33 weeks pregnant teacher covid advice for September

[CordyD]

Hello! I will be 33 weeks pregnant when I return to work as a secondary school teacher in September. I can't find much guidance about what my employer can do to keep me safe from covid. I know I will need an updated risk assessment now that I'm past 28 weeks. Would it be cheeky to request to work from home as I only have 4 weeks until my mat leave starts?
Thanks all

This might be useful.

I believe this website highlights up to date guidance from the Education Institute Scotland which provides guidance for teaching staff regarding returning to work. It makes it very clear this needs to be done on an individual basis and has specific guidance for those past 28 weeks.

www.eis.org.uk/Health-And-Safety-Advice/PregnancyRA

For the safety of yourself and your baby it is absolutely not cheeky to invite your employers or even request that they support you to work from home where possible. Many women have traumatically fought to conceive for years and years and for the one time in your life you have every right to put your health and baby’s first.

Best of luck and I hope you feel supported however you progress

Hi @CordyD, congratulations on your pregnancy! I am also a pregnant teacher- not as far along as you are, but will be in 3rd tri by end of September, and I am feeling incredibly anxious about having to return to work with there no longer being any safety measures in place like masks and distancing. The link posted by trying is helpful in that it highlights the RCOG guidance for women beyond 28 weeks wwhich emphasises the importance of distancing still. Something which in England anyway the national gov guidance no longer refers to- instead it refers to 'Limit close contact' which to be honest is just a wishy washy way of saying social distance to my mind- sadly the gov.uk guidance on 'limit close contact' only states: 'You may choose to limit the close contact you have with people you do not usually live with. You may also choose to take a free test before being in close contact and also encourage those people you are meeting with to do so also which will help to manage the periods of risks. This includes returning to the workplace, close contact in a higher risk environment or when spending prolonged periods of time with a vulnerable individual.' which is really unhelpful for preggos like us trying to get an updated RA done. I will be referring my employer to the RCOG guidance instead and if they aren't willing to put things in place then I will be asking for a referral to occupational health- I have heard anecdotally through union groups that occ health have been able to support 3rd tri teachers in either securing working from home or securing changes in their day to day working practice that allow for good ventilation and for 2m distancing to actually happen- not just a yellow line on a classroom floor which shows you could be 2m from the front row IF you spent the lesson teaching with your back pressed up against the white board.
I am disappointed that so far the NEU have released no updated guidance for 3rd tri teachers-especially considering some FE colleges returned this week. I feel very, very anxious about it all to be honest.
Sending best wishes to you and hope your school does the right thing to keep you and your little one safe.

Haven't anything to add but want to stay on this thread for updates! In the same position :)

@Makingnumber2 I am completely with you about the disappointment in lack of guidance. I am early days but will be third tri in December when last year we had 40 odd cases among staff, hospitalisations and tragically a death. Also when the majority of people's vaccines may have started to lose efficacy.
I am high risk in pregnancy for a few reasons and high risk for covid for no less than 4 reasons! I almost feel like I would have been better off getting preg in the height of the pandemic as at least I would have been protected. I feel like there is so much about pregnant women being vaccinated in the news and in campaigns which is great but really a personal choice unlikely to be influenced by the news. And nothing about what to do to protect vaccinated or unvaccinated women after that.
I am not an anxious person but I have already lost a baby this year and I don't want to lose this baby or even my life.

Now that I’ve caught it at 31 weeks I would recommend either wfh or pushing to be suspended on full pay. I’m 5 days in and it’s been quite mild but I (hopefully) have two months to recover before birth where you’re quite close.

My local CCG is now remotely monitoring me as though I am CEV even though, as lots of posters have pointed out, there’s basically sod all protection for third tri teachers. So it suits the dept of health to treat me carefully but not the dept for education 🙄.

You and baby come first.

When's your mat cover starting? This was way pre covid but I was due my first baby in November and was going on May leave at Oct half term. They brought my mat cover in from September and he taught the classes while I assisted, prepared materials for him etc. If your mat cover is starting can you help with the prep and marking but from home or from a small office in school??

@Soexciting I'm sorry for your loss- I too lost a baby earlier this year and so know exactly how anxiety inducing a pregnancy post loss is, let alone having to deal with one in a pandemic whilst expected to continue to work in a public facing role which seems to have been thrown to the wolves in terms of safety measures and guidance etc.
Are you a member of the NEU? If so, a small group of us preggos have made a group on fb to try and share advice, info and offer support to each other who find ourselves in the position of having to return to work. People are sharirng what they've asked for and what their schools have agreed to on risk assessments etc which is really useful to know as in absence of any strong guidance from the NEU and any clear guidance from the government it can be really hard to know what a workplace can do to help mitigate covid risk for you in context of a whole school picture. www.facebook.com/groups/437878440859750/?ref=share

To gain access to the pregnancy group you will need to already be a member of this group: National Education Union - Unofficial

@Ednadidit pleased to hear that your case has been mild so far- I hope it continues that way and you are feeling back to your usual self very soon.

I realise it has been a while since you posted but I don't think it's cheeky at all. My friend who is a nurse is working from home as she is 31 weeks. I'm in the same situation as you and the other ladies who have posted above. I will be entering my third trimester early September and my school have arranged for my Mat cover to start first day back so that I can work from home. I am lucky that my school have been so supportive. I am a secondary teacher and from September, there won't be any social distancing measures, wearing of masks or ventilation (no opening windows) in any of the classrooms I would usually be teaching in. Barely any of the pupils were testing either. Unfortunately, I am not in the type of school where the pupils will keep 2m distance; not because they want to make me ill, but too many don't care or will forget. No doubt I will have plenty to do at home e.g. updating curriculum plans and policies, creating resources etc. If the guidance were to change and my school said to come in, I think I would just start my Mat leave earlier rather than risk my health. Financially it would be a real struggle, but worth it if it keeps me safe. I have had one vaccine so far but need to get my second one in a few weeks time. For any other teacher in this situation, I would definitely make sure your school does a risk assessment, keep checking for updated guidance from the government/rcog websites and check with your union if you feel something isn't right or if you have questions. I very much doubt that I would be thinking "well at least I got a few decent lessons in before being hooked up to a ventilator" if I were unfortunate enough to develop serious Covid-19 symptoms. Hope you get the support you need to keep yourself and your baby safe and well. Good luck Xx

Can I just share this link with those who are teachers on this thread and considering beginning mat leave early? A friend from work shared with me and I had never heard of this being an option before. It essentially allows you to get paid through some holiday periods- which can ease financial stress of being on mat leave, and it also can allow you to stay off for longer than 52 weeks if you take mat leave quite far in advance of your child's birth date. This website explains it all-was set up by a Head of Maths. www.teachersspl.co.uk/

I am 30 weeks pregnant and returned to work as a secondary teacher 2 weeks ago. On my first in service day my head teacher had a meeting with me and advised that I should work from home until my mat leave starts at the end of September - I didn't even have to ask! I know of quite a lot of teachers who have been advised the same! Nothing is more important than keeping you and your baby safe in this last trimester of your pregnancy where catching covid can literally be fatal for unvaccinated mothers.

thanks @MamaMolly

Hopefully our schools consider this the same! The rate in Scotland is worrying so I am hopeful they will follow a similar stance, at least part time if its admin based.

I'm in Scotland too so I totally understand what you're saying about the rates going up! Such a scary time!

Hi I'm a teacher (Primary though) and 33 weeks. I'm working from home until I take my maternity leave. The coronavirus guidance for pregnant employees does still state that after 28'weeks pregnant women in a face to face role should take a more precautionary approach and this may include working from home. Luckily my head agreed.

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

Here's a link to the guidance I mentioned.

Thanks everyone, you've been so helpful considering the vague guidance that's available as they isn't really anything for third trimester teachers returning to schools. I have a meeting with HR on Thursday to discuss the risk assessment so I need to go armed with information.

It totally depends. I went back last year at 26 weeks. I ended up being signed off (for unrelated reasons) until my ML started, but I know other teachers were medically suspended at 28 weeks.

@CordyD not sure if a Pp has already said but NEU launched their latest guidance for medically vulnerable staff last week, including women in 3rd tri and it’s very much if social distancing can’t be achieved then staff need to WFH or be medically suspended on full pay. Good luck with your meeting- hope they do the right thing by you

Finally managed to pin down HR for a risk assessment on Monday despite already being in school for two days. All covid restrictions are removed now, which feels scary considering rising case numbers in the area and pupils are being trusted to test at home themselves.
For anyone else in a similar position, please do check the NEU guidance on being 28 + weeks pregnant and your rights.

If you aren’t teaching can’t you go in and just plan when you move around school and avoid lesson change over times etc.

Find an empty room with windows and sit near there wearing a mask.

Just an update. I've had my risk assessment back and I am expected to do multiple sessions of small group intervention in a classroom with around 6 pupils and also may have to cover classes of around 30 pupils. I don't feel like my school are considering my safety at all even when taking into consideration high covid rates in my area and the lack of restrictions.

I would refuse to cover the lessons, groups of 6 is a manageable- how old are they?

Wear a mask, you could even wear a mask and visor; sit near an open window, and try and distance,