Pregnant teachers - 28 weeks+

[Willowfalls]

Hi ladies,

Sorry if I have missed a thread here.

With the return of schools over the next few weeks, I just wondered if there was any updated guidance/advice for pregnant teachers past 28 weeks?

Thank you :)

I would really try and fight that if I was you... the vast majority of schools are allowing pregnant teachers to work from home as it’s not worth the risk. How can they say you can keep 2m apart at all times? The guidance says if you cannot do this you should work from home so perhaps you could write down a list of reasons this is not possible and show them the most recent studies on pregnancy and how there is an increased risk in the 3rd trimester. No schools can do this, primary or secondary. Even with masks at secondary it’s not possible with the numbers of students who are exempt from wearing masks, the increased need to pass through narrow corridors (most secondary school teachers do not teach in the same classroom all day), and in secondary there is the increased risk due to the fact that children aged 11+ are more likely to get and spread covid, as well as the increased risk of the fact that secondary teachers mix with 150 students a day, not 30. Sorry, I realise you are primary but wanted to put that down for anyone reading who is secondary. I don’t think any of us should be accepting being asked to work after 28 weeks x

@KHR1 @katiemumma20

Thank you for your replies!
I was so shocked to receive the email on Friday as I've been working from home since January and had already been told I would not be returning until after my maternity.
But then I received the email saying I could return.
There was also a mention of if I chose to continue working from home I would have to fully shield? Is this the case? Can they make me fully shield I.e not leave my house until I give birth?

Ah so it sounds like they’re giving you the option to stay working from home which is great? Whaaat, no how could they make you fully shield? Maybe they just mean you can’t come in to get anything, can’t come in for any staff meetings/ meet-ups etc? Obviously if you do end up seeing anyone when the rules ease maybe just don’t tell them/ put any pics on social media etc as they might see it as a bit of a slap in the face? But seeing your own family in the garden is hardly the same as mixing with 30 for 6 hours a day in a classroom so not sure why they’d think that!

@katiemumma20
This is what part of the email said:

If you chose to stay at home you would have to shield completely eg not going to shops, hairdressers etc.

Has the government guidance changed in the past few days? I had a midwife appointment last Wednesday and she said that it was the same re post 28 weeks, but an email from school today suggests there is updated guidance? But I can't find it!

Weird I don’t see how they could make you shield? Perhaps you could speak to your union about it. @Popsa25 have you been told the same today? That’s 2 of you now I wonder if the guidance has changed? I’ve not heard that it’s changed?

I've also been told I can continue to work. So I've been left no choice but to take maternity leave early. The guidelines aren't clear enough and I don't believe it is possible to ensure social distancing in the classroom at all times. It seems unfair that some schools are allowing wfh or putting staff on unpaid leave and others can continue to work!

Are they perhaps trying to get you to say you are sheilding

I’ve just looked at the guidance which was updated on Friday and it still says we should work from home from 28 weeks if the risks cannot be removed (same as what it said before)?

It even says you should before 28 weeks if you’re in a job of high risk! So if anything the guidance has got more strict than before they updated it

I spoke to my union (NASUWT) and they said you absolutely should be told to wfh from 28 weeks. My school are dragging their heels on this so I'm waiting for the official risk assessment this week and will then get my union involved if they still say no. Secondary though, so I'm hoping that just because there's masks now they won't just say it's safe - so many refused to wear them in the corridors before Christmas!

I also don’t understand how they can say that it’s only just become safe for schools to open yet it’s safe for pregnant women? We’re at a higher risk so it can’t be as safe for us as it is for all the other teachers/ children. There surely has to be a distinction between the time at which it becomes safe to go back for someone who isn’t pregnant compared to someone who is!

@Windflower, on your note about secondary, I don’t think they will. It’s been acknowledged over and over since the start of lockdowns that secondaries are overall a higher risk in general than primaries, which is why masks have to be worn. Don’t think it can be argued that it will bring the risk down to even lower than primaries in my opinion x

I am so glad I'm not the only person in this situation!

I too cannot find any 'updated guidance', I don't believe it has changed.

Following as in a similar situation x

I am 34 weeks. I won't be in the classroom next week but I'm not allowed to wfh either.

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

Updated guidelines here - thanks for those who shared that this had happened! Definitely seems stricter, and includes more for under 28 weeks.

In secondary face masks are not compulsory :( so potentially 32 people breathing at you for an hour ... then another 32 :(

Although it seems stricter, there still isn't much to go on other than social distancing.

Would anyone mind sharing what measures were in place for them before 28 weeks please?
From the guidance both seem quite similar in that it only really mentions ensuring you can socially distance.

Yes I am confused too, the guidance for before and after 28 weeks seems the same to me. I’m 21 weeks so the things I have in place when I go back until 28 weeks are just standard covid best practice like HR checked I have a screen and access to hand washing facilities! I’ve done some things myself too though like I’ve been asked to be switched onto outdoors only duties and I’ve asked for a list of students exempt from wearing masks as I won’t be putting them on my front row x

I have received an email back from my union (GMB) and all it says is the same information we have from the NHS website about before and after 28 weeks.
The guidance is very vague and very unclear.

I do not feel it is safe at all to be in a classroom full of kids. How can the guidance change so quickly? How was it not safe last week but is safe this week?

My HT also said that because CEV shielding ends on the 31st March then surely it will end for pregnant women too.
My argument would be anyone who is CEV is entitled to the Covid jab. Pregnant women are advised against it.

Could you speak to your midwife?

I tried to contact her today but she hasn't managed to get back to me yet.
I have my 28 week app on Wednesday morning so I'm going to speak to her then.

Argh such a stressful time, really not needed when pregnant. Let us know how you get on. My school have said I can unless guidance changes... in which case I think I’d consider early maternity but don’t want to do that x

I have also considered early maternity however it just seems such a long time that I will miss out with my newborn. It's my first baby too!

How’s everyone doing? I’ve heard of a friend at a secondary school today who has been told she will now have to continue working at school even after 28 weeks (which for her is in the Easter holidays). Has anyone else’s said the same? I’m really hoping my school let me work from home still which is fine hat they have said will happen “unless the guidance changes.”

*which is what they have said will happen