Hi ladies,
I am gatecrashing from due in Oct and have a little question about maternity leave for fellow teachers in here!

When did you start your mat leave?
My due date is 24th Oct so pretty much the end of half term. I am an infant teacher and don't really know when is best to go off- I feel like I'll be with my new class for a couple of weeks and then leave just after we have got to know each other!
I hope to work until as late as I possibly can so that I have more time once the baby is born but I really don't know what is realistic- especially with a class of 30 lively (and new) 5 year olds to cope with!

What did you do and how did you find it?
Also, when are you thinking of making the dreaded return?!!

Thanks for your help!

Spanglepants xxx (also posted this in due in Oct)

Hey spanglepants, first of all, CONGRATS!!

I teach yr 3 and my DD was 26th OCt, spookily close to yours..!
I went of 2 wks before Oot half term, which was 9th Oct this yr, and I was 37+4wks. In all honestly, I would have struggled working any longer, and by this point I was getting lifts in and out of work as couldn;t fit behind wheel, but that could have just been me! DS was also a bit early too, came on 21st so only had a wk off before he arrived anyway.

I didn't have a class in Sept tho, head took someone to do my mat cover for the whole year, and I did PPA for 5 wks, as decided it would be a bit disruptive for a class of new yr 3's to have a new teacher so soon into the yr, is this an option you could suggest to your head, as could be the same with you and little ones too. However we are a big school (4 form entry Junior) so quite a big PPA demand!

I'm going back in Sept, but 'officially' July 28th so I get paid in summer Oct is a really good time for a 'teacher' baby IMO!

Hope this helps!!!

xxxx

Thanks for your reply RJ84, its really good to hear someone else's experience of this- and with such a similar due date!

My school is tiny so not a huge PPA demand but it might well be worth asking my headteacher if I can avoid being class based so that the children aren't too unsettled by having 2 teachers so early on in the year!
I like that you can 'officially' go back at the end of July- did you have to ask your headteacher for that to happen?
Im thinking of trying to do the last half term back at school but that is a long way off and if I can avoid it I will!

Thanks so much for help, I really appreciate it!
Im really excited about having an October baby- I love the fact that it fits in fairly well with summer hols etc!

Sxx

Im a teacher too but I had to finish for the Summer. I didnt want to, and got paid for the summer so officially mat started 2nd Sept (I think) but my head was really against me going back, not that he couldve stopped me, as I was carrying 2 babies! He also has twins and his wife went into labour at 31 weeks (I wouldve been 32 if I hadve gone back) so he wasnt keen. Of course, he was right - I could never have gone back at 32 weeks as I was so heavy! lol!

However, it does mean I have to go back next week. The boys are 6 months and I would love to have more time with them but needs must and I just cant afford any more time off being the main wage earner. I officially started 2nd April so being paid for Summer. I just had to write to head stating my date of return and reduced hours (doing 4 days) and he came back with a yes or no - thankfully yes in my case!

Hey there,

As for going back end of July, my head just said that I was lucky as I can come back then and get paid through the hols, so I guess I'd ask if that was pos!

xx

Hey Spangle pants! I'm a primary school teacher and was due the 25th October - another spookily close due date! I worked for all of September so finished on October 2nd. My head decided to make me a floating teacher for those 4 weeks to stop a class being disrupted when I left for my mat leave. I was 37 weeks when I finished, but was knackered. I probably should have stopped a week earlier! DS arrived on the 20th so I had 2 weeks off before he turned up. I'm taking the full year off, so will go back on October 5th - 2 days a week. I did consider going back in July and getting summer money, but it was complicated to get child care for the July dates as there was no point in starting nursery then and we have no local family. Also, I just want to spend as much time as I can with my little boy so we'll be tightening the purse strings, but it'll be worth it!

Good luck with your pregnancy. This time last year I was a week away from my 12 week scan and very excited!!