Can I start uni whilst on maternity leave?

JimmyTheWig

My gut feeling is that you wouldn't be allowed to.
I know with paternity leave you have to spend the time off work caring for the baby / new mum.

Seeing as you are planning on meeting with HR soon, I'd say ask them.

Person_one

Don't be so sure you'll be allowed to long days on placement, we aren't at my uni, only short days (makes me laugh a bit that 8 hours on your feet is called a 'short day'!) until the very end of third year.

nimbo

hi - when i workend for the NHS there was something in Agenda For Change terms and conditions that say that if the request is reasonable they'd be hard pushed to turn you dowm for less hours.

alo don't mention the less hours until you have to - make it as much of a last minute...

csh_2

I started a degree last sept at 20 weeks pregnant and was working pt. I was on mat leave from work and receiving mat allowance from 29 wks. I had the baby in January and took 12 weeks off my course. I successfully completed my first year today and will return to work at start of august.
Anyway....I have never seen any mention anywhere of not being allowed to study while on mat leave, the rules on smp and mat allowance only refer to engaging in paid employment. Aslong as you declare your income I can't see there being any issue?
My employers are aware that I am back to college and have no problem with it.

dizzyrascal

Hi CSH
Can you explain how you achieved taking 12 weeks off and still completed your first year at the same time as normal? I'm confused by this.
Have you been given extentions to complete your work? I only ask because the rules where I work would mean you would have to take a leave of absence which would mean rejoining the course at Jan of the following year. Or, if you asked for extentions you would pass the first year in August/September, ready to start year 2 in October.

csh_2

dizzyrascal wrote: »

Hi CSH
Can you explain how you achieved taking 12 weeks off and still completed your first year at the same time as normal? I'm confused by this.
Have you been given extentions to complete your work? I only ask because the rules where I work would mean you would have to take a leave of absence which would mean rejoining the course at Jan of the following year. Or, if you asked for extentions you would pass the first year in August/September, ready to start year 2 in October.

No leave of absence or extensions. I attended right up to the day before I was induced at term +15. I put a lot of effort in before I left to be up to date then took 12 wks off staying in touch via email and completed every peice of work on time. I missed one assessment which they arranged for me to resit.

The only stipulation was that I needed 50% attendance over the year in order for my stuff to be marked so I had no other time off and tried not to miss any classes other than those of the 12 weeks. The only real problem I had was trying to get the wee one into a nursery close by at that age as my sons one didn't have space for her.

eta: Its not an NHS degree or anything, I was just answering as studying and maternity leave in general

dizzyrascal

Hi csh
Thanks for the info. Sounds like you were just not attending lectures and tutorials rather than actually taking all of the 12 weeks off. I can see how this worked now.
Where I work we have 2 x 12 week terms with exam time at the end of each term.

Attendance has to be pretty near 100% or they don't get to pass the module. Your circumstances are pretty unusual though (for a university environment)

Person_one

csh wrote: »

eta: Its not an NHS degree or anything, I was just answering as studying and maternity leave in general

With NHS degrees, you have to log a certain number of hours both in the classroom and out in practice, in order to meet the NMC requirements to qualify and register.

50% attendance would be nowhere near enough when studying midwifery.

http://standards.nmc-uk.org/PreRegNursing/statutory/background/Pages/more-standards-for-education.aspx

csh_2

Person_one wrote: »

With NHS degrees, you have to log a certain number of hours both in the classroom and out in practice, in order to meet the NMC requirements to qualify and register.

50% attendance would be nowhere near enough when studying midwifery.

http://standards.nmc-uk.org/PreRegNursing/statutory/background/Pages/more-standards-for-education.aspx

The OP isn't intending any time off her course as she will already have her baby before she starts so it wouldn't really be relevant to her.
Its really her asking if she can attend uni on her maternity leave from her employer, which I have done and found no rules anywhere against that situation.