Part-time and Alternative Provision Timetables

All pupils of compulsory school age are entitled to full time education. In very exceptional circumstances, there may be a need for a temporary part-time timetable to meet a pupil’s individual needs. For example, where a medical condition prevents a pupil from attending full time education and a part-time timetable is considered as part of the reintegration package.

A part-time timetable must not be treated as a long-term solution. Any pastoral support program or other agreement must have a time limit by which point the pupil is expected to attend full time or be provided with alternative provision.

Any decision about a part-time timetable needs to have due and full consideration of any safeguarding and welfare risks, plus steps to prevent these. Any vulnerabilities and risks must be fully regarded as part of your duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Not being in school full time can put children at significant risk, including risk of harm, neglect, abuse, exploitation and radicalisation, for example, as well as the risks of underachieving, poor outcomes, and becoming NEET.

A reduced timetable is not considered an appropriate method of managing poor behaviour, or pupils at risk of exclusion, in the longer term. This intervention should only be considered after other strategies have been exhausted and they should be for the benefit of the pupil, such arrangements must be made with the agreement of parents/carers.

Any pupil on a part-time timetable is expected to have a My Plan + in place (along with a My Assessment) to ensure needs are identified and SMART targets set in conjunction with parents; this will enable pupils to work towards attending school full time with appropriate support in place. Schools should record these absences as code ‘C2’ in the attendance register and code ‘X’ for children that are not of compulsory school age.

It is important as a local authority that we have a central record of all children not accessing full time education in the usual way, including those accessing alternative provision full time away from their mainstream school, regardless of where they are on roll.

Please report your part time and amended timetables to GCC as soon as they are put in place, amended or cease using this link to the JADU form: https://forms.gloucestershire.gov.uk/Reduced_Alternative_Education

Please ensure you have all the information needed to complete the form as it does have a time out of 25 minutes. It is only one page of information but if you think it may time out then put anything in the data boxes and save and you can go back and amend it.

If you have any queries about this process, please contact your Inclusion Officer in the first instance or call our general helpline on 01452 427274. If you are contacting us outside of working hours, then please email pttimetables@gloucestershire.gov.uk and someone will get back to you within 5 working days.