ADD/ADHD Information

Some Useful Educational Terms

TermMeaning
A2second year of Advanced Level course
ACEAdvisory Centre for Education, advisory service for parents
Academiespublicly funded independent secondary schools with sponsors from private or voluntary sectors, or from churches or other faith groups. Capital costs are provided by the sponsor and DfES and running costs are fully met by the DfES
AENAdditional Educational Needs
ASfirst year of Advanced Level course
ASTAdvanced Skills Teacher
ATLAssociation of Teachers and Lecturers
Attainment TargetsThese establish what children of differing ability should be expected to know and be able to do by the end of each Key Stage of the curriculum. There are eight levels
AWPUAge-Weighted Pupil Unit. The sum of money allocated to the school for each pupil according to age. This is the basic unit of funding for the school from the LEA
Baseline AssessmentAssessment of infant children's basic skills on entry to school
Beacon Schoolsan initiative designed to raise standards through the dissemination of good practice between schools
Behaviour Support Planthe action plan implemented by the LEA to deal with behavioural problems
Benchmarkingcomparing school expenditure with broadly similar schools at local, regional and national levels
Best Valueaims to ensure local authorities continually improve the ways that they function, having regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness
CASECampaign for State education
CATSCognitive Ability Tests for knowing, thinking and reasoning
Catchment AreaThe area from which a school takes its pupils
ConnexionsGovernment advice and support service for all young people aged between 13- providing guidance in planning further education and employment
Core CurriculumEnglish, maths and science studied by all pupils from 5-16
CPDContinuing Professional Development: activities that increase teachers' knowledge, or understanding and effectiveness in schools
DDADisability Discrimination Act
DfESDepartment for Education and Skills
DifferentiationThe organisation of teaching programmes and methods specifically to suit the age, ability and aptitudes of individual children
EDPEducation Development Plan which each LEA is required to prepare setting out its strategies for improving standards in schools and raising pupil attainment
EMAThe Education Maintenance Allowance is available nationally across England to eligible young people on courses such as AS/A2, GNVQs, NVQs, GCSEs studying in schools, sixth form colleges and FE colleges.
ESOEducation Supervision Order which an LEA may apply for to deal with cases of poor attendance at school
EWOEducation Welfare Officer
ExclusionTemporary or permanent banning of a pupil from school.
Extended SchoolsSchools can provide a range of extended services and facilities for the benefit of pupils, parents, families and the wider community
Foundation SchoolsPreviously Grant Maintained schools
Foundation StageThe curriculum followed by children below statutory school age, in schools (Nursery and Reception) and pre-school provision
GSAGirls' School Association
GCSEGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education
GNVQGeneral National Vocational Qualification
GTCGeneral Teaching Council an independent professional body for teachers
HMCHeadmaster's and Headmistress's Conference
HMIHer Majesty's Inspector
Home-School Agreementthe written contract drawn up between the school, parents or carers and the pupil. It sets out expectations of attendance, behaviour, standards of education and homework.
IAPSIncorporated Association of Preparatory Schools
IEPIndividual Education Plan devised for meeting a pupil's requirements with special education needs

IIP

Investors in People
INSETIn-Service Education and Training: professional development for school staff. Each year 5 days during term time are set aside
Inclusion: used to denote that pupils with special needs are included in a mainstream school
ICTInformation and Communication Technology
Key Stages (KS)the four stages of the National Curriculum for pupils
KS1pupils aged 5-7
KS2pupils aged 7-11
KS3pupils aged 11-14
KS4pupils aged 14-16
LEALocal Education Authority
LEPLeading Edge Partnership: programme aimed at identifying, extending and disseminating innovation and excellence amongst groups of secondary schools in order to contribute to school improvement
LSCLearning and Skills Council
NAHTNational Association of Headteachers
NASUWTNational Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers
National CurriculumEstablished by the 1988 Education Act to ensure that all pupils receive a broad and balanced education
NCMANational Childminding Association
NCPTANational Confederations of Parent Teacher Associations
NFERNational Foundation for Educational Research
NQTNewly Qualified Teacher
NUTNational Union of Teachers
NVQNational Vocational Qualification
OFSTEDOffice for Standards in Education sets standards and arranges school inspections
PANPlan Admissions Number: The number of children the LEA (or governing body of an Aided School) determines can be admitted to the school. It can be above the Standard Number (see below) but may not be below it.
PANDAPerformance and Assessment reports are produced by Ofsted and rate schools according to similar circumstances
PATProfessional Association of Teachers
Peripatetic TeacherA teacher who provides specialist instruction eg music at more than one school
PGCEPost-Graduate Certificate of Education for newly qualified teachers (NQT).
Progress FileFormerly the National Record of Achievement. Supports pupils from Year 9 in planning their future progression
PSPPastoral Support Programme for pupils at serious risk of permanent exclusion
PTAParent Teacher Association
QCAQualifications and Curriculum Authority
RemodellingA process for relieving teachers of administrative chores and more time to engage with pupils
RgI/RIRegistered Inspector, who is authorised by Ofsted to lead an inspection team
SACREStanding Advisory Council on Religious Education. Local statutory body which advises on religious education and collective worship
SATSStandard Assessment Tasks used for Curriculum Assessment.
SEBDSocial, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
SENSpecial Educational Needs. Pupils with learning difficulties for which special education provision has to be made. May include children with physical disabilities or emotional and behavioural disorders
SENCOSpecial Educational Needs Co-ordinator. The teacher responsible for co-ordinating SEN provision in the school
SettingThe organising of pupils into ability groups for particular subjects
SHASecondary Heads Association
Special SchoolA school for children whose special educational needs cannot be met within a mainstream school
Specialist SchoolsThe Specialist Schools Programme helps secondary schools, in partnership with private sector sponsors and supported by additional Government funding, to establish distinctive identities through their chosen specialisms and achieve their targets to raise standards
Special UnitA unit attached to a mainstream school for children with specific special needs
Standard Number (SN)The legally determined number of pupils in the admission year group below which the PAN may not be set
Standards FundProgramme of specific grants from the DfES for school improvement projects some of which may be earmarked for specific purposes eg National Literacy and Numeracy strategies
StatementingThe procedure by which a child is formally assessed under the 1996 Education Act as having significant special education needs
StreamingPlacing pupils in classes according to their ability
Target SettingEach autumn, governing bodies of all maintained pri mary and secondary schools must set targets for improving pupil performance
TTATeaching Training Agency.: involved in the initial training of teachers and their on-going professional development after qualification
VAVoluntary Aided Schools provide the same range of education as community schools but reflect the ethos or religious nature of the foundation that established them. The governing body sets out its own admissions policy, and, because of the nature of the school, children may come from a wider area than the immediate local community
Value AddedShows the progress made by an individual pupil or groups of pupils compared with the average progress made by similar pupils nationally between the Key Stages
VCVoluntary Controlled Schools. They provide the same range of education as community schools but also reflect the ethos of the foundation that established them
Vertical GroupingClasses formed (in primary schools) with pupils of different age groups
Walking DistanceThe statutory distance beyond which the LEA must provide free school transport is two miles for children up to 8 years old and three miles for those aged 8 and over

If you come across any we have missed please feel free to let us know so we can add them in.

Also for any others that you may come across and are not sure the meaning of you may like to check out TheFreeDictionary "English, Medical, Legal, Financial, and Computer Dictionaries, Thesaurus, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, a Literature Reference Library, and a Search Engine all in one!" by Farlex

Just type the Acronym into their search box and click search - normally it will say something like "is not available in the general English dictionary and thesaurus" it will give a link to try Acronyms.

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