About EduStaffSupport
EduStaffSupport was created to make sure teachers understand their rights—and feel confident using them.
Because too often, they don’t.
Where it started
When I had my first baby in 2021, during COVID, I didn’t know shared parental leave existed. Like many teachers, I assumed maternity leave was my only option. I didn’t question it—I didn’t have the information to.
Looking back, I now realise I may have had more flexibility than I thought. But at the time, no one told me, and I didn’t know to ask.
A different experience the second time
When my second son was born on 7th December 2023, things were different. This time, I knew about shared parental leave—and I wanted to use it to create a more flexible, financially sustainable return to work.
So I approached my school to start the process.
The response I received was:
“What is that? I’ll need to look into it.”
That moment summed up the challenge straight away. Even within school systems, awareness of shared parental leave isn’t always there.
Navigating misinformation
After some time, I was given a policy and a form. But I was told that I needed to include details of when my husband would be taking leave, because it was shared parental leave.
Except that isn’t how it works.
There is no requirement for both parents to take leave—one parent can take the full entitlement.
So I challenged it.
More than once.
I went back with evidence from official guidance, including GOV.UK, and after several conversations, this was eventually accepted.
But it made one thing very clear: you have to know your rights, because the system doesn’t always know them for you.
The back-and-forth
I submitted my first block of leave, which was approved.
Then I submitted my second block—more than eight weeks in advance, exactly as required—and was told I should have submitted all my leave at the same time.
Again, that wasn’t correct.
Shared parental leave is designed to be flexible. You don’t have to know all your dates upfront.
So I challenged it—again. After more conversations, it was approved.
I was then asked to submit my third block at the same time so the school could “have everything together.” I chose to do this because I already knew my plans—but I made it clear that this shouldn’t be expected of everyone.
Not everyone can plan that far ahead.
Being asked to work during leave
At one point, I was even asked to work over the Easter holidays—with around a month’s notice.
I pushed back.
I raised that unless everyone was being asked to do the same, I shouldn’t be singled out. And practically, I hadn’t been given enough notice to arrange childcare.
Again, it took challenging—but it was resolved.
“This loophole will be closed”
One comment in particular stuck with me. I was told that at some point in the future, this “loophole” would likely be closed.
But shared parental leave isn’t a loophole.
It’s a legal entitlement.
And that moment really highlighted the wider issue—not just misunderstanding the rules, but misunderstanding the purpose behind them.
Making it work
Despite all of this, I made it work.
By structuring my leave carefully, I was able to have:
- Easter fully paid
- June half term fully paid
- The summer holidays of 2024 fully paid
That made a huge difference—not just financially, but in the time I got to spend with my child.
What happened next
After everything I went through, I couldn’t just move on.
I kept thinking about how easily I could have missed out—either by not taking shared parental leave at all, or by accepting incorrect information.
And I knew I wouldn’t be the only one.
So I started talking about it.
First with friends. Then colleagues. Then friends of friends.
One conversation turned into another, and soon I was helping people understand their rights, challenge decisions, and feel more confident in asking for what they were entitled to.
I found myself:
- Explaining policies
- Helping draft emails
- Sharing guidance
- Supporting teachers through conversations with their schools
And one thing became clear very quickly:
The problem isn’t just the policy—it’s the gap between the policy and what people are told.
Why EduStaffSupport exists
EduStaffSupport was born out of that gap.
Using my background in HR, my business law degree, my experience as a teacher, and the research I carried out through my own journey, I began supporting teachers more formally.
This wasn’t something I originally set out to build—it came from lived experience, frustration, and a strong belief that teachers deserve better.
Better information.
Better support.
And a clearer understanding of their rights.
Because once you know what you’re entitled to, everything changes.
What I believe
No teacher should have to fight as hard as I did just to access something that already exists.
And no teacher should miss out simply because they weren’t given the right information at the right time.
EduStaffSupport is here to change that.