A senior school timetable maker in Kenya must coordinate pathways, subject combinations, teachers, specialist facilities and common school activities. Senior scheduling is more complex than placing one fixed subject list for every class because learners may follow different combinations.
Define pathway and subject groups
Create clear groups for the combinations the school offers. Use names that teachers and administrators recognise. Confirm which lessons are common to all learners and which require separate groups, rooms or teachers.
Map teachers and facilities
Connect every group to the correct subject teacher. Record laboratories, workshops, studios, computer rooms, fields or other specialist spaces. Shared facilities must be checked across the entire week so two groups are not assigned to the same room at once.
Enter lesson requirements
Record weekly totals, double lessons and fixed activities. If a subject needs practical work, add the room and suitable lesson length. Teacher availability and cross-pathway allocations should be entered before generation.
Generate and compare alternatives
Several valid timetables can distribute lessons differently. Compare subject spread, teacher workloads, group movement and room use. Select the option that best fits the school day after heads of department review their schedules.
Senior school timetable views
- Schedule for each class or pathway group.
- Individual timetable for every teacher.
- Laboratory, workshop and specialist-room timetables.
- Subject schedules for departmental review.
- Whole-school summary grids and printable posters.
Example pathway constraint
A STEM group requires a double laboratory lesson, but the science teacher also serves another senior combination and one junior class. The laboratory is shared. The timetable must find a period when the group, teacher and room are available without disrupting the other allocations.
Approval checklist
- Confirm all offered combinations appear.
- Check common and elective groups.
- Review practical-room capacity.
- Inspect teacher workloads and free periods.
- Confirm movement time between specialist rooms.
- Save and date the approved version.
Coordinate common and elective lessons
Common lessons can bring several groups together, while electives split learners into different combinations. Record the structure explicitly. Check that rooms can hold combined groups and that learners have enough time to move between sessions. A clear group naming system prevents teachers from confusing one combination with another.
Plan timetable changes safely
If enrolment, staffing or pathway choices change, update the affected groups and generate new alternatives. Compare the new version with the approved timetable. Check every connected teacher and room schedule before replacing the version used by staff and learners.
Keep an approval record showing the effective date of each senior timetable.
Senior school leaders should also check supervision, learner movement and access to specialist spaces during changeovers. A timetable works best when the written schedule matches the practical organisation of the campus throughout the school term.
Frequently asked questions
Can learners in different combinations have separate schedules?
Yes. Create each teaching group and its allocations clearly.
Can the timetable include junior school teachers?
Yes. Shared teachers can be checked across every class entered in the system.
How are practical lessons handled?
Set the lesson length and required specialist room before generation.
Can departments review subject timetables?
Yes. Subject and teacher views support departmental checks.
See the CBE timetable guide, compare the secondary timetable maker, or create a timetable.