Conduct a timetable review
Start by thinking about:
- Whether you're using your staff to full capacity
- How many pupils are enrolled in courses and whether the courses are financially viable
- Whether your curriculum offer is coherent, and whether it allows for efficient use of staff
Use staff to full capacity
The contact ratio in a timetable can have a big effect on cost. In order to calculate the contact ratio:
- Calculate the total possible teaching periods by multiplying the number of possible teaching periods in the timetable by the number of full-time equivalent teachers
- Divide the total number of actual teaching periods timetabled for all teachers by the figure calculated in step 1
Timetables that have low contact ratios are more expensive to run, and thus, deliver less value for money.
You should aim for a contact ratio of 0.78. A representative from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) told us this.