Government guidance on maternity and SPL can feel overwhelming. It is written for every profession which does not help when you are a teacher and so many rules apply differently. This guide simplifies everything for 2025 and highlights what matters for teachers only.
If you ever want to read the full official wording, the starting point is the Government page on maternity pay and leave. Just be prepared that it is written in quite a formal way, so it can help to read this guide alongside it.
Gov.uk Maternity Pay and Leave
Updated SMP rates for 2025
Every April the SMP rate changes. Include the current rate here when it updates.
Teachers need to know this because it affects how much they receive after the first six weeks of maternity.
For many teachers, the first six weeks at 90 percent can feel manageable, then the flat SMP rate can be a big drop in income. Knowing the current rate helps you plan when you may want to switch into SPL, return to work for a holiday or look at savings and budgeting.
You can always check the current SMP weekly rate here:
Current SMP Rates on Gov.uk
Teacher specific maternity rules
Teachers have:
• Different treatment during school holidays
• Long notice periods
• Additional forms for HR
• A higher chance of maternity starting automatically if you go off sick late in pregnancy
• OMP rules that vary between academies, trusts and local authorities
School holidays are one of the biggest differences. When the school is closed you are often still considered to be in service. This can affect when maternity officially starts and whether you receive normal salary or maternity pay during that time. It is always worth asking HR to confirm how your school handles this.
Notice periods also matter. Many schools and trusts ask for your maternity plans several weeks before you stop work. If you are thinking about SPL as well, it can help to have a draft plan ready rather than rushing decisions at the last minute.
Occupational Maternity Pay, or OMP, is the enhanced section that your employer provides on top of the legal minimum. Some academies offer generous packages while others stick close to the statutory level. This is why two teachers at different schools can have very different maternity experiences even if they are at the same pay scale.
For general advice about maternity rights at work you can look at ACAS guidance, which applies to all employees:
ACAS Maternity Leave Advice
You can also find teacher focused guidance from unions. They explain how national rules sit alongside teacher contracts and school policies:
NEU Maternity Leave and Pay
NASUWT Maternity Rights for Teachers
Teacher specific SPL rules
Teachers can return to work during a holiday without stepping back into the classroom. This is the biggest difference between teachers and any other profession.
In practice this means you might pause maternity or SPL for a holiday period, receive your normal salary while the school is closed, then restart SPL afterwards. This can increase your total income and keep more of your official leave weeks available for term time when it really counts.
The core SPL rules are the same for everyone, but teachers sit in a very unusual pattern of term dates and holidays. The Government provides the overall SPL framework here:
Gov.uk Shared Parental Leave and Pay
For a teaching specific angle, unions again have helpful pages that explain SPL in the context of teacher contracts:
NEU Shared Parental Leave Guidance
NASUWT Shared Parental Leave Advice
Important government forms
For 2025 teachers will still need:
• MATB1
• SPL notice forms (SPL1, SPL2 etc)
• School policy documents for OMP
• A clear timeline showing maternity, SPL and return to work dates
Your MATB1 form is provided by your midwife or doctor. It confirms your expected week of childbirth and is needed by your employer to trigger maternity pay. Keep it safe and take a clear photo or scan in case the original goes missing.
Shared Parental Leave uses a set of notice forms, often labelled SPL1, SPL2 and so on. They record who is taking leave, when it starts and how SPL is shared between you and your partner. The Government keeps the latest versions of these forms here:
Shared Parental Leave Forms (Gov.uk)
Your school or trust maternity and SPL policy is just as important. It tells you how OMP is handled, how holidays are treated, how much notice they want and which HR email address to use. If you do not have a copy, ask HR to send you the latest version in writing.
Finally, a clear timeline is essential. This should show when maternity starts, when any OMP periods run, where SPL blocks sit, which holidays you plan to be “back at work” for and when you plan to return to the classroom properly. This is exactly what our calculator is designed to build for you.
You can generate your full maternity or SPL plan instantly using the SPL Teachers Calculator.
