Timetabling Principles - Version 4 (updated Feb 2017)
Student Timetabling Principles
Item / Description / Agreed Principle / NotesStudent experience / The delivery of a timelycomplete University timetable must ensure the strategic aim of being an outstanding University, at which to be a student.
Prioritisation of teaching / Priority to teaching / Teaching should not be disrupted by meetings or ad-hoc bookings. Teaching has priority.
University teaching week / The agreed standard teaching week / The University standard teaching week is as follows:
Monday – Thursday 9.15am – 9.15pm
Friday 9.15am – 6.15pm / However some modules e.g. Postgraduate courses are scheduled to run over a weekend
Teaching start time / The normal start time for each hourly session / All classes will start at 15 minutes past the hour
Teaching finish time / The normal finish time for each teaching session / Teaching sessions will finish 5 minutes before the end of the activity. / In order to facilitate the start of the next session
Wednesday afternoon timetable / No modules are normally timetabled on a Wednesday afternoon to facilitate student recreational activities, unless there is an alternative occurrence available to the student. Or all students on a module confirm that they could attend on a Wednesdayafternoon. / This is where there are multiple occurrences of a module
Timetabling of evening modules / All courses can be scheduled across the teaching day
Viability of modules / Minimum number of registered students on a module / The minimum number of registered students on a module for viability is 15. / Modules withfewerthan 15 studentswill require approval from the DVC to run – this needs to be approved by 26th May for 2017/18 timetable
University closed days / Teaching that falls on a bank holiday or university closed days will be rescheduled, where appropriate, in collaboration with Institute timetable reps
Scheduling of University committee meetings / University committee and subcommittee meetings should meet on a Wednesday afternoon, during teaching weeks wherever possible
Disability awareness / Student disabilities will be taken into account when allocating rooms and reasonable adjustment will be made where requirements are made known to the University
Student Module Selection / Deadline for module choice / Students will select their modules by an agreed deadline
Student constraints / Day and times when students are unavailable / Aim to schedule a student on no more than 2 modules on an evening per week.
Maximum number of teaching hours per day per student / Aim to ensure that students will have no more than 7 hours teaching in any one day
Attendance protocol / Full time undergraduate degree students should be in attendance a of minimum of two days a week
Getting around / Students travelling between sites / Standard travel times are applied to all staff and student travel between all sites when scheduling modules.
Lunch Breaks / Student Lunch breaks / A lunch break will be applied to each week day / A minimum 30 minute lunch break will be applied between 12:15 and 14:15
Activity scheduling / Where activities are allocated during the teaching week / No undergraduate activities should be fixed in the timetable
Professional programmes such as Nursing and Midwifery, PGCE, Secondary for the moment will continue to include days and times / Partner Colleges do state a day and time to facilitate curriculum planning
Currently ISE, EDST, ECS and professional related programmes specify days and times
Room allocations / Rooms allocated to modules / Timetabling will aim to allocate teaching to appropriate space requirements and use this space efficiently and effectively
Teaching rooms should be appropriate for the session being delivered and therefore students may experience room changes accordingly.
Timetable changes and module cancellations / All staff must ensure that any changes to timetabled modules or module/room cancellations are notified to timetabling at the earliest opportunity, in line with the class cancellation policy / Failure to do so results inaccurate timetable data, an ineffectual student experience and an ineffective room usage
Activity changes within 7 days of the next module delivery / Notification to students / Module room changes are emailed to students. / Approval for room changes within 7 days of delivery needs to be given by Head of Institute or Deputy HoI
Details of rooms for students / Details of rooms should not be published in course outlines, module handbooks as students obtain this online or via real-time timetable screens / This results in students going to the wrong room
Room layout and tidiness / All staff and students should ensure all teaching and meeting rooms are left clean and tidy and returned to the standard layout shown in the room.
Staff Timetabling Principles
Item / Description / Agreed Principle / NotesStudent experience / The delivery of the complete University timetable must ensure the strategic aim of being an outstanding University, at which to be a student.
Prioritisation of teaching / Priority to teaching / Teaching should not be disrupted by meetings or ad-hoc bookings. Teaching has priority.
University teaching week / The agreed standard teaching week / The University standard teaching week is as follows:
Monday – Thursday 9.15am – 9.15pm
Friday 9.15am – 6.15pm / However some modules e.g. Postgraduate courses are scheduled to run over a weekend
Teaching start time / The normal start time for each hourly session / All classes will start at 15 minutes past the hour
Teaching finish time / The normal finish time for each teaching session / Teaching sessions will finish 5 minutes before the end of the activity. / In order to facilitate the start of the next session
Wednesday afternoon timetable / No modules are normally timetabled on a Wednesday afternoon to facilitate student recreational activities, unless there is an alternative occurrence available to the student. Or all students on a module confirm that they could attend on a Wednesday afternoon. / This is where there are multiple occurrences of a module
Evening module delivery / Timetabling of evening modules / All courses can be scheduled across the teaching day
Elective modules / From 2016-17, only Level 4 Elective modules will continue to be timetabled on a Wednesday morning. Level 5 & 6 electives will be timetabled based on student demand.
University closed days / Teaching that falls on a bank holiday or university closed days will be rescheduled, where appropriate, in collaboration with Institute timetable reps
Viability of modules / Minimum number of registered students on a module / The minimum number of registered students on a module for viability is 15. / Modules will less than 15 will require Head of Institute agreement to run.
Scheduling of University committee meetings / University committee and subcommittee meetings should meet on a Wednesday afternoon, during teaching weeks.
Disability awareness / Staff disabilities will be taken into account when allocating rooms.
Timetabling constraints / . / When considering all timetable constraints priority will be given to students in line with the university strategic plan.
Student Module Selection / Deadline for module choice / Students will select their modules by an agreed deadline
Staff constraints / Day and times when staff are unavailable to teach / All staff:
- No staff will teach for more than 2 evenings (periods after 6.15pm) in any one week
- All staff may be scheduled to teach across the university standard teaching day.
- Part Time and Hourly Paid staff are required to notify their availability to the Institute Timetabling representative
Getting around / Students travelling between sites / Standard travel times are applied to all staff and student travel between all sites when scheduling modules.
Lunch Breaks / Student Lunch breaks / A lunch break will be applied to each week day / A minimum 30 minute lunch break will be applied between 12:15 and 14:15
Activity scheduling / Where activities are allocated during the teaching week / No undergraduate activities should be fixed in the timetable
Professional programmes such as Nursing and Midwifery, PGCE, Secondary and CPD for the moment will continue to include days and times / Partner Colleges do state a day and time to facilitate curriculum planning
Currently ISE, EDST, ECS and professional related programmes specify days and times
Seminar group allocation / Allocation of students to seminar groups / Students will be allocated to seminar groups via the timetabling software and not by institutes / This will ensure individual student timetables
Viability of modules / Minimum number of registered students on a module / The minimum number of registered students on a module for viability is 15. / Modules will less than 15 will require Head of Institute agreement to run.
Room allocations / Rooms allocated to modules / Timetabling will aim to allocate teaching to appropriate space requirements and use this space efficiently and effectively
Teaching rooms should be appropriate for the session being delivered and therefore students may experience room changes accordingly.
Timetable changes and module cancellations / All staff must ensure that any changes to timetabled modules or module/room cancellations are notified to timetabling at the earliest opportunity, in line with the finalised annual timetable preparation schedule and the class cancellation policy / Failure to do so results inaccurate timetable data, an ineffectual student experience and an ineffective room usage
Activity changes within 7 days of the next module delivery / Notification to students / Module room changes are emailed to students.
Publication of timetables / Timetabling will publish accurate timetable information.
Details of rooms / Details of rooms should not be published in course outlines, module handbooks as students obtain this online or via real-time timetable screens / This results students going to the wrong room
Room layout and tidiness / All staff should ensure all teaching and meeting rooms are left clean and tidy and returned to the standard layout shown in the room.
Organisational Timetabling Principles
Item / Description / Agreed Principle / NotesInstitution start dates / The start of the next academic year / The institutional start date will commence on the last Monday in August of each calendar year.
Length of year / Number of timetabling weeks in each year / The university will normally run to a 52 or 53 week year; dependent on where the end of August falls
Start of the week / First day of each week / Monday is classified as the first day of each week
Week numbering / Timetable week numbers throughout the year. / Week 1 will be the first Monday in each year and numbering will continue thereafter
Timetable representatives / Institute named contacts / Each institute has named timetable representatives who will work in close collaboration with Timetabling to ensure a complete and efficient timetable.
Timetable data / Submission of Institute timetabling information / All timetabling information must be submitted on the approved data template in accordance with the published deadline.
It is the responsibility of the Institute timetable reps to ensure this information is submitted correctly and on time. / No material changes will be allowed to the timetable after the first draft has been published without approval by the HoI and Academic Registrar
Curriculum developments / Approved new courses and programmes / Programme specifications and modules offered should be fixed before students select their modules
Recruitment and Admission Events / Classified under the umbrella of University Planned Events / At the moment the following events have precedence over teaching:-
Open days
Awards Ceremonies
UCAS Fair
All dates will be notified to the Timetabling team by the 31st January each year / Obvious conflict. Can result in changes to student timetables.
Discussion needs to take place on priority, recognising both important
Management of space / Includes all teaching (general & specialist) and meeting related space / All teaching and meeting rooms are timetabled by the timetabling office. Timetabling will provide tools for room booking and timetabling
Planned changes to teaching resources / The provision of new teaching resources, removal of teaching resources, on-going planned refurbishment works / Changes to existing teaching space must be taken in a timely manner and notified to the Timetabling Office. / Earlier confirmation provides greater opportunity to incorporate changes into the university timetable and minimise the impact on the student experience.
The reverse is true with late notification/decisions.
Space utilisation / Space analysis / Regular checks will be undertaken to ensure effective utilisation of space
Updated 02/17
HJ
Page 1