Pregnant NQT... During covid!?

[Emhun101]

Long story short....

Just found out I'm pregnant (only 4 weeks) COMPLETELY unplanned. This was not on our timeline for another couple of years! (However termination isn't an option for my husband or myself)

I've just completed a year Scitt with pgce and am now a NQT. The school I completed my Scitt in are keeping me on as an NQT.

Where do I stand? I mean I know I'm entitled to be pregnant. But in my NQT year. To add, the covid pandemic may confuse and complicate things further. When/ how to I tell my headteacher?

The pressure and anxiety of work is making it difficult to feel happy/excited about an unplanned miracle.

I guess I'm just looking for some advice/ reassurance 🙃

1. Congratulations!
2. Don't Panic - this happens far more often than I might think and headteachers are very equipped to cope.
3. You don't HAVE to tell school about your pregnancy until much later on but if you feel comfortable doing so, I would tell them sooner rather than later to allow for planning and a risk assessment to keep you safe particularly at the time. Would you consider telling them at the start of the new term? I recommend the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website for up to date guidance on COVID and pregnancy. At the moment, you are not considered at any additional risks until much later in pregnancy but that could change. School will need to write up a risk assessment for you. If you do tell your head, you can ask them to keep it confidential or on a need to know basis meaning they'd only share with SLT and maybe your NQT coordinator or mentor. It makes things so much easier if you have pregnancy related illness as this doesn't go on your sick record. They can't discriminate against you for being pregnant.
4. Many people have to interrupt their NQT year for different reasons including maternity. The year is split into terms and you have to pass three so you could probably get through your first term at least (maybe two). You could then do your last one or two after your leave.

Please don't worry - speak to people and rest assured that you're definitely not the first to pregnant NQT and won't be the last.

I can't answer the pregnancy bit but I can answer the NQT bit!
You can only do your NQT induction in full terms, so you should get all of term one done and signed off at Christmas. Term 2 will depend on when you go on maternity leave. There is some slack in the number of days you have to have (I think you can have 20 days off over the year, from memory, without needing induction to be extended)
You can do terms part time but that obviously takes longer - I have an RQT who did her NQT over three years, but she's now full time and doing really well.

Thank you both so much for your replies, they're really helpful, it's made me feel a bit more at ease!

Hi,

Congratulations! I will be 6 weeks when we start in September and also wondering whether or not to disclose it to the head. What have you decided? If it wasn't for Covid I wouldn't be telling anyone until nearer 12 weeks!