Why do schools use timetables?
Short answer
A timetable is a plan showing what each class studies and when. It puts lessons in order so students and teachers can follow the school day.
It organizes learning time
Schools teach many subjects. In Japan, they choose what to teach in line with national rules and school goals, then plan lesson time for the year, each term, each month, and each week. The Ministry of Education says schools can adjust lesson lengths and timetables to fit each subject and students’ daily lives.
When one teacher teaches more than one class
In some schools, one teacher teaches more than one class. For example, a science teacher might teach Class 1 in the second period and Class 2 in the third. The different times let one teacher teach both classes.
Each school may use a different schedule
Subjects, lesson lengths, and which teachers teach each class vary by country, school, and grade. Schools also decide where to put breaks and time to move to the next lesson. That is why schools do not all use the same timetable.