When's the best time for a baby? NQT year?

I am currently doing my teacher training year with the hope of being an NQT in September 2021. I am also wanting to start a family and we originally had plans to start trying next year so that the baby would be born (assuming we were able to get pregnant) after my NQT year. However, it has since been announced that the NQT year is being extended to 2 years meaning it would be a 2 year wait before we could even start trying.

What would happen if I was to fall pregnant in the middle of the two NQT years? Am I just being impatient? I have already put off having a baby by an additional 2 years by taking longer to complete my degree and having a gap year of being a TA before applying to scitt.

Any advice is welcomed!

I am currently doing my teacher training year with the hope of being an NQT in September 2021. I am also wanting to start a family and we originally had plans to start trying next year so that the baby would be born (assuming we were able to get pregnant) after my NQT year. However, it has since been announced that the NQT year is being extended to 2 years meaning it would be a 2 year wait before we could even start trying.

What would happen if I was to fall pregnant in the middle of the two NQT years? Am I just being impatient? I have already put off having a baby by an additional 2 years by taking longer to complete my degree and having a gap year of being a TA before applying to scitt.

Any advice is welcomed!

Hi, I believe starting a family is important but, you have to be very careful. Raising kids is not an easy task, and it takes so much of your time. I feel you need to make a decision if you'll wait until you're done with your studies, or you'll put one on hold. Nonetheless, the best things in life don't come easy, if you have a supportive partner, you can handle both. It all needs sacrifice.

Thank you. Although not ideal, do you know what would happen if I was to fall pregnant during the nqt years? Would it ‘pause’ and I could resume after maternity leave? Or would I have to restart the two years?

I'm not sure if there are any changes with the new two-year induction period (though I doubt there will be), but under the current system, you can take maternity leave midway through your NQT year and still come back to complete the remaining number of terms needed.

That’s good to know. And assuming it’s a fixed permanent contract, the same school would have you back to complete it?