Modified / Part-time Timetables Policy - Currently Under Review
The team are currently reviewing this policy and associated forms, documents and procedures. In the meantime, this guidance remains current and should be followed alongside the information contained on this webpage.
Where there is any conflict between the existing guidance documentation and the information set out on this webpage, the content on this webpage should be followed.
The DfE (Department for Education) statutory guidance is clear that all pupils of compulsory school age are entitled to a full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have. In very exceptional circumstances,
where it is in a pupil's best interests, a temporary part-time timetable may be used to meet a pupil's individual needs. Part-time timetables should not be used as a long-term solution and should not be used solely to manage behaviour.
The purpose of this guidance is to support schools in meeting their statutory duties, ensuring that pupils receive an appropriate education, are safeguarded, and are not placed at risk of unlawful exclusion.
Key Principles
- A modified timetable should only be used in exceptional circumstances and where it is in the pupil's best interests.
- A modified timetable should form part of a wider support plan, such as a Pastoral Support Plan, My Support Plan, Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting, Individual Healthcare Plan or other multi-agency support arrangement.
- Parents/carers must be fully involved in the decision-making process.
- Schools must obtain parental agreement using Form MT1.
- Any arrangement should be time-limited, regularly reviewed and include a clear plan for a return to full-time education.
- Parents/carers must be clear about their responsibility for the child during periods when they are not attending school.
- Schools remain responsible for ensuring that attendance is recorded correctly in accordance with national attendance guidance.
Notification to Bradford Council
Schools do not require Bradford Council approval before implementing a temporary modified timetable.
Responsibility for deciding whether a modified timetable is appropriate rests with the school, working in partnership with parents/carers and relevant professionals.
Bradford Council receives attendance data directly from schools and is therefore able to identify when attendance code C2 (temporary part-time timetable) is being used.
As a result, schools are not required to submit Form MT1 solely because a pupil has been placed on a modified timetable.
Schools should complete and submit Form MT1 and associated documentation
only where a pupil on a modified timetable falls within one or more of the categories listed below:
- Has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
- Is undergoing an EHC Needs Assessment.
- Is a Child in Need.
- Is subject to a Child Protection Plan.
- Is a Child Looked After.
- Has an allocated Social Worker.
These cohorts are identified because the Local Authority has additional statutory responsibilities in relation to SEND, safeguarding and the welfare of vulnerable children. Notification enables the Council to fulfil those responsibilities and, where necessary,
work collaboratively with schools to ensure that educational entitlement, safeguarding arrangements and required support continue to be delivered appropriately.
For all other pupils, schools should continue to record attendance correctly using the appropriate attendance code and maintain their own documentation and review arrangements. Separate notification to Bradford Council is not required.
Children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
Where a pupil with an EHCP is placed on a modified timetable or Is undergoing an EHC Needs Assessment, schools should also notify the relevant SEND locality team by submitting:
- Form MT1.
- Risk Assessment and Review Form.
- Any supporting documentation relevant to the decision-making process.
Notification enables Bradford Council to understand any potential impact on the delivery of provision specified within the EHCP and to fulfil its statutory duties in relation to SEND provision.
Notification should be made as soon as practicable following implementation of the modified timetable.
[email protected] (Keighley and Shipley)
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
If you are not sure which team your school falls under, visit the
Virtual Team around the School Directory and search for your school.
Bradford Council Forms
Schools should continue to use the existing Bradford Council documentation whilst the policy review is underway.
- Form MT1 - Modified Timetable Notification Form
- Risk Assessment and Review Form
These documents should continue to be completed and submitted to
[email protected] in line with existing local arrangements.
Form MT1, The Modified Timetable Notification Form can be downloaded here -
Form MT1
Practical Tips for Using Modified Timetables Effectively
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Keep it short-term: Modified timetables should be a temporary intervention. As a guide, schools should aim for arrangements to last no longer than
6 weeks, unless there is clear evidence and professional advice supporting a longer period.
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Review regularly: Schools should formally review modified timetables at least
every 2 weeks to consider progress, whether attendance can be increased, and whether the arrangement remains necessary.
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Be clear about the purpose: Before implementation, identify the specific need being addressed, the intended outcomes, and the plan for returning the pupil to full-time education.
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Plan for reintegration from day one: A modified timetable should always include clear, staged steps towards increasing attendance and participation in school.
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Work closely with families: Maintain regular contact with parents/carers and ensure they understand the purpose of the arrangement, review dates, and expectations during periods when the pupil is not in school.
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Keep accurate records: Retain clear records of the rationale, parental agreement, review meetings, risk assessments, decisions made, and progress towards full-time education.
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Consider safeguarding throughout: Schools should continue to consider any safeguarding implications and ensure appropriate supervision arrangements are in place when a pupil is not attending school.
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Ask the key question at every review:
"Why is this pupil still on a modified timetable, and what further steps can be taken to support a return to full-time education?"
Frequently Asked Questions:
I have a child at our school on a modified timetable who arrives at school after the morning register closes, and leaves before the afternoon register is taken. How do I record their attendance?
Schools must set a time when the morning and afternoon registers are taken each day, and how long the registers are "kept open". The current expectations from Bradford Council and the government is that the registers should be kept open for a maximum of
30 minutes. Any child therefore arriving after the close of the register must be recorded as absent, as well as any child not present for registration.
In this case, the law states that the child should be recorded as absent for both their morning and afternoon sessions, using the C2 absence code. Register times cannot be altered for individual children.
Does a school need Bradford Council approval before implementing a modified timetable?
No. Schools do not require Bradford Council approval before implementing a temporary modified timetable. Responsibility for the decision rests with the school, working with parents/carers and relevant professionals. However, schools should continue to complete
and submit Bradford Council's notification forms and associated documentation in accordance with local procedures.