What the Schools White Paper means for maternity pay for school staff

The UK Government's Schools White Paper contains a significant employment law commitment. 

The government has announced it will improve maternity pay for school teachers and leaders, doubling the period of full pay from four weeks to eight weeks, starting from the 2027 to 2028 academic year.

“Similar improvements” for school support staff will be sought and the new School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) will be tasked with negotiating that in its first year of operation. 

"Equivalent funding” will also be provided so that colleges can enhance the maternity offer for their college staff.

For multi-academy trusts (MATs) and maintained schools, this is not a minor administrative update. It represents a significant shift in employment terms and pay that will require careful planning, policy review, and budget preparation.

Why is this happening?

The driver for this change is clear: women aged 30 to 39 are the largest group of leavers from the teacher workforce, and maternity pay for staff in education has not kept up with other professions. 

The Schools White Paper frames this explicitly as a retention measure, addressing what it describes as comparatively low maternity pay relative to other parts of the public sector. Doubling the full pay period is one element of a broader package designed to make teaching a more attractive long-term career for women.

What does this mean in practice?

Teachers and leaders

Currently, teachers employed under the Burgundy Book (the national collective agreement governing most teachers' conditions) benefit from enhanced maternity pay, including four weeks of full pay. The White Paper commits to doubling that period to eight weeks of full pay from the 2027 to 2028 academic year.

The government claims this is a funded commitment. The government states it will provide schools with the money to implement the change but schools will rightly question what “funded” means in practice and how that funding reaches them. 

Previous so-called funded increases have rarely covered the full cost exposure, including employers' National Insurance contributions and pension costs.

Support staff

The position for support staff is less certain. The government will ask the SSSNB to negotiate an equivalent improvement, but the precise outcome remains subject to negotiation rather than being a fixed commitment. 

Schools and trusts employing support staff under different contractual arrangements, whether the Green Book, locally agreed terms or bespoke trust contracts, will need to monitor the SSSNB's work closely.

Flexible working on return

The government has also indicated it will “improve flexibilities” on return from maternity leave, but detail is limited beyond a reference to the existing Flexible working in schools programme. 

Changes to flexible working requests are also part of an Employment Rights Act 2025 consultation, ending on 30 April 2026, which proposes to make it easier to challenge an employer’s refusal in the employment tribunal.

Key considerations for schools and trusts

Contractual implications

Schools will need to review their existing maternity policies ahead of the 2027 to 2028 academic year. For maintained schools operating Burgundy Book terms, the change will likely flow through a revision to that national agreement. 

For academy trusts, particularly those operating bespoke employment contracts or trust-wide HR policies, a proactive review will be essential to ensure alignment and consistency across the trust.

Budget planning

Although the government has committed to fund the change, schools and trusts should begin modelling the potential cost impact now. Trusts with larger female workforces in the 30 to 39 age group should ensure their financial forecasts from 2027 to 2028 onwards account for the enhanced pay obligation and any associated on-costs.

What schools support staff can expect

Given that the outcome for support staff depends on SSSNB negotiations, HR and finance leads should track the progress of that body closely.

Flexible working policies

The White Paper's emphasis on flexible working, combined with changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025, creates a clear expectation that schools will be receptive to requests from staff returning from maternity leave. 

Schools should audit their flexible working policies and ensure managers can handle requests lawfully and consistently. Budget planning for the additional cost of job shares and similar arrangements will also be important.

What should schools and trusts do now?

The 2027 to 2028 implementation date may feel some way off, but preparation should begin promptly. We recommend the following immediate steps:

• Review existing maternity policies and contractual arrangements.
• Model cost implications, particularly for staffing decisions being taken now.
• Monitor SSSNB progress on support staff negotiations.
• Audit your flexible working policy to ensure it is fit for purpose ahead of the impending changes.

If you would like advice on reviewing your maternity, flexible working, or pay policies and understanding the implications for your trust or school, please contact our education employment law team.