6 ways to stay safe as a pregnant teacher

Congratulations. You’re pregnant: a time to put your feet up and have that extra custard cream with your cuppa. But wait! You’re a teacher. It’s not as straightforward as eating for two and sitting down when you want. Let’s go through the 6 ways to stay safe as a pregnant teacher.

It’s not always a ticket to relax

I told my line manager inbetween sobbing my way through a packet of tissues that I was pregnant. I was only 7 weeks along but the usual anxiety of early pregnancy along with the fact that I’d only been there for 5 months meant I was mid breakdown before I’d eaten my Quaker Oats.

I was told that as my due date was in Autumn 1 that I wouldn’t be given a timetable for September. I would be used for cover and other tasks. Which meant that 1. When I left, they’d be no disruption to the students and 2. I’d get to have a relaxing 7 weeks or so.

Of course, that didn’t go to plan. A colleague went on sick leave and I covered their very busy timetable. I was so busy that I developed high blood pressure and took maternity leave early. Something I should not have done, but I’ll come to that later and say what I should have done instead.

Steps to take

1. Tell your line manager and Human Resources

Yes, it may be that you have just found out you’re expecting and you would like to keep it secret from the world until you’re 12 weeks’ but you need the support in the first trimester as much as any other one.

Find a quiet moment to tell your boss and organise a meeting with HR so they can go through a risk assessment as soon as possible.

We know what trimester 1 is like. And that morning (or all-day) sickness is not going to be hidden for very long. Coupled with the tiredness (sorry, exhaustion), by telling someone you can ensure you are covered by your maternity rights in the workplace.

And, yes, this does include morning sickness. If you are unwell for pregnancy related sickness, you are covered and PAID. This does not fall under your normal sickness days.

These include but are not limited to the following:

• Morning sickness
• Teeth issues due to pregnancy
• Anything that is affected BECAUSE of your pregnancy like backache and blood pressure

That early maternity leave I took because of my excessive timetable? That should have been me off sick with high blood pressure.

We’ll cover maternity pay entitlement further down.

2. Reasonable Adjustments are your friend

So, you’ve had your risk assessment and you’ve made some changes. It might be that you’ve changed your classroom so that you are closer to a toilet or it might be that you’ve got a teaching assistant in next door’s class who can pop in and relieve you for two minutes.

All of these things that are offered should be taken. As teachers, we’ve often got this martyrdom complex. Whether it was present before we entered the classroom (and that’s WHY we became teachers) or that it develops overtime (so you spend all your time marking instead of seeing friends), it needs to stop. Especially when you’re pregnant. No one respects anyone who doesn’t respect themselves. So, take that extra custard cream when it’s offered.

3. Taking time off for appointments

As a pregnant teacher you are entitled to take time off for maternity appointments. Typically you will have the following (if you are low-risk) and if you are using the NHS:

1. Booking appointment (8-12 weeks). This is why I am an advocate for telling your school prior to your booking appointment so you’ll get paid for it.
2. Dating Scan. Again, this may be before 12 weeks so I suggest that everything is out in the open.
3. 16 week check- up.
4. 20 ish week scan.
5. 25 week appointment.
6. 28 week appointment.
7. 31 week appointment.
8. 34 week appointment.
9. 36 week appointment.
10. 38 week appointment.
11. 40 and every week after (or everyday after if like me you got to 42+1)

That’s right, you get 11 appointments throughout your pregnancy IF your baby is telepathic, adheres to Western society and arrives when someone tells you they will arrive. Great!

Don’t book them on the weekend if offered

Again, martyrdom at play. I offered to book my appointments on Saturdays as they were offered to which my very strict head at the time looked at me as if I was mad. “Take what you are entitled to!” he laughed.

You will be paid according to your daily pay without it going on your record as time off.

And if they coincide with your double year 11 maths class? Tough.

I had a year 8 student question why I was off every week towards the end of my pregnancy in front of the class. He wanted to question why I thought it was appropriate when their learning was being affected.

And there will be students and indeed staff that think that way. But what’s important is YOU. So don’t be afraid to end the conversation as you see fit.

4. Pay Entitlements

Most schools (even Academies) follow the Burgundy Book. This is a set of agreements created by the main teaching unions to help local authorities and HR with regards to pay and conditions. If you work in the private sector, your school may not follow the Burgundy Book, so do check with them.

You must have worked 26 continuous weeks to qualify for maternity pay (this doesn’t necessarily mean the same employer but there are some changes if you cross different local authorities). You can read about this here.

Teachers currently have the following pay entitlements:

• 4 weeks at 100% (offset by SMP)
• 2 weeks at 90% (SMP offset)
• 12 weeks at 50% (plus SMP)
• 21 weeks of SMP
• 13 weeks unpaid

SMP – Standard Maternity Allowance is currently at £151.97.

Your HR team should set these out as soon as you give them your Mat B form at about 20 weeks’ pregnant.

Your maternity pay can be forced to start 4 weeks before your due date if you are off sick. Before that, don’t take early maternity leave as this will limit the time with your baby. If you are sick due to your pregnancy, you’ll be paid full pay.

Shared Leave

Should you need to share the leave, you now can. A recent change in the law meant that you can even stagger the leave so there’s always someone at home with your baby in the first 12 months.

5. How to stress less and save.

Unless you have a pot of gold at the bottom of a rainbow (tell me where, please) or you’re the sensible type, you are going to have to go into Beast Mode if you want to take a year ‘off’.

I took 9 months off due to the way the holidays fell and saved hard every month. I worked out that on UPS1 (at the time), I’d need £5,000 saved by the end of my pregnancy. You will have to look at your own baseline and factor in what you can live with and without. Of course, they’ll be a reduction in your alcohol bill which helps but really look at what it is you are flittering away.

I saved £500 pounds every month and I started as soon as I got a positive result.

Here’s a tip: Keep saving for the month you get 100% pay and even into the 90% period if possible; every penny saved means more time off at the end if you need that extra month at home.

6. Eat well. Go to the toilet. Sit down.

3 things. 3 things that other jobs allow and ours doesn’t by default. I’ll say it again, you will not be respected if you don’t respect yourself.

So, make sure you eat that banana before a double lesson.

Do use that TA to cover your lesson while you relieve your bladder.

And absolutely sit down if you are feeling dizzy or tired.

You have the law on your side. Don’t be a martyr to the institution: your body and your baby will thank you.

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