Maternity leave as a teacher

[Sunshine8537]

Hi all,

im due mid Jan and wanted to start my Mat leave first day of spring term with last day of the Christmas term as my last day in school due to the Christmas break.

if I was to give birth during the Christmas holidays would that trigger my Mat leave or would I still be able to start 5 Jan?

i plan to look at the shared parental leave once my Mat pay has finished to take 12 months. It’s such a shame that many people don’t know about it considering they don’t accumulate holidays like another profession

Mat leave has to start the day after baby is born unfortunately. You’ll have to cross your legs!

As PP says your maternity legally has to begin when baby arrives.

I have read that but just wanted to make sure because of how school holidays fall

😂😂

It’s nothing to do with school holidays.

School holidays are irrelevant for your may leave at least beginning, you have to begin your maternity for the day after baby arrives and have to have at least 2 weeks. I know there are ways to fiddle KIT days/shared leave for teaching though down the line into your leave so you can “return” without actually having to work so that may be worth looking into?

Yes it’s shared parental leave where you can take up to three blocks. I’ve been advised to start it after Mat pay finishes which takes me to May half term. So basically I ‘return’ first day of holiday and then go back on leave when school returns. Same for summer and then Oct. I’ll be returning first day of Christmas holidays anyway to come back full time in Jan