Electives & cross-class groups
5 min read
Electives are where most timetables fall apart, because students in the same class head in different directions. schedU handles this with two ideas: OR slots and AND (cross-class) groups.
OR — a flexible period slot
An OR slot is a single period that runs one of several subjects — not all at once. The section stays together, and your institution decides which subject (and teacher) takes the slot on a given day, based on what the syllabus needs.
Example: a period set as “Physics OR Chemistry”. One day the Chemistry teacher takes it; another day the Physics teacher does — whatever you need that day. Never both at the same time.
AND — cross-class groups
When sections share subject combinations, students taking the same subject can be pooled into one group across sections — a cross-class group — when they follow the same textbook.
Example: sections offer combinations like PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Maths) and PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). In each section some students take Maths and the rest Biology. Across sections, all the Maths students form one group and all the Biology students another.
schedU schedules those cross-class groups in the same block, so the right students from different sections are taught together by one teacher in one room — instead of running tiny duplicate classes per section.
A quick checklist
- 1For an OR slot, reserve one period and list the subjects that may run in it — schedU assigns the teacher as needed.
- 2For cross-class (AND) groups, mark which subjects can pool across sections (same textbook / grade), so students are grouped rather than duplicated.
- 3Make sure each pooled group has a room large enough for the combined students.