Looking for a job and pregnant

[stardaa]

Just that really, I moved house. Too far away to commute. I've been looking for a job (I'm a teacher) but have yet to secure a position. Now I'm pregnant. Will anyone hire me? My DH is supporting us and we manage but it isn't a long term solution. I'm due September. I'm just looking for advice/ reassurance from anyone who has been in this position. Is there any point in trying to get a job? Or should I wait for baby to be born and then look?

I know you're technically entitled to take a job while pregnant, but with school budgets so tight, I'd imagine a head teacher would feel pretty screwed over if you took a job, immediately announced you were pregnant and needed paying over the summer but then went immediately on maternity leave. Personally, I would supply for now, get a feel for local schools, then look again when you're ready to go back to work.

I would try supply in the interim in your shoes, have and enjoy your baby, then find a more secure teaching job after mat leave.

I had employer issues when I was pregnant with DC1 so left in Aug that year, took Mat Leave (SMP)/unemployment starting Sept then applied for a new role to start the following September elsewhere. I did try and secure a role for the Sept when my baby was due so I would have a job to move to, but didn't get anywhere and felt guilty about even applying. I had no problems securing a role while I was on mat leave though.

I think in your situation right now it is probably best if you did supply so that you have the flexibility - given that you’ll be going on maternity at the end of the academic year - you may struggle to find a job for an Easter start given the February resignation deadline.
Would you even consider stepping away from teaching until you go on MAT? Admin jobs?

That's good advice, thanks everyone. I hadn't really given supply a thought, I was mainly looking at temporary summer term positions. I think I was just having an "oh no!" moment and thinking of what I can do right now.

You might also be able to find a maternity position until September even if it isn't in your specialism. My current school (secondary) was advertising a maternity position for months and didn't get a single applicant. Then two teachers from other subject areas applied and one was appointed. The HOD is changing the timetable so they only have KS3.

If you're in a new area, another advantage of doing supply for the rest of the year is that you can suss out the schools you go into.