ProTemporis: Outsourcing Service

November 2023

In essence, the skills required to be good timetabler may not necessarily be those for which the person who is doing the timetable was appointed to a teaching post within the school. A teacher will have been appointed on the basis of being an excellent teacher. If the timetable falls to a member of the senior management then that person will have been primarily appointed on the basis of leadership, management and people skills. So a school may end up with a person in the timetabling role by default rather than because he/she is the best person for that role. It is vitally important for the management, well-being and happiness of a school community that it has a good timetable that is produced in good time by a person who specialises in carrying out this task to a high standard of professionalism. If such a person does not exist within the school then ProTemporis is here to help.

TAKE THE HEADACHE OUT OF TIMETABLING

Schools do a lot of outsourcing, because it often results in a more cost-effective and efficient method of achieving the desired service. Aspects which many schools routinely outsource include catering, cleaning, maintenance, grounds, security, marketing and payroll. Some schools also outsource some of their IT requirements, such as the website.

Yet many schools struggle when trying to manage their timetable internally because previously there has been no alternative. ProTemporis was established to fill this gap by providing an outsourcing service to schools whose circumstances will benefit from it.

There are various reasons why a school may wish to outsource its timetable:

• The previous timetabler may have left, with no obvious replacement.

• The duties of the timetable may fall, de facto, to a member of senior management who has many skills, but not necessarily those necessary to write a good timetable.

• The requirement to be able to timetable may compromise the appointment of, in all other respects, the best person to a senior management position.

• The existing timetabler may struggle with effectiveness and/or timeliness.

• The timetabling process may result in considerable disruption to teaching or functionality of senior management during the Summer Term.

• The timetabling process may result in significant levels of stress within the school during the Summer Term.

• The timetabling process may cost the school more, in real terms, than it would cost to outsource the process to ProTemporis, particularly at a time of rising employment costs and shrinking margins.

E enquiries@protemporis.co.uk

T 01283 810697