Pregnancy and teaching - advice please

[M2B91]

Hi all,
I’m just after some advice on how to cope with my current situation.
I’m a full time, year 1 teacher (very fussy class who need constant refocussing, it’s exhausting!) and currently 28 weeks pregnant.
I’ve felt for a while now that my head and deputy have a - ‘just get on with it’ attitude towards me and if I could I really would but I’m struggling. What upsets me more is my head and deputy seem to have a lot of empathy for some of my older colleagues but I feel they don’t understand me or show much care or empathy for me. I thought I’d list what’s been bothering me and then hopefully I can get some advice on whether I’m being sensitive or if others feel I should take action on my current circumstance…

• firstly I am left alone each afternoon, this is not the same for other classes but due to my class having a high number of SEN children my TA has to carry out interventions and I therefore have to teach topic with no support. I find it unfair - teachers with more able classes have support in with them and my class with many SEN children are taught and supported by just myself in the afternoon (it’s never made sense to me!) and I am obviously finding this increasingly harder the further along my pregnancy I go.


• additionally my TA runs an after school club and therefore her day starts when the children are due in. Each of the other classes have TA’s start half an hour before the children are due in and therefore teachers have someone help them set up for the day. (I have voiced how unfair I think this is to my headteacher and was told there was nothing that could be done)


• Recently my year group partner (who is also pregnant) and I booked our school trip. It was mentioned by our head at the beginning of the year that we should take our classes to the beach this year. However, after discussion with my year group partner we were concerned about getting down on the sand (I’ll be 32 weeks pregnant when we go) and having access to suitable toilets. When i voiced my concerns to my headteacher about the trip and asked if we could change the location so we could still enjoy a trip with our class we were told no. She’s usually very flexible with other teachers and their requests and needs so was baffled as to why she wouldn’t change it or give us a reason why.


• Additionally- every year group throughout the year is taught football by an outside provider for an hour once a week during different half terms. It was my year groups turn this half term and was looking forward to having that extra time for a break and to catch up on jobs. However, before the Easter holidays an email went out to parents informing them that a different year group who had already done football this year would be having football again (so parents knew when to send them in with their kits) I picked up on this mistake during the holidays and contacted my head to ask if it could get corrected as I really could do with the time we were suppose to get. I was then made to feel like I was being difficult as another email had to be sent to parents explaining the mix up. This included eye rolls and huff puffs from management when I said I had timetabled that time away from the children and hadn’t planned any lessons in its place.


• over these last couple of weeks I’ve had a couple of chicken pox cases in my class that I haven’t been informed about and only know through myself going to investigate why said children have not been in - on my risk assessment we agreed that if any child was to contract chicken pox I would be told straight away and this hasn’t been the case which could potentially put me and my unborn child at risk! I voiced this to my headteacher and she kind of just shrugged her shoulders and did not apologise.

Am I being sensitive? Should I just put my head down and try to get on with things or do you think I am in the right to feel the way I do? I’m not really sure what to do but it feels good to offload and hopefully I can’t get some kind advice.
Thank you for taking the time to read my very long post! x

Are you in a union? If your risk assessment is not being followed, potentially putting you at risk, then this needs raising with them.

You are definitely not being overly sensitive. I hate the culture that women are supposed to 'suck it up' when we are pregnant. Pregnancy is hard work and deserves some level of understanding especially in the workplace. I delivered about a month ago but I dealt with a similar situation in job. I am an assistant for four financial advisors and no matter how pregnant I got or how much I reminded them that my maternity leave was approaching they continued to load me with a ridiculous workload. They even gave me tasks to complete while I was in the earlier stages of labor and have tried to get me to do things while I'm on leave... The best I could do is continue reminding them that I am pregnant and they need to adjust their expectations. People will take advantage of you if you let them so it is important to stand firm in your expectations and voice your concerns even if nothing is done. The worst thing is to let them think "oh she was just complaining but look she's handling everything just fine" Best of luck!

This is terrible op.

Push for what you want making a log of everything- as in follow up with emails.

I'd definitely look to change your trip- a beach trip with my DC alone is tricky with keeping an eye/ toilets/ walk to/ from let alone a class.

Is the other teacher feeling the same?
When are you due to finish?

I'd be inclined to ride it out until maternity then when returning request less hours and look for a new job or hand in notice while on maternity.

They sound awful.

I would be requesting an official meeting with the head or whomever, writing all your post above out in note form and going through point by point, clearly stating that these things need to be remedied. I mean, at this rate you'll be signed off sick what with all the stress and worry.

I'm also 28 weeks and would have no time or patience for this shit - I've had an uncomplicated Pregnancy so far but have limits and get tired in the afternoons, bump aches, feel like a whale etc etc. Maybe you don't complain enough and they therefore don't pay as much attention to your issues?

The lack of TA pm/before school is frustrating but probably not the battle I would choose to have - do you have pupil progress meetings? That’s probably the best time to discuss how you think having additional support in the afternoon could help? It might be the school think older years need more catch up in the afternoon where as year 1 need more curriculum time and less pressure for example? It’s very normal not to have a full time TA in every class I’m afraid and being pregnant doesn’t change that?

The football cover I totally understand why you would push back not just for your workload/ equality for staff time but also as opportunities for the children- why should some get 2 half term and another none?! But sounds like this has been resolved?

the head can’t force you to go on a trip you and your year group partner aren’t willing to plan. Could the discussion be about how to make the beach work eg. Number of additional adults / staff you would feel you need to make it successful vs an alternative to see which they feel is more workable? Better the children have a trip you are comfortable doing than no trip!

I would speak to office staff about chicken pox and ask them to inform you if anyone in your class is reported to have a case. It is unlikely that the head is deliberately choosing to with hold this information? If you feel it is deliberate do speak to unions but I imagine the most important action is to resolve it?