Teacher maternity pay often feels like a maze. There are different rules for OMP, SMP and school holiday timing. Many teachers also hear different things from HR, payroll and colleagues which only adds to the confusion.
This guide breaks everything down in a calm and simple way. By the end you will understand exactly what you are entitled to and how your school’s holidays can make a big difference to your pay. You can also run everything through the SPL Teachers Calculator to see your exact numbers.
What maternity pay teachers usually receive
Teacher maternity pay normally has two parts.
Occupational Maternity Pay (OMP)
Schools can offer enhanced pay on top of the legal minimum. Most teachers get something like:
• 4 weeks at full pay
• 2 weeks at 90 percent
• 12 weeks at 50 percent
• Then SMP continues after OMP ends
Your school’s policy could be different so always check your HR documents. For the legal minimum requirements, you can also read the Government guidance on maternity rights here:
Gov.uk Maternity Pay and Leave
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
Paid for 39 weeks. This is set by the government. It is usually:
• 6 weeks at 90 percent of your average weekly earnings
• 33 weeks at the flat SMP rate
This rate changes each April. You can find the current SMP rate here:
Current SMP Rates
How school holidays affect maternity pay
This part is unique to teachers. You are still classed as “back at work” during school holidays even though you are at home. Many schools continue to pay teachers 100 percent during those holidays. If your maternity start date falls inside a holiday you may receive full salary until the holiday ends.
This is one of the biggest reasons teachers use our calculator. It can add holiday overlap pay to the correct months and adjust your maternity timeline automatically.
This is visible within our calculator tool.
Calculator
Example scenario
Imagine your maternity leave would normally start on 5 July but this falls inside a summer holiday. If your school continues to pay teachers normally during that period your maternity pay will start after the holiday ends. Your OMP and SMP periods do not get shorter. They simply begin later.
Use the calculator
You can instantly work out your maternity pay, OMP and the effect of holidays using the SPL Teachers Calculator.
