Provision and reduced timetables

All children of compulsory school age are entitled to a full-time education suitable to their:

• age
• ability
• aptitude
• any special educational needs they may have

In very exceptional circumstances, where it is in a child's best interests, there may be a need for a temporary part-time timetable to meet their individual needs.

Essex County Council defines any child not regularly attending school or accessing appropriate full-time provision in another setting as being missing from education.

Children missing education (CME) are at significant risk of:

• underachieving
• being victims of abuse
• becoming NEET (not in education, employment, or training)

Reduced provision

Essex County Council must be able to report on children who are of statutory school age and who are not in receipt of full-time school education. The Education Access Team holds this responsibility and is required to have arrangements in place to identify the number of children on reduced provision.

A part-time timetable must only be in place:

• for the shortest time necessary
• not be treated as a long-term solution
• should be time-limited
• an endpoint is defined as when the child is expected to return and attend full-time school or an alternative provision
• formal arrangements in place for reviewing progress towards full-time education

For further information about the reduced timetable, view the Reduced Timetable policy (Word, 174KB).

Notifying the Education Access Team

To notify the Education Access Team of a child on a part-time timetable, schools are requested to complete and submit a half-termly data return (at the start of every half-term).

Where an Essex child is on roll to an out-of-county school, and is subject to a part-time timetable, the school is requested to follow Essex reporting procedures. 

Complete data return

Schools are asked to report on:

• start dates
• number of hours attending
• provide additional information about vulnerable groups
• previous half term data

If a school does not have any children on a part-time timetable, report a nil return.

There is no requirement for schools to report on any changes to a child's timetable outside of the reporting period. The form will only be accessible during the reporting period. 

Reporting period