Using ICFP Before Timetable Construction: Why the Sequence Matters

In our most recent blog, we explored how curriculum design, staffing structures and financial planning are deeply interconnected, and how Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning (ICFP) helps school leaders make these relationships more visible. We also outlined how both simple and advanced models can highlight where a curriculum is efficient and sustainable or where structural adjustments may be needed.

This blog builds on that foundation by focusing on something equally important but often overlooked: the timing of ICFP. Many schools apply ICFP once a curriculum plan already exists, using it to check affordability retrospectively. In practice, ICFP is most powerful when used before the timetable is constructed, before curriculum changes are finalised and before staffing decisions are made. When introduced at the outset, it becomes a preventive tool rather than a corrective one, helping schools create plans that are affordable and workable.

This blog explores three common scenarios where early ICFP is particularly valuable and how evidence-led modelling can support strategic, sustainable decision-making.

Planning a Curriculum Change

Schools often turn to ICFP when considering adjustments to their curriculum. They may wish to strengthen a subject area, introduce new pathways, or revise their Key Stage 4 or 5 offer. At this stage, ICFP provides a structured way to test whether the proposed model is viable.

A straightforward starting point is comparing the number of teachers a school can afford with the number required to deliver the intended curriculum. If these figures diverge, leaders can review the assumptions behind the model and explore adjustments aligned with their priorities.

Early ICFP enables leaders to trial different scenarios before any changes are agreed. Altering variables such as class sizes, teacher contact ratios, overall PTR (pupil teacher ratios), or staffing profiles can help leaders understand the impact of a curriculum change. This iterative approach builds a clear rationale that can be shared with staff and governors, grounding discussions in transparent evidence rather than intuition.

Importantly, using ICFP early does not mean narrowing the curriculum. Many schools find that minor structural refinements create additional capacity, allowing them to retain breadth while ensuring financial sustainability.

To Make Savings

Another common prompt for ICFP is the need to secure savings without diminishing pupil entitlement. Benchmarking against similar schools can support leaders to identify questions worth exploring, such as:

• Lower than average class sizes may indicate the need to review group structures in core subjects or reconsider option blocks and sixth form provision.

• A low teacher contact ratio may suggest the school has more teachers than needed to deliver the current timetable. The underlying cause might relate to under-allocation, limited second-subject flexibility, disproportionate TLR allocations, or insufficient cycle length to distribute teaching effectively.

• High leadership or management costs as a proportion of teaching expenditure may prompt consideration of how responsibilities are organised and whether alternative structures could offer greater efficiency.

ICFP also enables leaders to factor in workload and work life balance. Examining contact ratios alongside pupil numbers ensures staffing remains equitable, protecting teachers from unsustainable demands and supporting long-term retention.

Planning Proactively for a Changing Roll

Schools facing growth or decline benefit significantly from early, structured modelling. Projecting pupil numbers and mapping the staffing implications helps leaders plan ahead, allowing recruitment, retraining or redeployment to take place gradually.

This is particularly important in subjects where recruitment is challenging. Knowing in advance which subjects will require additional staffing and when helps schools avoid last-minute decisions that could destabilise departments, increase workload pressure or mean that students are taught by non-specialists.

Forward planning also supports more strategic financial management, helping governors understand the medium-term impact of demographic change and enabling schools to position themselves for sustainable delivery.

How Curriculum Solutions Can Support Your School before Timetable Construction Commences

For many schools, the challenge lies not in understanding ICFP but in having the time, expertise and confidence to build accurate, timetable-ready models. Curriculum Solutions provides specialist support in all aspects of ICFP, including:

• analysing current curriculum structures and staffing models 

• modelling alternative scenarios and illustrating the financial implications 

• calculating teacher requirements with precision 

• testing timetable feasibility before decisions are finalised 

• producing accessible reports for governors and strategic leaders 

• identifying small structural adjustments that release capacity 

• ensuring workload and work life balance are built into the planning process

More than this, we help schools bridge the gap between spreadsheets and real-world delivery. By creating models that show both affordability and feasibility, we support leaders to protect curricular breadth, maintain quality and make evidence-informed decisions with confidence.