Pregnant teacher

[Brócoli]

A colleague at school has made the choice to move their child to our school due to disruption at the previous school. They will be in my class. I have just found out that I am 7 weeks pregnant (completely unexpected but very happy) and I am struggling with feeling guilty about now not being at school for the full year and possibly causing even more disruption for the child/school. I realise this is quite a niche situation but I don’t know how or when to inform school as I am worried about the reaction. Any advice would be very appreciated

It's really not your responsibility. The colleague did this so their dc will be in the same school as them, surely? Not because they really needed you to be their teacher

Congratulations!

You can tell your headteacher when you feel ready. Most people wait until after 12 weeks anyway it think.
You should worry about a ‘reaction’ OP at all. Workplaces including schools deal with this all the time.

As for your colleague- they should be pleased for you.

It’s just one of those things. The child might like the sub better than you anyway! (This happened to my dd, she adores her teacher who left after one term on maternity but the substitute was next level amazing, started a choir, taught my dd so much). Change is not always bad.

they had asked me before the end of term if I was planning on leaving this year and expressed they was so pleased I would be her c’s new teacher

You inform your boss when you're ready to/need to. The reaction of a colleague who is really 'just' a parent in this situation is neither here nor there and if they make a fuss I suggest an extremely chilly look and a 'did you mean to suggest I shouldn't have got pregnant because you want stability for your child?' Should do the trick.

Hi @Brócoli
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I had to tell my workplace when i was about 6/7 weeks pregnant as i wasn't feeling well. You can tell your school whenever you're ready and honestly when you do tell them they will be really happy for you. Don't worry about the student transfer, the school will sort something out. Just focus on yourself, enjoy your pregnancy! Xx

I told my school at about 4 weeks, but that’s because I was on the team teach rota for physical intervention and needed to come off it - my headteacher was the first person I told after my husband!

you do not need to feel guilty about this! I would tell them when you go back so you don’t have to worry about booking time off for scans etc

Firstly, massive congratulations!
I told school when I was about 9 weeks due to appointments and I'm Forest school leader so risk assessment but you tell them whenever you feel comfortable.

I totally understand the feeling guilty as I also feel quite guilty as I have some children next year who would love the stability of a full time teacher and will find the change after Christmas hard! However you have to remember that there will never be a good year in the schools eyes and there will always be a child in your class that you will feel guilty about when going on maternity. I think it's quite a normal feeling but hopefully your school and colleagues will be supportive! Just remember it's a magical time and don't let this stress you out, you are allowed to be pregnant and not feel guilty! Do you have a dedicated TA? If so, are you close enough to tell them then they can go straight into making a good relationship with this particular child so they feel secure with them when you leave? My TA started this with certain children during transition as she knew.

Yes I have a great relationship with my TA but she is going on maternity leave at the end of September (she knows about my pregnancy)! I am hoping to have a new TA when she leaves!

Not your responsibility at all although I understand your worries! I’m due in Jan and requested a specific class (we stream, and I wanted the bottom set) but was told no due to disruption to them. I will only get them for a few hours per week now. So they might feel that it is in the best interest of the child NOT to have you as their teacher, but this is life and the child will get used to their new teacher, don’t worry. I’m sure in their school life this’ll happen again!

It's not your problem. Teachers going off on maternity is not an uncommon experience. I did a mat cover in a school that was meant to be until Christmas but I got a better offer for the September so I handed in my notice after easter and never gave a backwards glance. It's a tough old world, if you fell under a bus (I hope you don't), school would just replace you. You have to do what's right by you and don't feel guilty for living your life.

You can’t control wether or not other people have unreasonable reactions to things that aren’t any of their business. You have done nothing wrong and this child is no more important than any of your other students.

It's not your problem.

Schools are staffed by people and people have lives outside of school. What would your colleague want, to ensure their child never has a teacher who might get pregnant?

My view of a colleague was changed after they expressed frustration that their child was in my class when I was heavily pregnant. It's not a normal response.