School timetabling has grown more complex as staffing patterns have diversified. Part-time staff, job shares, elective subject requirements, split year groups, and SEND provision each add constraints that compound quickly; a change to one element can ripple across an entire schedule. Tes says its platform imports existing school management information system data automatically, applies those constraints, and generates a working draft in hours. Leadership teams can then adjust allocations, room usage, and staffing through the interface rather than reworking manual documents.
The Cover feature is designed for the ongoing version of the same problem: last-minute absences and staffing changes that require rapid schedule updates. The platform notifies staff of changes and lets designated administrators manage cover requirements without a separate system.
For primary schools, the platform accommodates varied lesson lengths and non-standard scheduling structures, which have historically made timetabling tools designed for secondary schools a poor fit.
“Creating a school timetable is one of the most demanding operational tasks leaders face each year, yet too many schools are still relying on spreadsheets, whiteboards and even sticky notes that depend on the expertise and knowledge of a single individual,” said Rod Williams, CEO at Tes. “Timetable 2.0 removes that complexity and dependency. By using the power of AI, combined with a guided workflow process, we’re helping schools to optimise their timetables for pupils and teachers alike, in a fraction of the time that they’re used to, while giving leadership teams the ability to adapt more quickly as circumstances change.”
Tes, which supports more than 14 million educators worldwide, positions Timetable 2.0 Essentials within its Tes360 connected school management platform. The product sits alongside existing Tes tools covering behaviour management, SEND provision, staff wellbeing, parents’ evenings, and recruitment. The company says future development will extend the timetabling tool to cover collaborative planning, expanding SEND requirements, and technical and vocational curricula.
The launch follows a UK academic year that has been marked by significant staffing pressures across the state sector, with many schools beginning the new year with vacancy and cover challenges that manual timetabling processes struggle to absorb quickly.
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