The Sufficiency and Access team has published guidance to set out the process for all schools to notify the Local Authority when a child is placed on a part-time school timetable.

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 a re-integration package.

Anyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children as described in statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015. Current guidance from Ofsted states that information about children missing from education is essential and all schools should notify the Local Authority of any part-time education arrangements.  This includes schools maintained by the Local Authorities, Academies, Free Schools and Independent Schools.

Where there are wider concerns about the safety of a child, schools and professional bodies may wish to refer directly to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub.

Responsibility for providing advice and support to schools before considering placing a child on a reduced timetable will remain with the Locality SEND teams.  For pupils with a statement of SEN or an EHC plan, please refer to the appropriate SEN Casework Team.

The guidance document is below:

Part-time School Timetables guidance - Sept 2020 (PDF, 508KB)

Part-Time School Timetable Consent Form - Sept 2020