can you acquire holiday entitlement when on maternity leave in a school? (support staff)

[sunnyside2022]

I have been looking into my options for when I go on maternity leave.

I have had quite a difficult pregnancy so far but I obviously want to try and stay at work as long as possible. I plan to take the whole year .

I have spoken to my union representative who states I would acquire holiday entitlement which I may be able to add onto the end of my maternity, but everything I have read online suggests otherwise.

The maternity scheme states
11.2 Teachers are entitled to 28 statutory days (5.6 weeks) annual leave per year (pro rata for less than one year’s service) under the Working Time Regulations. In most cases staff will have had their leave entitlement in periods of school closure before or after maternity leave.

my questions is, does anyone know if you can add holiday to the end of the maternity leave?

I was planning on staying till may half term (2 weeks before due date) but I am not confident I will actually last this long.

Thank you in advance for any advice

Hello, as long as you are in a working contract with them, you accrue holidays in the same way you would if you are/ were working.
For example, if you weren't pregnant and went onto sick leave - you also accrue holidays during that time.

As long as your employer agrees, you can add them onto the end of your maternity leave. I'll be doing that too

You don’t get to add it on in schools unfortunately. As it says, you will have your 28 days entitlement before / after your maternity leave within the normal school year. So for example you’ve already had Christmas, half term, Easter before you go, and after you get back you’ll have summer holidays. So you ‘lose’ the holidays that happen whilst you’re off. At least that’s the way it is for a teacher.