Definition
A visual schedule is a sequence of pictures, symbols, photographs, or written words showing what is coming next, used to support predictability, reduce anxiety, and prompt transitions for autistic and other neurodivergent children. It draws on the structured teaching tradition of TEACCH and PECS and is one of the most widely-used SEND interventions in UK primary schools.
In context for parents
Key checkpoints
- A sequence of pictures, symbols, photographs, or written words showing what is coming next.
- Draws on the structured teaching tradition of TEACCH and PECS.
- Symbol systems include Boardmaker / Picture Communication Symbols (PCS), Widgit, photographs, or written words for older / more literate pupils.
- Should be reviewed with the child at the start of the session and moved / ticked off as activities complete: a working tool, not a wall display.
- Section F should specify named system, frequency, training, not just "visual supports".
Visual schedules work across a spectrum of complexity. At the simplest end, the Now and Next board: two cards showing the current activity and the immediate next one. In the middle, a half-day strip showing four to six activities. At the most complex, a full day-and-week schedule with embedded social stories, choice options, and check-off boxes for self-monitoring.
The symbol system matters. Boardmaker / Picture Communication Symbols (PCS), Widgit, photographs of the actual setting, or written words for older or more literate pupils. The choice depends on the child's symbolic understanding, assessed by a SaLT where there is uncertainty. A schedule using symbols the child does not understand is not provision; it is decoration.
What good practice looks like:
- The schedule is reviewed with the child at the start of the session/day.
- The child moves the card or ticks the activity as it is completed (this is what makes it a working tool rather than a wall display).
- Changes to the day are flagged on the schedule with a "change" symbol before the change, not announced verbally at the last moment.
- The schedule travels with the child to specialist lessons, lunch, and after-school activities.
For autistic and PDA-profile children, a visual schedule does some of the work that verbal demands cannot. The child can read what is coming without an adult asking; choice options can be presented as a card rather than as a demand; transitions can be processed at the child's pace.
In an EHCP, Section F should specify the visual schedule programme rather than just "visual supports". Named system (PCS/Widgit/photographs), named frequency (daily across the school day, accompanied through transitions), and named training (staff trained in the system).
Related terms
The terms parents most often see alongside Visual Schedule.
Now and Next
A simplified two-step visual support showing what is happening now and what will happen next. Useful for younger children, transitions, and at moments of high anxiety.
Autism(ASC)
A lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that shapes how a person communicates, processes sensory information, and experiences the social world. Autism is a difference, not an illness.
Picture Exchange Communication System(PECS)
A structured augmentative communication system that teaches children to exchange picture cards to request, comment, and answer questions.
Anxiety Disorder
Persistent, intense worry or fear that interferes with daily life. In SEND, anxiety is often the driver of school avoidance, meltdowns, or shutdowns, and frequently the unmet need behind 'behaviour'.
Where parents ask about this
Parents usually find this page when a school's "visual schedule" is a printed timetable pinned to the wall, or when Section F is being drafted with vague "visual supports" wording. Searches include "visual schedule autism school", "Widgit versus PCS", and "Section F visual schedule wording". A Beaakon SaLT or specialist teacher can assess your child's symbolic understanding, design a tailored visual schedule programme, and write Section F-grade wording.
References
The primary legislation, statutory guidance, research, and clinical tools this page draws on.