secondary teachers maternity leave

I`m due to go back to school three days before the easter holidays but am considering taking unpaid leave. Could anyone tell me how that works with the easter holidays and when i would have to go back to get paid for the summer holidays. Is there anyway i could go back for the three days and take 7 weeks leave then??

Unpaid leave needs to be taken directly after maternity leave, if you go back for the 3 days, you're back!! You could apply for parental leave though, for the weeks after the Easter holidays. Most schools insist that you take that in particular time blocks, so you'd have to talk to your principal about what your school's policy is on it. AFAIK to get paid for the summer after parental leave, you would not need to go back at all, but it would depend on whether your school would allow you to take an 8 week block of parental leave, they may only allow you to take 7, so you'd have to go back for a week.

So Milis, if I understand you correctly i could go back for the three days get paid for the easter holidays and then if the principal would agree ( would suit him better to have same teacher all year anyway) take parental leave until the last week and then come back and get paid for the summer hols? Can i take seven weeks only or would i have to take the full 14 weeks?

You'd have to ask your principal if you are allowed to take a 7 weeks block of parental leave. The BOM make a decision on your application.