Timetable Construction
At Curriculum Solutions, we think that a well constructed timetable is at the heart of an effectively run school. We will work with you to design a timetable that meets the needs of your school and makes efficient use of staff time.
Timeline
Our typical process for constructing a schools timetable follows these steps:
Define Curriculum Framework:
We start by working with your senior leadership team to complete a curriculum review and define a curriculum framework that aligns with your educational objectives and priorities.Establish Flexible and Cost-Effective Structures:
Together, we identify and establish structures that offer maximum flexibility and cost-effectiveness, ensuring efficient resource utilisation.Oversee and Assist with Options Process if Required:
If required, we oversee and assist with the options process, ensuring that student selections are seamlessly integrated into the timetable plan.Develop Initial Timetable Draft:
Our team develops an initial timetable draft that balances class sizes, teacher availability, and room assignments.Consult with Leadership and Revise:
We consult with school leaders to review the draft timetable, gather feedback, and make necessary revisions to refine the plan.Collaborate with Middle Leaders:
We collaborate with middle leaders to further refine and revise the timetable, addressing specific departmental needs.Evaluate Post-Summer Outcomes:
After summer results are in, we evaluate the timetable to ensure it still meets the school's needs and make any necessary adjustments.Implement and Finalise:
We assist in implementing the new timetable and provide ongoing support to address any last-minute issues, ensuring a successful launch.Ongoing support: Finally, we will be available to make adaptations to the timetable throughout the year.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why would we outsource the timetable construction when we can do it in house?
A: Outsourcing timetable construction to Timetable Solutions offers numerous benefits: it allows your staff to focus on core educational responsibilities rather than administrative tasks whilst our expertise and fresh perspectives enable us to identify innovative solutions and improvements that may be overlooked by those closely involved in daily operations.
Q: How long does it take to write a timetable?
A: The time required to write a timetable varies based on the complexity of the school's requirements and the size of the student body. Typically, we would start working with you from February or March to agree on the curriculum framework and ensure that appropriate appointments are then made. We would then give you a first draft of the timetable in early June. In an emergency situation, it would be possible to write a timetable within 2 weeks.
Q: What information will you need from us?
A:We need to know what your priorities are and what you want to achieve. We then need a comprehensive staffing list with everyone’s allocations, any known restrictions such as external meetings or part time working and the curriculum framework. If you are not planning on making any changes, we can collect a lot of this information from your system.
Q: How many times will we get to make amendments?
A: We try to take two sets of amendments, one working with senior leadership and the other from middle leadership. We understand that there is often a lot of change in schools and we will try to accommodate any other amendments required.
Q: Does it matter what management information software we use?
A: No, we typically work with schools who use SIMS, but it shouldn't matter which management information software your school uses. We should be able to integrate our services with your existing software.
Q: What program do you use for timetabling?
A: We typically timetable with Nova T6, but also have experience with TimeTabler.
Q: We have had a mid-year staff change, can you help?
A: We are very happy to rewrite or amend a school timetable mid year, just get in touch.