A recent survey conducted by the teachers’ union NASUWT reveals the challenges faced by pregnant teachers in schools. The study highlights instances where pregnant teachers resorted to using a classroom cupboard as a makeshift place to be sick or had to use a radio to request cover in order to go to the toilet due to rigid school policies.
The survey found that 95% of teachers struggle to balance their work responsibilities with parenting duties, with 70% considering leaving the teaching profession due to the impact on their children. Additionally, 28% of teachers who experienced pregnancy-related illness felt pressured to return to work before fully recovering.
Furthermore, the poll indicated that many teachers who were off work due to pregnancy-related issues were asked to continue working remotely, such as setting work for their classes, planning lessons, marking work, and writing reports. Over half of the teachers surveyed (51%) felt that their employers did not adequately assess and address workplace risks associated with pregnancy.
A significant number of teachers (77%) expressed a desire for more time off for maternity, paternity, or adoption leave. NASUWT also highlighted the struggle of teacher-parents to attend important events like their children’s assemblies or care for them when they are unwell. The survey revealed that 86% of respondents felt they frequently missed out on crucial moments with their children due to work commitments.
Additionally, the study showed that job responsibilities often interfered with teachers’ ability to care for their sick children or attend school events. Many teachers (82%) felt that their job hindered their ability to look after their children when they were ill, and 77% said it prevented them from attending their child’s school assemblies.
NASUWT General Secretary, Matt Wrack, criticized the lack of support for teacher-parents, citing inadequate maternity pay, parental leave, and flexible working opportunities in the teaching profession as a national scandal. Wrack emphasized that the inflexible working structures in many schools, combined with limited parental rights and high workloads, are driving talented teachers away from the profession.
The survey, which involved 2,164 teachers surveyed in November and December, sheds light on the urgent need for improved support and flexibility for teachers who are also parents.
