Dear Headteacher

Re: Audit of the use of Reduced Timetables

We are writing to all headteachers in Oxfordshire at the request of The Oxfordshire Children Safeguarding Board to remind you of your duty to notify the local authority of the details of any pupil who is temporarily on a reduced timetable.

In a report entitled Pupils missing out on education (Ofsted. November 2013) Ofsted highlighted concerns that children not accessing full-time education tend to have lower aspirations, limited levels of achievement and, most seriously, face potential safeguarding risks (such as child sexual exploitation and trafficking). As a consequence of the report’s findings, Ofsted has strengthened its approach to monitoring local authorities’ and schools’ arrangements for managing attendance. Local authorities are now required to obtain from all schools, regardless of their arrangements for governance, up-to-date and accurate data on all children not accessing full-time education. Schools are similarly required to maintain data on pupils on their roll but not attending full-time.

The local authority is responsible for collecting and monitoring data about all children of compulsory school age who are not accessing full-time education, from all schools and services in the local area regardless of their individual governance arrangements (ref. Ofsted Framework and evaluation schedule for the inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers. June 2015)

Schools (including academies, free schools, UTCs and studio schools) are responsible for:

  • providing full-time education to all children on roll and appropriate support to enable pupils to participate in education full-time;
  • informing the local authority of any instance of a child being placed on a part-time timetable, so that the local authority is aware of the arrangements (ref. Pupils Missing Out on Education. Ofsted November 2013)
  • providing information to governors about any children placed on part-time timetables, so that governors can fulfil their responsibilities to monitor the school’s provision.

We have had reporting arrangements in place for some years but are aware that we do not receive notification from all schools. This could be because a school does not use reduced timetables or possibly that they are not aware of the notification requirements.

Oxfordshire’s guidance for schools on reduced timetables is attached. This has further details on what schools should do, the reporting process and who to contact for further advice. You can also find further details on Insite

In order to ensure that we have an accurate record we are writing to you to request information about the use of reduced timetables in your school. Please complete the table below and return to

Name of School
Please tick as applicable
There are no pupils in my school in receipt of a reduced timetable
I have pupils in my school on reduced timetables and have provided details of these to
I have pupils in my school on reduced timetables but have not yet provided details. A list of their names and UPNs is attached and further details will be sent to

The OSCB has asked for a list of schools which have not responded by the return deadline of 10th July 2017. (Thank you if you have already replied to a recent email on this subject)

We appreciate you taking the time to respond to this request. This request will in future form part of the Annual Safeguarding Audit.

Yours sincerely

Roy LeachAlison Beasley

Strategic Lead for Education,Local Authority Designated Officer

Sufficiency and Access

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