When should we change our approach to remembering deadlines?

Find the point where the deadline disappears

Review one recent missed deadline with the pupil. Was the task recorded correctly? Could they find that record later? Did they know how to begin, estimate the work involved and recognise when to submit it? An overdue task can reflect several different difficulties, each needing a different response.

Use the actual planner, online platform and unfinished work rather than testing memory in conversation. A pupil who can recite “Friday” may still believe the whole project can be completed on Thursday evening. Another may finish early but miss the submission step.

Turn the date into a sequence

For a multi-stage task, work backwards from submission and identify a small number of visible checkpoints. Make the first action concrete: “choose two sources” is easier to start than “work on research”. Put the checkpoints where the pupil already checks ordinary school information.

For example, a geography presentation due on Friday could have a topic choice on Monday, three evidence notes on Wednesday and a short rehearsal on Thursday. Agree when school time is available for a pupil who cannot access materials or a quiet workspace at home.

Retire reminders that the pupil no longer notices

If five notifications are being ignored, adding a sixth is unlikely to resolve the barrier. Ask when the pupil can act on a reminder. A cue at the end of registration might work better than one arriving during a journey without the necessary books.

Teach the pupil to respond to the cue by opening the relevant task and choosing the next action. Initially practise this with an adult, then reduce the adult’s involvement. Keep required access support available; independence does not require abandoning an effective calendar or checklist.

Review work flow rather than punctuality alone

Over the next few assignments, record whether the pupil starts before the final evening, reaches the intermediate checkpoint and submits the finished work. Note task size and other deadlines. A single successful short worksheet does not demonstrate that a long project is manageable.

Change the plan if checkpoints are still missed, the system requires constant adult administration or the pupil cannot use it across subjects. Agree a simpler shared routine with relevant teachers rather than asking the family to maintain several incompatible tracking systems.