The government has recently announced plans to improve maternity pay for teachers and school staff from the 2027–2028 academic year through changes to the Burgundy Book, which sets out national conditions of service for teachers in maintained schools. The reforms are intended to help tackle teacher retention and support more women to remain in the profession during and after starting a family.
On the face of it, the announcement is undoubtedly positive. Teaching has long faced recruitment and retention challenges, and women in their 30s represent one of the largest groups leaving the profession. Any measure designed to reduce that trend deserves consideration.
However, an important question remains: will better maternity pay for teachers alone be enough to keep educators in the profession?
Why Maternity Pay for Teachers Is Changing
The proposed changes will increase the period of full maternity pay available to teachers under national agreements. The aim is to provide greater financial security for teachers taking maternity leave and to bring teaching more in line with the support offered in other sectors.
Teaching remains a predominantly female profession, and many teachers reach key stages of their careers at the same time as they are starting or growing their families. For some, the financial impact of maternity leave can make continuing in the profession more difficult.
Improving maternity pay sends an important message that schools and policymakers recognise these challenges and want to provide better support for staff.
The reforms form part of broader efforts to improve teacher recruitment and retention. Readers can view the full details of the proposed changes in the government’s official announcement.
How Maternity Pay for Teachers Works Under the Burgundy Book
For many teachers, maternity pay is determined by the provisions set out in the Burgundy Book, the national agreement that outlines conditions of service for teachers in maintained schools across England and Wales.
The Burgundy Book provides enhanced maternity benefits above the statutory minimum available to many employees. To qualify, teachers must usually meet specific service requirements, including a qualifying period of continuous employment with their local authority or school employer.
Under the current Burgundy Book arrangements, eligible teachers can receive a combination of occupational maternity pay and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) during their maternity leave. This enhanced package has long provided greater financial support than statutory maternity pay alone, helping teachers take time away from the classroom following the birth or adoption of a child.
The government’s recently announced changes will further improve maternity pay for teachers by extending the period of full pay available under the Burgundy Book. Supporters of the reforms argue that this will provide greater financial security for teachers during maternity leave and help make teaching a more attractive long-term career.
However, while changes to Burgundy Book maternity pay are undoubtedly welcome, the bigger question is whether improved maternity benefits will be enough to address the wider teacher retention challenges facing the profession. For many teachers, the decision to leave education is influenced not only by maternity leave arrangements but also by workload, childcare costs and the flexibility available when they are ready to return to work.
Why Women in Their 30s Are Leaving Teaching
The issue is not simply maternity leave itself. Many of the retention challenges facing teachers begin long before and continue long after maternity leave.
The factors behind teacher retention are complex and often reflect the wider reasons why teachers are leaving the profession.
Women in their 30s are often balancing multiple responsibilities:
- Raising young children
- Managing childcare arrangements
- Progressing their careers
- Supporting family members
- Coping with the increasing cost of living
At the same time, teaching remains a demanding profession. Workload, accountability pressures, lesson preparation, marking, meetings and extracurricular commitments can make it difficult to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
For some teachers, leaving the profession can appear to be the only practical solution when family responsibilities increase.
Will Better Maternity Pay for Teachers Make a Difference?
While the proposed Burgundy Book changes will improve financial support during maternity leave, retention challenges often extend well beyond the period of leave itself.
A longer period of full pay may reduce financial stress at an important time and could encourage some teachers to remain employed by their school rather than seeking alternative career options.
However, maternity leave itself is only a relatively short period in a teacher’s overall career.
The bigger question is what happens when teachers are ready to return to work and whether maternity pay changes will improve teacher retention.
If returning teachers face the same workload pressures, rigid working arrangements and childcare challenges that contributed to retention problems in the first place, improved maternity pay alone may have a limited long-term impact.
The policy is a positive step, but it is unlikely to be a complete solution.
The Bigger Challenge: Returning to Teaching after Maternity Leave
Many teachers who take maternity leave fully intend to return to the profession. Yet the transition back into teaching can be difficult.
Childcare costs remain high, particularly in London and the South East. School hours do not always align with nursery opening times, and many parents find themselves trying to balance family commitments alongside a full teaching timetable.
Returning teachers may also worry about:
- Increased workload
- Changes within their department or school
- Career progression opportunities
- Managing leadership responsibilities alongside family life
- Maintaining work-life balance
For some, these challenges can ultimately lead to a decision to leave teaching altogether.
This suggests that retention efforts should focus not only on maternity leave itself but also on creating sustainable pathways back into the profession.
Why Flexible Working could matter more than Maternity Leave for Teachers
Flexible working for teachers has become one of the most important discussions in education recruitment.
The Burgundy Book can provide important financial support during maternity leave, but many teachers will ultimately judge their long-term future in the profession based on the flexibility and support available when they return to work.
While teaching will never be a fully remote profession, schools are increasingly exploring options such as:
- Part-time teaching roles
- Job-share arrangements
- Flexible timetables
- Phased returns following maternity leave
- Greater flexibility around meetings and planning time
These approaches can make a significant difference for teachers with young families.
Importantly, flexible working is not only beneficial for parents. Schools that embrace flexibility often find they are better able to recruit and retain talented staff across all stages of their careers.
In a competitive recruitment market, flexibility is increasingly becoming an important factor when teachers choose between employers.
What Schools Can Do to Retain Experienced Teachers
Experienced teachers are one of the most valuable resources any school possesses. When schools lose staff with years of classroom expertise, the impact is felt not only by pupils but also by colleagues and leadership teams.
Improving maternity pay for teachers is a welcome development, but schools can also support retention by:
- Creating genuinely flexible working opportunities
- Supporting phased returns from maternity leave
- Reviewing workload expectations
- Investing in staff wellbeing
- Providing clear pathways for career progression
- Building inclusive and supportive workplace cultures
Retention is often more cost-effective than recruitment. Supporting experienced teachers to remain in the profession can help schools reduce recruitment costs while maintaining stability for pupils.
Final Thoughts
The planned improvements to teacher maternity pay for teachers under the Burgundy Book are a positive and much-needed step in supporting educators during an important stage of their lives.
However, if the goal is to keep more teachers in the profession long term, maternity pay alone is unlikely to solve the problem.
The real challenge is ensuring that teachers feel able to return to work and continue developing successful careers after having children. Flexible working, manageable workloads and supportive school cultures may ultimately have an even greater impact on retention than improvements to maternity pay.
If schools are serious about retaining experienced teachers, the conversation should not end when maternity leave begins. It should continue long after teachers return to the classroom.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maternity Pay for Teachers
What is maternity pay for teachers?
Maternity pay for teachers is the financial support available to eligible teachers during maternity leave. In maintained schools, maternity pay is typically governed by the Burgundy Book, which provides enhanced benefits above the statutory minimum available to many employees.
How does maternity pay for teachers work?
Eligible teachers may receive a combination of occupational maternity pay under the Burgundy Book and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). The exact amount received depends on factors such as length of service, employment status and eligibility criteria at the time maternity leave begins.
What is the Burgundy Book?
The Burgundy Book is the national agreement that sets out conditions of service for teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales. It covers a range of employment matters, including maternity pay, sick pay, notice periods and other employment rights.
Does the Burgundy Book apply to all teachers?
No. The Burgundy Book generally applies to teachers employed in maintained schools. Academies, free schools and independent schools are not required to follow Burgundy Book provisions, although many choose to offer similar or identical maternity benefits.
Are changes being made to maternity pay for teachers?
Yes. The government has announced plans to improve maternity pay for teachers from the 2027–2028 academic year. The changes are intended to provide greater financial support during maternity leave and form part of wider efforts to improve teacher retention.
Why is maternity pay for teachers changing?
The reforms are designed to help schools retain experienced staff and support more women to remain in the teaching profession. Teacher retention has become a significant challenge across the education sector, particularly among experienced teachers in their 30s who are balancing career and family commitments.
Will better maternity pay help solve the teacher retention crisis?
Improved maternity pay for teachers is likely to be welcomed by many educators and may help reduce some of the financial pressures associated with taking maternity leave. However, many education professionals believe that wider issues such as workload, childcare costs and flexible working opportunities will continue to play a major role in teacher retention.
Can teachers return to work part-time after maternity leave?
Many schools offer flexible working arrangements, including part-time teaching, job-share roles and phased returns following maternity leave. However, the availability of these arrangements varies between schools and local employers.
Why do some teachers leave the profession after maternity leave?
There is rarely a single reason. Common factors include childcare costs, workload pressures, work-life balance concerns and difficulties finding flexible working arrangements that fit around family commitments.
Is flexible working important for teachers returning from maternity leave?
For many teachers, flexible working can be just as important as maternity pay. Schools that offer part-time roles, job shares and flexible timetables may be better placed to retain experienced teachers who might otherwise leave the profession after starting a family.
Where can teachers find official information about maternity pay?
Teachers should refer to their employment contract, school policies and the relevant Burgundy Book provisions where applicable. They can also seek advice from their school, local authority, trade union or professional association if they are unsure about their entitlement.
