Teaching

[CosyUser]

I am 24 weeks pregnant and have been suffering with lots of illness (kidney bladder infections and PGP) particularly over the last 2 weeks
school know this and while they have let me go to appts etc I am still being given extra lessons to cover and expected to do my stand up duty’s every week
I am struggling mentally and physically with work full stop but the extra lessons means I have less time to mark and prep .equally only SLT can park near school the rest of us have a 2 or 3 min walk which is also proving to be a struggle
any advice

Pregnancy isn’t an illness or a disability. Many of us commuted when we were pregnant and couldn’t drive to work. If you don’t do your duties or cover lessons other staff will have to take them on. Either you are well enough to do your job, or you are not. Have you asked the SLT for some leeway?

No need to be so abrupt or rude I was asking for advice not to be shouted at …… as you see above my issue is less with the pregnancy and more with complications I have been having
I also teach a very physics subject etc
other staff are sat in their rooms not doing cover etc that’s my argument

Ignore the above poster, pregnancy can 100% cause illness and even temporary disability! We’re not all lucky enough to have easy pregnancies. Back to the point, could you ask for a risk assessment or discuss the issues with your manager? Hopefully they will be able to make some concessions for you. Don’t suffer in silence

I'm a teacher too so I know some of the difficulties! Just a little reminder that they don't "let" you go to your appointments, they legally have to allow you to attend pregnancy related apps so they're not doing you a favour :p. I've found with school that I have to be the one to suggest the adjustments I need, if I haven't said anything school will just assume it's all ok. School are obliged to make reasonable adjustments for you. Given the proportion of people working in education who are women, they should be used to that! SLT have to decide whether they want you in with adjustments or off with a doctor's sicknote. If the sicknote has pregnancy as the reason for the note, school can't count it as part of your absence record. Also, you're allowed to find pregnancy difficult. I certainly haven't found mind a doddle. Ignore anyone who suggests otherwise. Xxx

Sorry to hear you’re feeling this way. Whilst pregnancy isn’t an illness, our bodies go through so many changes and it’s crazy to think that we’re capable of growing a little human. Be kind to yourself and patient. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and let people around you know how you’re feeling. If SLT know it’s a struggle for you, I’m sure that they could make plans to support the lessons as well as sort a closer space for you.

Don’t forget about the amazing job you and your body is doing. I hope those around you are taking care of you 🥰 x

All of this. I had spd and went off sick at 32 weeks.

She literally said in the op that she has pgp.

Really really detest people that say pregnancy isn’t an illness. Well it made me feel so bloody ill I was in hospital three times, plus excruciating pgp where I could barely walk.
OP I really feel for you, it’s so tough. You need to have a meeting with SLT and explain things and go through your risk assessment again. Hopefully they can help you to make some adjustments to make your working day a bit more manageable.

Have they done a pregnancy risk assessment ? Maybe you need to discuss updating it given your complications.

As above, you should have had a risk assessment to discuss any adaptations.

Haven't you had a risk assessment done? I had one done within days of telling HR I was pregnant, which was at about 8 weeks (I'm now 28). Although I've been very fortunate in my pregnancy so far, some of the adjustments I'm entitled to - though haven't yet requested - including:

-Accessing the SLT car park next to school
-Allowed to leave lessons to use the bathroom
-Sit down on duties
-Don't have to walk to the meeting point on fire drills
-Sit down to teach

I'm an active person who walks daily so up to now I haven't done any of the above, but it's in place if needed. Unless you've expressed your concerns to SLT/HR, they probably assume you're happy to follow your usual way of working. You need to speak up about it. However, they really should have already set the RA in place by now.

I don't think this is a school/ teaching thing, I think your thread is highlighting the differences with employers in general.

Some do the absolute bare minimum that they are forced to legally while others will bend over backwards to help - I was so lucky my manager was the latter!

If the complications are too much and your employers are doing nothing to accommodate this then get a sick note from the doctor.