4 May 2026 · 8 min read · By Harriet
Maternity leave is when most teachers I work with finally admit they're not going back. It's the first time in years their nervous system has had space to breathe. If that's you — here's what you actually need to know about leaving teaching from maternity leave in the UK.
First — you are not a bad person for not wanting to go back
Schools work hard to make you feel guilty for leaving. Your colleagues have to cover your class. Your headteacher has to recruit. None of that is your responsibility. Your responsibility is to you and to the small person currently asleep on you.
The maternity pay question
Most teachers in the UK on the Burgundy Book or local equivalent receive enhanced maternity pay. The deal is usually that you have to return to work for a set period (often 13 weeks) after maternity leave ends, otherwise you have to pay back the enhanced portion (the bit above Statutory Maternity Pay).
Statutory Maternity Pay itself does not have to be paid back. Only the enhanced portion. So if you're worried about a huge bill — work out the actual number first. It's almost always smaller than you fear.
I paid mine back. It was the best money I've ever spent. Within three months of leaving I was earning more than I had been teaching.
Notice periods are different on maternity
Teachers in England and Wales on standard contracts usually have to give notice by 31 May to leave at end of August, by 28 February to leave at Easter, or by 31 October to leave at Christmas. These deadlines still apply on maternity leave.
Read your contract. Read it again. If you're not sure, ask your union — that's literally what they're for and the conversation is confidential.
What to do BEFORE you tell school
Build your replacement income — even partly — before the conversation. Maternity leave is a brilliant window for this. Babies sleep. Not for long, but they do. I built my tutoring business at the kitchen table while mine napped.
Two or three local families. Word of mouth. A small group on a Saturday morning. That's enough to prove the model works. Once you've proven it works, the leaving conversation is just admin.
Tutoring is the obvious fit for new mums
Hours that fit around school pickup. Sessions that happen after the school day, when your partner or family can be with the baby. The skill is already in your hands. The local demand is huge — every parent in your area wants a primary-trained teacher tutoring their child.
And it scales. I started with three children. Four months later I had 60. Now I run a tutoring business with four employed teachers and a garden teaching room. It started in a kitchen, on maternity leave, with a baby on the boob.
The honest emotional bit
You will second-guess yourself. You will wonder if you're throwing away a 'safe' career. You will have a wobble at 3am. That's normal. None of it means you're making the wrong decision.
The teachers I see thrive after leaving aren't the ones with no fear. They're the ones who built a plan despite the fear. If you want help building yours, The Ultimate Teacher Exit Plan walks you through every step.
Want the full step-by-step? See The Ultimate Teacher Exit Plan — the complete course for teachers leaving the classroom.
