The Headmistress of St Mary's Calne (independent girls boarding school) was on GMTV this morning having returned to work just 7 hours after giving birth to her 3rd child. Baby slept in her office and she breastfed.

Now, said HT did say it was an easy birth, it was her 3rd and she lives at the school so it is ok, but is it? I mean, is it really practical to have your baby in school with you? I doubt a classroom teacher would be afforded the same privileges (sp?) so why should the HT be allowed to have her cake and eat it?It would NEVER be tolerated in a State school.

Just doesn't seem right to me. She needs to be a full time Mum for a while. The school will not collapse if she isn't there for a few months and, as she lives on site, she can keep up to date with what is happeneing. Surely this also says she has little faith in her SMT.

What do others think?

I'm not a teacher, but was working in retail when my children were born. I was too shattered to even think about work after having each of my three children. Work wasn't high on my list of priorities in the hours or days following the births, except to let them know that I had had the baby.

 I can't imagine many people wanting to return to work so soon - surely the baby and the other children deserve some time with their mum?

 I thought it was a bit crap too.

Perhaps she is a control freak and couldn't beat to let go for a nanosecond. Whatever she is I'd like to see her try to work when the newborn becomes a screaming toddler!

I cannot understand how the school's Governing body condoned this?

grunwald:

 hope the husband takes his full paternity leave ....

*ducks*

Never thought of that but he'll have an easy time of it as she's got the baby at work!

Funnily enough....she never mentioned her husband!

Presumably as she is a Head she is capable of juggling.