Count learners by operational constraint
List the role, site and shift for each proposed learner. Ask operations how many people can attend at one time while maintaining the required cover. Keep that limit separate from the provider’s confirmed maximum group size.
Worked planning example
For an illustrative group of 23 learners, an employer can release no more than six at once. If the provider’s agreed limit is also at least six, the minimum is four groups: six, six, six and five. That arithmetic does not prove four sessions are available or that every learner can attend the proposed dates.
Check the whole duration
A two-day course requires the full agreed attendance period. Avoid assigning someone to a group whose second day conflicts with a shift or another obligation. Record travel, site access and any preparation time separately from the course duration.
Confirm and maintain the plan
Use the current calendar to request dates, then record the provider’s confirmation. Agree how substitutions, cancellations and missed attendance are handled. Keep a contact responsible for informing learners when a proposal becomes a confirmed arrangement.