Teacher maternity pay

[Rose1379]

I'm currently expecting my first child (due Jan 2026) and am trying to figure out when to end my maternity leave. I'm a teacher, so plan to start mat leave in Jan - after the Xmas holidays. As for going back, I'd like to receive full pay over the summer holidays but not sure of the best way to get this. If I end my maternity leave on the first day of the summer holiday, will I get full pay for the summer even though I didn't actually physically go into school? Or should I end my maternity leave at the start of July, work the last few weeks of term, and then have the summer holidays at full pay? Any advice welcome!

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I went back for the last day of term (it might have been the last couple of days). I believe you could end your maternity on the first day of the summer hols if you don’t have childcare until September and you would still receive full pay for the summer. It’s best to double check with HR though.
I was glad to go in for a day - it was easy and helped me get my head around going back to school!

I had a January baby as a teacher. Found the physicality of teaching hard in 3rd trimester, so went on mat leave mid Dec. Baby was due 1st Jan. Then went back to work on July 18th that year which was the first day of the summer hols, and my husband took shared parental leave from that date too, so I was on full pay and my husband was off too, great way to enjoy our first holiday as parents!

Yes, you can put the first date of the holidays as your return to work date and you’ll start getting your full pay form that date. You are entitled to holiday pay just like everyone else, so you can look at it as taking your accrued holiday entitlement. Also your salary is for the teaching time (195 days) spread over 12 months. Teachers aren’t paid for the summer holidays, it just feels like it because the payments are spread out.

Look into shared parental leave. Its much more flexible. Lots of teachers use it now.

Congratulations! Definitely look into shared parental leave, I had a January 2025 baby so I went off on mat leave for the first day of the Spring term (paid in full over Christmas) and have also been paid in full for the May half term holiday and summer holidays. I'll also get October half term paid too. This website is very helpful, you can pay them a fee and they will do all the paperwork for you or they have the information on the website for you to do it yourself (for a charity donation). Maternity Leave | Teacher Shared Parental Leave
Your school cannot refuse your request: if you fill in the paperwork correctly you have a legal right to take this leave and don't lose out on holiday pay.