Back to working in a school pregnant

[HelloGoodbye20]

Hi, first time posting here. I work in a secondary school and I am mid way through my 2nd trimester after 2 back to back early losses last year (one was a MMC & the other a partial molar pregnancy). I am in agreement of schools to reopen though I believe it should be phased but anyway I really want to continue to work from home till I go on Mat leave as I am high risk but also very anxious. I am wondering if anyone else is in a similar position? Thanks for reading.

Are you a teacher? Or associate staff?

With the students back in school I’m not sure it would be possible for you as a teacher to continue teaching online while your students would all be sat in their classroom.

But if you’re an associate staff member and your job can be done from home then I don’t see the harm in bringing the idea up with your manager.

I believe as of government guidelines, they should be getting you to work from home from 28 weeks

Or a role which you are not in contact with people

Thank you so much for replying, I didn't think I would get any responses. I am office based and will be 28 weeks literally just before Easter break so on the 31st of March. I have sent an email to my manager who happens to be the Headteacher and I hope he can support my request. I haven't been able to enjoy this pregnancy only because of the trauma from the last 2 but in terms of physically I feel really great (touch wood). This return back to work has been playing on my mind for a while and has pretty much taken over my mind. Hope you both are feeling well?

I also work as associate staff in a secondary school. Only my told cannot be done from home. Thankfully im only in my first trimester and won’t be 28 weeks until the start of July, by which time things are earmarked to be pretty back to ‘normal’ so hopefully I won’t have to consider leaving early.

I would think having an office based role that you can and have been doing from home should put you in good stead to continue doing so. I know the office staff in my school are mostly working from home on a rota basis so only one of them in at any one time. Although they will all be back from 8th when school reopens fully.

But I think if any of them needed to shield etc it would be okayed by the head and they’d continue their role from home.

I’ve also had 4 miscarriages in the past year so am nervous about this pregnancy, but not because of covid. I actually feel very safe in school at the moment and am even involved in the testing of all staff and students before their return. But as I said, I’m in first trimester so a little different.

@Moominmiss I am very sorry for your loss there is really nothing like it or the right words to say. I am really happy to hear you are expecting and wish you all the best . If I wasn't pregnant, I would be happy to return back to work tbh because it helps me just get on with life and make the days go quicker I suppose. I think I am more anxious right now because it is over 10million people going to school and using transport so really though a slim risk to catching covid but still a risk that I don't want to take right now. I would've been able to get a vaccine if I wasn't pregnant but I hope things really do get back to some normality very soon. I haven't even bought anything yet