Crossword Genius

Plan escape needing to return after school (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

schedule

'plan' is the definition.
(scheduling is a kind of planning)

'escape needing to return after school' is the wordplay.
'escape' becomes 'elude' (synonyms).
'needing to return' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'school' becomes 'sch'.
'elude' written backwards gives 'edule'.
'edule' after 'sch' is 'SCHEDULE'.

(Other definitions for schedule that I've seen before include "Clues he'd dropped about timetable" , "You don't see loafers on this" , "Table of events" , "List of intended events and times" , "Timetable of planned events or work" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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