Free tool for primary teachers
Class timetable template, checked against the 32.5-hour week
Build your weekly class timetable by dragging subjects into the grid. The tool adds up the core school week against the DfE’s 32.5-hour expectation, then prints an A4 timetable or a visual timetable for the classroom. Free, no account.
Free tool · no account
Class timetable maker
Drag subjects into the grid and set your school day. The tool adds up the week against the DfE’s 32.5-hour expectation, then prints an A4 timetable or a large-type visual timetable for the classroom.
- Free
- No account
- 32.5-hour week checked
Saved automatically in this browser.
Core school week, Year 4
Place your first lessons: the weekly total appears as you build the timetable.
Core week: 6 hr 15 min, including breaks and lunch. Minimum expected: 32 hr 30 min.
- The core week runs from morning registration to the official end of the school day, breaks and lunch included. Optional clubs don’t count. Empty slots aren’t counted until you fill them.
- Source: DfE, Length of the school week: non-statutory guidance (July 2023)
How it works
Your class timetable in four steps
Pick your year group and school day
Reception to Year 6, or two year groups for a mixed-age class. “Edit the school day” sets your lessons, break and lunch, from morning registration to home time.
Drag subjects into the grid
Drag a subject onto a slot, or tap it and then the slots to fill. Drag a lesson to move it; hold Alt to copy it. On a keyboard: arrow keys and keys 1–9.
Check the 32.5-hour week
Under the grid, the tool adds up the core school week, breaks and lunch included, and shows whether it reaches the DfE’s 32.5 hours.
Print the timetable
Landscape A4 for your planning folder and supply teachers, or a large-type visual timetable for the classroom.
The 32.5-hour week
What the DfE expects of a school week
Mainstream state-funded schools in England are expected to offer a core school week of at least 32.5 hours, for example 8:45 to 3:15 every day. The week runs from morning registration to the official end of the day, breaks and lunch included; optional clubs don’t count.
Source: DfE, Length of the school week: non-statutory guidance (July 2023). The National Curriculum sets no weekly time per subject.
FAQ
Class timetable questions
- What counts towards the 32.5-hour school week?
The DfE measures the core school week from morning registration to the official end of the school day for all pupils, breaks and lunch included. Optional before- and after-school clubs don’t count. The tool adds up every lesson you place plus the breaks and lunch in your school day.
- Is the 32.5-hour week a legal requirement?
No. It is non-statutory guidance: the DfE expects mainstream state-funded schools to offer at least 32.5 hours a week, and Ofsted may look at how schools use that time. The tool flags a week under 32.5 hours so you can check it with your school.
- How many hours should each subject get?
The National Curriculum sets no weekly time for any subject, so the tool doesn’t check subjects one by one. It shows how many hours each subject gets in your week, which helps you balance English, maths and the foundation subjects.
- Does it work for a mixed-age class?
Yes. Choose “Mixed-age class” and a second year group. A slot can hold one subject for the whole class, or be split so each year group has its own lesson at the same time.
- Do I need an account?
No. The timetable, the 32.5-hour check and printing are free and need no account; your timetable is saved in this browser. A free account saves up to twelve timetables and opens them on any device.
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