Regulations for teachers in 3rd trimester in September

[MrsR87]

Hi all

So when schools return in September, I’ll be 30 weeks pregnant, so well into the 3rd trimester. My school said they were going to do a risk assessment on me on the last day of term but due to unforeseen circumstances it couldn’t happen, so won’t happen until the first day back. The site manager came to see me and asked me what the current guidance was, which I wasn’t sure of and so he asked me to speak to my midwife when I next saw her. At the time, about two weeks ago, I didn’t think much of it as I was ready to be back at work but the site manager seemed more unsure and mentioned being signed off/working from home.

So I saw my midwife yesterday and she wasn’t very sure on the guidance as it’s changing so much but seemed shocked that I was considering going back into a work environment with 36 people in a small room and no PPE. She advised me not to. However, after a bit of googling the message are very mixed. The unions say no! Third trimester women should be be in schools, we should work from home where possible or not at all if you can’t work from home. On the other hand, the government says because the factors are mitigated under current plans (not sure how with 300 kids in one bubble, no PPE, a tiny staff room for 20 staff that we all have to use at the same time to even get water etc) the vast majority of staff, including the very vulnerable should be back in school.
Now I’m not sure what to think or to say to my school. I do want to be back in! I want to get my GCSE classes off to a good start, bearing in kind the crap year they’ve just had. I want to be able to get my team of to a good start as I’m a head of department and would feel dreadful leaving them in the lurch as of course there’s no replacement for me yet. However, what the midwife has said has worried me and from what I can tell, schools are just implementing whatever policy they want in relation to this.
Have any of you been told you definitely have to be in or you definitely have to stay at home?
Thanks 😊

This is probably wrong but AFAIK it’s business as normal come September

@bluesapphirestars

This is probably wrong but AFAIK it’s business as normal come September

Thanks. That’s the impression I had but my midwife worried me yesterday. I find the conflicting information so annoying! I don’t want to say something that’s incorrect to my school but also don’t want to put my baby in unnecessary danger.

No advice but a lot of sympathy. I was in the shielding group and my consultant says I can’t go back to teach in a special school because there is no way it can be a covid safe environment yet I am also told by school that I have to be in. Could you take your midwifes concerns to your school risk assessment meeting? Good luck

Such a difficult position many pregnant women are in right now OP. My heart goes out to you. I am also in my third trimester and teach but lucky to start mat leave in Sept so won't have to go back in. Although there is no govt guidance, you coild perhaps cite the Royal College of Obstetricians guidance for pregnant women who say women 28 weeks on must social distance as they are vulnerable to serious illness. This guidance should be recognised when they do their risk assessment for you. If you do go back into school, they have to think about perhaps giving you PPE- my husband's school are giving all teachers face visors. Perhaps they need to think about class sizes for you and room size so it will be easier to stay at a distance from kids.

Good luck OP.

Yes the guidance is not that clear. Think you need to consider your environment and just how much you can expect in the way of help from the school.
I assume that you are thinking about working through to around Christmas if possible but to me there is a decision to be made by both you and the school as to what is best for you and your pupils. This should have happened already and it is a bit worrying that the school has not insisted that it happened before the end of the summer term.
I question whether as head of department you should be leading in GCSE classes if you are then going to be off on maternity leave after Christmas. Is that actually being fair on the pupils in suddenly having a change of teacher mid year?
In terms of work, could you as head of department not do any direct teaching but assume a role that is mainly home based in piloting new ways of working in the school for example? Where i am chair of governors we have two staff who are due late October / early November and they are now are leading on going digital in the school.
You need to talk to your SLT and get this sorted now.

The guidance seems purposely very messy, but I will be 32 weeks when we go back in September (secondary school) and my school have told me officially that I will not be returning to the classroom. I will be working from home til my maternity leave. It seems to be down to staffing abilities, and if a school can accommodate a pregnant woman to work from home they should, but then that's up for debate and its down to the school to make the effort.

At my school the two ladies who will be similarly pregnant to you are it returning in September. As one is SENCO she may be in to do a few things but not 'frontline' teaching

Thank you for all the comments. There’s some really useful advice here and much of it confirms my thoughts 😄