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Original poster

teacher not wanting to return. what do i say?

17 replies

heffalumpbump · 03/01/2011 16:27

Hi all, I'm getting quite confused about what to tell my boss. I am a primary teacher and 12 weeks pregnant, have to tell my head this week as I have a scan and need to take time out. Have been at this school for 4 years.

I have decided that I definitely do not want to return to my job after birth/maternity leave as I want to re-train in a new career anyway. I have read loads about what I am entitiled to maternity pay wise but getting quite confused about what to say to my head.

If I tell him that I won't be coming back am I still entitled to SMP as usual (without the extra bit that they can claw back) or will he just say that I am resigning and stop my pay at the end of the school term?

Any help/advice/experience on this would be appreciated.

Thanks x

OP posts:
chimchar · 03/01/2011 16:31

congratulations!

tbh, right now, i'd keep your options open... say nothing of your plans, see how life with a baby pans out and then decide...

you may find that you would like to go back on a pt basis to fund your new studies, or whatever.

you might even be able to negotiate a redundancy package!!

have your baby first, enjoy your time off with him or her, and then make life changing decisions!!!

lal123 · 03/01/2011 16:32

You will still be entitled to SMP but not any additional OMP. You don't have to tell them straightaway that you don't want to go back

suzikettles · 03/01/2011 16:33

Don't say you're not going back just yet. As chimchar says you're entitled to take your time - things can change.

Carrotsandcelery · 03/01/2011 16:33

I was in exactly the same situation when I was pg. I went along with the pretence that I was returning to work after my baby was born but would take full maternity leave.
When my maternity leave was nearing its end I went in and discussed my situation with my AHT.

I felt bad about it as they couldn't appoint a new member of staff until I had officially resigned but I had worked there for a long time and had earned my rights I felt.
If you lay your cards on the table now you could compromise yourself. You may change your mind or your circumstances may change. Why burn bridges before you have to?
They will know that you are pg so the class you are given next year will be chosen accordingly anyway. You cannot take responsibility beyond that.
Don't take away your opportunity to change your mind until you have to.

Moulesfrites · 03/01/2011 16:34

I'm not sure about maternity pay but I do know that you are under no obligation to tell them until you are 25 weeks. You do not need to tell them what your scan appointment is for, just say it is a hospital appointment. That may buy you some time to research your entitlements more clearly. Hopefully someone else will be along soon to clarify what these are..

TheFallenMadonna · 03/01/2011 16:35

You are entitled to paid maternity leave in the same way as anyone else. You can either resign for maternity reasons straight away (which I did once, mainly because I was moving to the other end of the country) or you can leave your options open (which I did the second time, even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't be returning - I resigned when DD was three months old, but that was just to give them as much notice as possible, and it didn't affect my maternity pay at all).

TmiEdward · 03/01/2011 16:35

Definitely keep your options open. Even your LEA HR dept will tell you that.

I'm a teacher and didn't want to return. But 5 years and 2dc later, I'm loving the job more than ever as a part timer able to work term time and school hours!

TheFallenMadonna · 03/01/2011 16:36

By straight away, I don't mean you leave now, I mean that when I gave notice that I would be going on maternity leave, I also gave notice that I wouldn't be returning. It was the only difference.

Original poster
heffalumpbump · 03/01/2011 16:58

Thanks for your advice ladies. Guess I'll just tell him the 'news' tomorrow and say that I won't be making any decisions about returning/leaving just yet.

OP posts:
LadyLapsang · 03/01/2011 17:21

Would echo those that say don't commit yourself to leaving yet. Not wanting to be negative, but if you lost the baby you might want to return to work (I know people who have been in this situation) or if your DP/DH lost his job this could influence you too.

soccerwidow · 03/01/2011 17:43

My LEA gave me three options for Maternity Pay -

Yes I will be returning after my Mat leave so please pay me my Additional Mat pay

No I will not be returning, so please do not pay me AMP

I am undecided, please pay me any AMP on my return.

However, you do not need to tell them of your intention to leave employment just yet.

Legally however, you are only required to give notice of your intention to return to work or leave employment, 8 weeks before the end of your Mat leave.

I would suggest that you tell your head, that it is very unlikely that you shall be returning to your post, but you would like to see how things go & will contact him/her as soon as a decision is made.

I would also add from first hand experience, that it is very easy to go from full time to part time if you are already in a school, but Part-time positions are like goldust atm, so don't burn your bridges just yet!

soccerwidow · 03/01/2011 17:47

forgot to say - I had to stay in post for 13 weeks (pro-rata) after my return or pay back my AMP. So, as I was working 2.5 days, I had to stay in post for 26 weeks!

You will still receive SMP which I think is currently around £112 a week.

Pantofino · 03/01/2011 17:49

Definitely don't burn your bridges! You have no clue how you will feel about your life and your career after the baby is born. Now is not the time to be making big decisions about it. Wait, enjoy your pregnancy and your new baby and then have a rethink when you get to the point when you HAVE to notify them.

wATEwatcher · 03/01/2011 18:10

OP don't even mention you are thinking of leaving! Just say you are pregnant and give your Head your due dates / scan dates etc.

pozzled · 03/01/2011 18:16

Agree with what others have said about keeping your options open, at least at this stage.

I would also repeat the advice from a pp that you don't have to tell them yet if you don't wish to. I'm 16 weeks now and for my 12-week scan I just said it was a hospital appointment, then told them afterwards. I didn't want to tell them before as I probably wouldn't have wanted people knowing if something had been wrong at the scan.

Violethill · 03/01/2011 18:20

I would keep your options open. You may be very grateful for your career a couple of years down the line.

Re: money - you would need to repay additional maternity pay if you chose not to go back

bb99 · 03/01/2011 18:26

I wouldn't say anything just yet and even if you do get the extra bit at the end, could you 'bank it' and then have time to make a decision IYSWIM?

You don't need to tell them about your plans to return / not return until quite late on during your mat leave (from what I remember) and also you don't have to tell them yet that you are pg.

Good luck and enjoy! Remember whatever happens, it's only a half terms notice period for most!!! Smile

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