to ask about your dc's reduced timetables

[reducedtime]

DS y8 has just been offered one, it makes his day shorter usually, but cuts out low stress things like PSHE and library time rather than any specific subjects. Is that usually how things work?

Interested to know how it's worked for other people. Is it usually about making day shorter?

Also would like to know how long reduced timetables have lasted for and how they've ended (eg. back to full time table? new school? school avoidance?)

Did i ask at a bad time? Surely there must be someone here who can tell me about their kids reduced timetable?

not a lot of experience but it depends what the aim of the reduced timetable is? ds is dropping one subject next year but that is because it’s a subject that causes him issues (not a core subject) and it’s being used to free up time for MH/ sensory support.

I guess at secondary the problem can be getting the balance right so they are in school for the core subjects to stop gaps becoming bigger.

if it’s not about making his day shorter then you wokld need a plan with school for the times he isn’t on timetable

generally they are only intended as a short term thing while a future plan is put in place. I know of some children in primary school who are only doing mornings or missing a few afternoons a week while awaiting a more suitable placement.

hope someone with more knowledge is along soon. Maybe worth reaching out to see if they liked of ipsea have any advice.

It depends on why the reduced timetable is needed.
If it's just less hours in school, or start/end of the day that will help, it sounds like the right thing.
However, if there is one particular subject (ideally not a core one!) that is problematic, just that subject can be skipped.

Have you RAG rated a full timetable? ie get a red, amber (orange/yellow) and green pen, and mark every lesson. See if there is a pattern.

The ideal is to get the child back on a full timetable ASAP, without missing too much content - because then you get into a spiral of them not managing those lessons because they have missed too much, so they miss more....

I hope your child is ok.

It would depend on why the reduced time table is needed we have some pupils who do just maths English and science some who leave at lunch some who don't do tutor time

My only experience has been in primary but they do aim to keep the children present for the most important subjects.

Dd had a reduced timetable due to severe anxiety. It worked really well for us as the lessons that she really struggled with, she just did the work at home for. It made the day feel more manageable. She didn't go to registration and started her day going to the first lesson.
School were very supportive, so we were lucky.
And yes the aim was to increase the reduced timetable slowly.

I echo others that it depends on the reasons for it.

I know a child with learning needs who does less subjects (no language) and they do extra communications in that time.

I know a child with medical needs whose physio came to school each day so they missed a lesson each dsy and tried to rotate.

My son had a reduced timetable for anxiety/sensory issues which resulted in bad behaviour. He did 40 mins a day at one point. This type of arrangement is meant to be a short term thing whilst support is put in place.

Hello teacher here which means some idea but obviously every situation is unique so would depend why TT was reduced.

In terms of reasons I have seen reduced in the sense subjects dropped which didn't affect overall length of day just how much a student could manage or if they were failing cores and would benefit from extra time on them.

I have seen shortened days or same length day dropped subject when doing alternative provision. This can be for a host reasons like SEN, a pathway into careers, link with a specialist provider, animal therapy etc.

Purely shortened days can be used to manage SEN need when a full day is proving too much. Can also be used to manage emotion, social, anxiety or behavioural issues. Can be used to reintegrate school refuses, medical needs or those with mental health situations etc.

Normally these are all on a temporary basis and will be reviewed periodically depending on reason. The aim is normally to return full time. It has however been a step in looking at alternative provision fully time but only with really severe SEN or behaviour normally.

Not sure if this helps at all as there are so many reasons it is done and it can be a 2 week thing up to a year thing. So hard to narrow it down!

There is a SEN board on MN which may be helpful to you: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_educational_needs
You could post there with more details.

My DS was on a reduced timetable in year 8, and multiple times throughout school.

In year 8 DS was really anxious so the SENCO looked at his timetable with him to try to removed some stress everyday. He started by missing a lesson a day, It was still too much so was reduced further until eventually DS the school were happy if DS came in even just for break time.
DS started year 9 in a specialist provision and after nearly 2 years there hasn’t been on a reduced time table at all as the school meets his needs.