Teacher and pregnant?

[Annie050408]

Hi there,

Just looking for some advice from fellow teachers if poss?

I am a year 2 teacher and due 12th October. I plan to return to school after the summer holidays for 4 weeks before going on maternity leave. One question I have is that I am currently a NQT and by the time the baby is born I will have completed 1 academic year 11 weeks before the baby is born but not a calendar year. Does anyone know which it has to be to get the full maternity package? I can't find the info online.

 

[Mervs Mum]

You are best checking with HR at the LA hun but the holidays are technically part of a full academic year so it makes no odds. If you started on 1st Sept you will need to work till the 1st Sept the following year if their requirements are a full year for full entitlement. The fact you're an NQT doesnt really matter as such. Do check though. I am in secondary education and I was due 15th October with my last so I went back after the summer and did a couple of weeks then finished. What date did you start at your school?

 

[Annie050408]

I started on 1st Sept although my problem is that they count from 11 weeks before your edd which for me would bring it to 3rd August, meaning that I wouldn't have completed 1 calendar year it's so frustrating when they decide to judge it like that because I will have actually completed 1 calendar year and 1 academic year by the time I go on maternity leave but won't get the full package

 

[Mervs Mum]

Bobbins. Do double check with the person in charge of maternity rights in HR hun. Unfortunate timing

 

[Mrs W.]

Hi fellow year 2 teacher! Is your contract perm or fixed term? That will make a difference obviously. Just to echo what others have said check with LEA HR person. Good luck!

 

[Annie050408]

It's a permanent contract.

 

[bobkat]

might it be worth getting in touch with your old PGCE tutor, I know mine was very helpful when I was having problems (not pregnancy related mind you) but they will provide an unbiased viewpoint for you and will probably know exactly how long you need to work to get your QTS qualification. hope it goes well.

 

[Annie050408]

I have qts status so not too worried about the pregnancy career wise it's just more a worry about maternity pay.

 

[ickleprawn]

Hi am also a teacher but secondary. I thought that the earliest you can go on maternity and qualify for the full package is 11 weeks before your due date but that you can choose when after that you will go so that's the date they will count it from. Therefore, if you go back after the hols you will be fine... My situation is really complicated as I'm moving too and I couldn't find any definite answers on the internet. I found my union to be really helpful and my head and I also rang HR at LA. The woman we spoke to hadn't got a clue but about a week later she sent us a form and a standard letter spelling it all out very clearly!!! I hope you find some answers soon - I know how frustrating it is! x

 

[bobkat]

OK, I have been reading the legal stuff my school have given me, it is a secondary school but I'm guessing the legal situation is the same.

Maternity leave - you are entitled to it no matter how long you have worked there.
Maternity pay - SMP is payable for up to 39 weeks during mat leave if you have been continuously employed by the school for 26 weeks by the end of the 'qualifying week'. The qualifying week is 15 weeks before your edd and when you need to hand in the MAT B1 form you get from your doctor. So..... If you started on Sep 1st, 26 weeks from there is March 2nd which would be way before the 15 weeks before your edd.

Again, this is just in the legal info for my school, not sure whether it applies to all.

Your school's 11 week before edd does not mean that you have to take mat leave then, it means you can take it any point after that to qualify for the pay - you are quite unlikely to need to go on leave 11 weeks before your edd. If you are going to go back to work for first 4 weeks after the holidays then you will be fine - you will have worked from 1st Sep-1st Sep.

Another route I've taken is discussing how the mat leave/pay works with someone who has just come back from/gone on maternity leave to get it from a staff member's perspective.

Sorry for the essay and I hope you get it sorted, it is a worry at first but I am sure you will be fine.

btw just found this website http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTa...ort/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018741 that explains it as well.