Teacher maternity leave

Mat start the day when you requested it to start unless baby comes before u leave then I think it automatically starts then .. my mat starts on my due date ( so have longer off after baby is here ) but taken 2 weeks hol before mat starts... edit.....think I miss read what you said .. it be calculated from the day you start won't it ? If you find working up to your leave is to much can u reduce the hours you work is it an option

Your maternity pay starts when you want it to start, may take a few weeks for first payment though x

I'm a TA and I'm due 14th July I'm finishing end of June. In regards to pay I understand it to be how the ladies above have stated.

I'm due the 12th July, im self employed so still don't know if I can get maternity allowance yet till our accountant sorts it out 🤦🏻‍♀️ x

I’m due the 14th July and I’ve put that date as the last day I will work. I just want to work as long as I can so I can enjoy the time off with baby. We might be mad 😅

https://www.teachersspl.co.uk/ I was sent this today. I’m also a teacher and think it can be helpful x

It's starts either the day you want it to pre-birth, or baby birth date. It can't be delayed unfortunately to start after the summer holidays... If I were you I'd try to work till the end of term and let it start when baby comes. My first was 18 days late, you'll be getting full pay for summer holidays anyway, you don't want to eat into your MAT pay unnecessarily.

I’m due on 12th and I’m planning on leaving the Friday before which I think is the 7th. I’m tempted to push it to the day as I don’t want to waste the time after. I’m feeling so frustrated about the holiday situation as well as we are paid per annum etc and we will have no extra holiday to take. I think it’s a pretty raw deal! I looked at the Teacher’s SPL but need to get my head round whether my partner would have to go down to SMP when I’m taking full pay in holidays

It's such a raw deal! I just had a skim through the link above regarding SPL, I didn't realise any of this - it could be worth looking into but I think it would be very tricky with end of term born babes as by law, women have to take the 1st two weeks off work after labour. So I don't think SPL would be allowed early on, and then there's the 8 weeks notice... might be worth pursuing though- I wonder how HR would approach it 🤔 my second is due on the 9th July.. I've said I want to work up till my due date at least this time round, hopefully waters won't break mid lesson!

Twins!! Also a primary school teacher due on the 28th - hoping to go until the end of term (21st). Feel so frustrated about the lack of holiday pay though 😭😭

Im a teacher I’m due July 22 but planning on making my last day June 30th. The job is so physically and mentalIy tiring I want nearly 3 weeks off to relax and get prepared. I know a senior midwife and she says the mums that have more stamina during and after labour are the ones who have had time off before hand. X

I'm due 16th July and MAT leave starts on June 30th. However, I've been warned I may want to leave earlier by friends so I'm being flexible and will all depend how work stresses are. I have been recommended spl but need to take some time to get my head around it. If anyone can summarise it easily that would be helpful lol

I'm a teacher too, due 12th July and I've given 30th June as my last day. The head of HR seemed to think I was mad going so late but I want as much time as possible after she's born, and also it should be an easier time of year to get through with Y11 and Y13 gone 🙈 I've also asked for shared parental leave, would recommend looking into it if you haven't already x

Is there a cut off point to declare the shared parental leave?

I’m a teacher too due 6th July - so not sure if this is helpful but I’m going on Mat leave after May half term! Then curtailing my Mat leave and getting paid for the summer. Following this, I’ll be on SPP from September, then taking it in chunks so I get paid over Xmas etc.

I’d check with your school if they do statutory shared parental pay or do they match maternity pay too!

Definitely worth going earlier if you want to maximise maternity pay if SPP matches it (that’s what I thought anyway). Just so I could get paid over summer…

I’m a teacher due on the 25th of July. I’m tired just thinking about going back to work on Monday!! My last day will be the 16th of June at 35 weeks and they’re allowing me to take 5 weeks holiday, then start maternity on the 24th of July. I teach in FE so not sure if it’s different, but I’ve worked through most half terms to save up my hols for then. I can carry hols over until the next academic year so either way I would have gone off the same time. X

I'm dreading Monday also 😫 x

I’m a teacher due 23rd of July and we break up on the 18th. I’m planning to go until the end of term. However I am currently in nursery so we’ll have to see how that goes 🙈

SENCO due on 7th. I’m attempting to work until I drop (although I do get the benefit of some final weeks from home working on admin and mat cover handover). My impression was mat pay begins on either the day baby arrives or your due date (whichever is first) and can’t be held off until 1st September, unfortunately. Total raw deal!

I’m also confused ( teacher) I was thinking I’ll start on my due date - August 21st but not exactly sure as it’s the holidays!

I’m due on 10th July and starting Mat leave just after May half term on 5th June. Really wanted the time to rest pre-baby as teaching so draining! Currently filling in shared parental leave forms to hand into HR so that I return to work during Oct half term, Christmas and Easter which then adds 5 weeks full pay to my allocation. You need to check your eligibility and partners too before filling in forms. Your partner does not have to take shared parental leave themselves for you to benefit from it. You’ll need to read this carefully. The website link shared above has a useful YouTube video on how to apply and they talk through the process of planning blocks of leave using spreadsheet and then competing forms. It’s such an unspoken thing within teaching and this needs to change… It could help with thousands of pounds in pay!

@Claire this is me as well! I’m Due on 22nd and was gonna try work up until the end of term on the 21st in case it’s late but I’m not sure I’m gonna make it. I teach in nursery and I’m already at the point where I’m out of breath reading a story to them 😅 I’m just worried baby will be late I’ll I end up having less time with baby on may leave, it’s so hard to know 😩

I’m in nursery too and it is hard work but just going to keep going and hope my body copes! Where do you get shared parental leave forms?

How does shared mat leave work to ensure you get paid during the school holidays? I am not sure if this is any benefit as my husband is a teacher too?

@Chloe my fiancé is a teacher too, but he's not taking any leave. I think the name 'shared parental leave' can be misleading as not both parents have to take it. If you go on the website Teachers SPL it explains it better than I can but it's definitely worth looking into. For me to 'return to work' for October half term (one week), I would earn almost as much as a whole months statutory maternity pay so it does make a big difference. Just hoping my school/trust says yes! 🤞

@Amy they can’t legally say no, I’m filling in the forms and handing them in as soon as I’m back!

@Elle how come you’re not ‘returning to work’ for the 6 week holidays? Would that not work out best with summer, Christmas and Easter?

I’m due on 12th July so not sure I’d be allowed to do the summer holidays but I’ll definitely be looking at doing October half term, Christmas and February half term. At the end of the day everyone will struggle on maternity so why not try and get what we are technically owed!

@Faye I’m eligible for 18 weeks full pay through my local authority so I wouldn’t want to forfeit that enhanced pay by curtailing my mat leave over summer hols. Otherwise that would be the best option! You default to statutory pay when you start doing SPL blocks so that’s something to bear in mind. I’m adding 5 extra full pay weeks by returning to work at different points instead 👍🏻