking place, even though we know it doesn't take place within bubbles? I teach over 10 different primary classes PE each week and I'm worried as they don't and Its extremely difficult to social distance from them. Anyone in a similar situation? X

Do you teach your PE indoors or outdoors? Can you do more outdoors (cold I know). How many weeks pregnant are you? What Tier is your area? We have gone to Tier 4 and now visitors are not allowed- including external PE coaches we had.

@LittleRa

@LittleRa I will teach both in door and outdoor, obviously I prefer outdoors but some sports have to be inside. Plus I doubt the next few weeks weather will allow PE outdoors. Having 30 kids running around in a sports hall is just impossible to social distance even with a visor. My employees don't know yet but I'm going to tell them as I am extremely concerned that I will in come in close contact with around 300 different children each week. Hopefully they will do a risk assessment but just don't see how how I'm going to be able to social distance even though I love this social side of my job and it gets me put of the house. But I don't want to accept the lack of social distancing like I have been doing. Wondering if anyone else had a RA in a similar position and what they recommended?

[quote K2a0t1i5e]@LittleRa I will teach both in door and outdoor, obviously I prefer outdoors but some sports have to be inside. Plus I doubt the next few weeks weather will allow PE outdoors. Having 30 kids running around in a sports hall is just impossible to social distance even with a visor. My employees don't know yet but I'm going to tell them as I am extremely concerned that I will in come in close contact with around 300 different children each week. Hopefully they will do a risk assessment but just don't see how how I'm going to be able to social distance even though I love this social side of my job and it gets me put of the house. But I don't want to accept the lack of social distancing like I have been doing. Wondering if anyone else had a RA in a similar position and what they recommended? [/quote]
A risk assessment is a legal requirement, and is a good starting point to begin to raise your (very valid) concerns.

Much sympathy OP. Teachers who are CV for other reasons are locked in a simar struggle. I guess they are worried that if they admit school actually isn't safe for pregnant women pre-28 weeks they will have to admit it isn't safe for anyone in the CV group... which of course it isn't but then schools would need to close.

Thanks @LittleRa Much appreciated

10w pregnant secondary teacher hear. I've just read through the thread as I was feeling so anxious about this following on from the news about the new strain. I was so relieved to hear that secondaries are mostly now virtual for the next fortnight. But no doubt my anxiety will grow as we approach 18/1. Primary teachers I feel for you so much 😞. My pregnancy is through ivf so I've had a risk assessment for a while as I had to self isolate for a fortnight leading up to treatment. My school have been very supportive. No duties, teach in one room so I'm never on the crowded corridors, I wear a mask at all times, we have good ventilation and can open windows if we like, told to stay 2m away from students (I'm fortunate that my room is quite large) and I've told my students that I'm vulnerable and ask that , if they don't mind wearing a mask, that they do and bless them, the majority have been great with this, currently we are allowed to wfh from 28 weeks. However, even with all of that in place, spending a full hour with hundreds each week cannot realistically be Covid secure and ultimately there are always going to be times when we have to get closer to a student because there is a problem that cannot be ignored.

I think us and our heads have been put in an impossible position. It seems most heads are supportive and I'm so sorry to hear that some of you are not getting the support you should be. Ultimately, the government need to put clearer guidelines in place imo. I feel so much for vulnerable parents (of which there are many) too.

LittleRa you most certainly do not have to take your maternity leave early. You can be made to commence maternity at 36 weeks if you are unable to work due to maternity related illness. Do not lose a months pay if you do not wish to start then. Just reply saying thank you for the update for the first 4 weeks of this half term, you are planning to commence your maternity leave as planned and state the date. You are appreciative of the changes made so far and are looking forward to working with them to plan your final weeks before commencing maternity leave.
Godd luck x Be brave x

Midwife here. I would get your GP to sign you off with stress! Your employer should do a risk assessment. See the gov.uk doc, states if in public facing role this puts pregnant women at risk. Very little is known what the actual risk is during pregnancy as we have never been here before.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-pregnant-employees

@LittleRa if you’re suspended on full pay (with no working from home possible) then this can trigger mat leave at 36 weeks but you’re not being suspended as you’re working from home so this cannot happen.

@Smurf123 your employer needs to make sure that social distancing can be maintained.

@rainydogday I agree.

@LittleRa so they can suspend you on full pay now and you won’t do any work from home at all and then this triggers you mat leave at 36 weeks OR they let you work from home and mat leave begins as planned.

I completely understand where you're coming from. 21 weeks pregnant in tier 4 area, primary school teacher. My headteacher messaged me yesterday to ask how many weeks I am and said that she'll go through the new risk assessment with me on Monday but to let her know when I'm 28 weeks so I guess that's when things will be different. We were really strict with the 2m rule for the last two weeks of term and the children's learning went rapidly downhill, so this is what will happen until I'm 28 weeks I suppose.

I'm also expected to attend an in person training day on Monday, sat in our hall apparently socially distanced?! I'll be making sure I sit next to an open window with my mask on all day, and will be making a point of not moving to join in small group discussions.

I'm not a teacher but just wanted to say how sorry I am that lots of you are not getting support and being put at risk. I work in nhs, not patient facing. Still policy to WFH from 28weeks. My manager was totally supportive of this. I work in a busy department and despite best will just not possible to socially distance properly with so many staff buzzing around e.g. a lot of corridors are only 2m wide or less. Can imagine it's impossible in schools too. I hope the decision to delay school starting will at least help you guys a little. Shame that as a whole schools can't have a united policy for pregnancy like the nhs does.

@looloo247 ask if you can join virtually instead. We are always given that option even for smaller department meetings. I have been attending the smaller ones in person so far(I don't see much of other adults all day) but I think on Monday I will stay in my room and log in from my laptop.

@looloo247 I would second asking to attend virtually. This is the only way I attend any group meetings as feel anxious about being with others outside my school bubble for more than 15 mins.

Thank you @Skyla01 for your support, I’ve found other public facing workers understand our situation as it’s something we all face with being in roles with extra risk. It’s nice to hear it though and am glad the NHS are supporting their pregnant staff.