“We think it would be best if your child just came in for mornings.”
If you’ve heard those words from your child’s school, you’re not alone. Reduced timetables are one of the most common ways schools manage children with SEND. And most of the time, they’re unlawful.
Schools in England have no statutory power to place children on part-time timetables. Every child of compulsory school age is entitled to full-time education. Reduced timetables may only be used in what the Department for Education (DfE) calls “very exceptional circumstances,” and only when strict conditions are met.
The law is clear
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 requires parents to ensure their child receives “efficient full-time education.” Schools that reduce timetables without lawful basis undermine this duty. There is no legislation that gives schools the power to impose part-time attendance.
For children with EHCPs, the position is even stronger. Under Section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014, the LA has an absolute duty to secure all provision specified in Section F of the plan. A reduced timetable doesn’t remove this duty. If your child’s EHCP says 25 hours of support per week and they’re only in school for 15, the provision is not being delivered.
The 8 conditions for lawfulness
A reduced timetable can only be lawful if all eight of these conditions are met. Not some. All.
- Parental agreement - You must give informed written consent. It cannot be imposed or forced under threat of exclusion
- Part of a broader plan - It must sit within a documented support, health, or reintegration plan
- Time-limited with an end date - There must be a specific proposed date for return to full-time education
- Regular reviews - It must be reviewed at least every 6 weeks, with you and your child included
- Absences recorded correctly - Missed hours must be recorded as authorised absence, not unauthorised
- Clear purpose - It must support the child’s individual needs, not manage behaviour
- EHCP consultation - If your child has an EHCP, the LA must be consulted and involved (so the EHCP can be reviewed and amended where appropriate)
- Written documentation - The arrangement, plan, and review dates must be formally documented
If any single condition is not met, the reduced timetable is likely unlawful.
When it’s always unlawful
Some uses of reduced timetables are unlawful regardless of whether you’ve agreed to them. Here are the clear red lines.
Children on reduced timetables don’t appear in exclusion statistics. Ofsted has raised concerns that some schools use reduced timetables specifically to hide what are effectively informal exclusions. If your child is being sent home regularly without formal exclusion paperwork, this is an informal exclusion and it’s unlawful.
Warning signs
How do you know if your child’s reduced timetable has crossed the line?
No written plan. If the school can’t produce a documented plan with dates, objectives, and review points, the arrangement is likely unlawful.
No end date. “Until they’re ready” or “we’ll see how it goes” is not a lawful basis. There must be a specific date.
More than 6 weeks without review. If the same hours have been running for months with no formal review meeting, the school isn’t meeting its obligations.
Vague targets. If the plan says things like “when behaviour improves” or “when they can cope,” the purpose isn’t clear enough.
EHCP provision not being delivered. If your child’s Section F provision includes speech therapy, 1:1 support, or specialist teaching, and those sessions aren’t happening during the reduced hours, the LA is in breach of its legal duty.
What to do if your child is on an unlawful reduced timetable
Start with a written request. Ask the school to confirm in writing why the reduced timetable is necessary, what plan is in place, what the end date is, how missed hours are being recorded, and what provision is being delivered during the reduced hours.
If you didn’t consent in writing, say so. Write to the headteacher stating that you do not agree to the reduced timetable and want full-time education restored immediately.
For children with EHCPs, there’s an additional step. If Section F provision is not being delivered, write to the LA citing their absolute duty under Section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Request an emergency annual review if the reduced timetable is causing your child to miss specified provision.
Keep a log. Record every day your child is sent home, the hours they attend, who you spoke to, and what was said. This evidence is essential if you need to complain, go to the Ombudsman, or bring a disability discrimination claim.
The LA’s Section 19 duty
If your child has been on a reduced timetable for a significant period and full-time education isn’t being provided, the LA’s duty under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 may be triggered. This requires the LA to arrange suitable full-time education for any child who isn’t receiving it.
The 15-day threshold applies. Once your child has missed 15 days of education (consecutive or cumulative), the LA should be arranging alternative provision, not leaving a gap. A reduced timetable must never be used as a substitute for the Local Authority’s duty to provide full-time education.
Disability discrimination
If your child’s reduced timetable is linked to their disability and the school hasn’t made reasonable adjustments to enable full-time attendance, you may have a disability discrimination claim under the Equality Act 2010.
You have six months to file a claim with the SEND Tribunal. Because a continuing reduced timetable is treated as one ongoing act, the six months usually runs from when it ends (Equality Act 2010, Schedule 17, paragraph 4(5)(b)).
Getting help
IPSEA provides free legal advice on reduced timetables, informal exclusions, and disability discrimination. Helpline: 0300 222 5899.
Your local SENDIASS can attend school meetings with you, help you write challenge letters, and explain the school’s obligations.
Coram Children’s Legal Centre offers advice on education law, including unlawful exclusion practices.
How our free tool can help
The AI assistant at SEND Parents Help covers reduced timetables in detail, including the 8 conditions for lawfulness, what to do if your child is on an open-ended arrangement, and how to challenge the school or LA. You can describe your situation and get guidance tailored to your circumstances.
Full-time education is your child’s right
A reduced timetable should be a rare, short-term measure used in genuinely exceptional circumstances. It should never be the school’s default response to a child they find difficult to manage.
If your child is on a reduced timetable with no end date, no plan, and no formal review, the arrangement is almost certainly unlawful. Challenge it. Document everything. And don’t accept it as normal, because it isn’t.
Sources and further reading
Legislation and official guidance
- Education Act 1996, Section 7 (duty to provide full-time education)
- Education Act 1996, Section 19 (LA duty to arrange alternative education)
- Children and Families Act 2014, Section 42 (duty to secure EHCP provision)
- School exclusion guidance (DfE guidance including reduced timetables and informal exclusion)
- Equality Act 2010 (disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments)