Acronyms and Glossary

Curriculum, Qualifications & Learning

• GCSE – General Certificate of Secondary Education, main exam at age 16

• A-Level – Advanced Level Qualification, post-16 academic exams

• BTEC – Business and Technology Education Council, vocational qualifications providing practical experience as an alternative or complement to academic routes

• T-Level – Technical Level Qualification, two-year technical course after GCSEs

• NEA – Non-Exam Assessment, coursework or practical part of a qualification

• EBacc – English Baccalaureate, measure of core academic GCSE subjects taken

• MFL – Modern Foreign Languages taught in schools

• DT – Design Technology subject

• PSHE – Personal, Social and Health Education, life skills subject

• RSE – Relationships and Sex Education, statutory relationship education

• STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics subjects

• AfL – Assessment for Learning, ongoing assessment to guide learning

• Differentiation – Adapting teaching and curriculum to meet individual needs

• DIRT – Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time, time to improve work

• LO – Learning Objective, lesson aim

• WALT – We Are Learning To, lesson focus statement

• WILF – What I’m Looking For, success criteria

• HOTs/LOTs – Higher and Lower Order Thinking Skills, levels of thinking

• ARE – Age Related Expectations, expected attainment for each year group

• PLP – Pupil Learning Profile, document outlining how SEND needs are met

• ILP – Individual Learning Plan, personalised learning support plan

• IEP – Individual Education Plan, SEND support plan with targets

• PPA – Planning, Preparation and Assessment time for teachers

• SPAG – Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

• WEX – Work Experience

Assessment Terminology

• EXS - Expected Standard- working at age related expectations

• WTS - Working Towards Expected Standard- working below age related expectations

• GDS - Greater Depth Standard- working above age related expectations

• GLD - Good Level of Development in EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Key Stages & Age Groups

• EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage, learning for children aged 0 to 5

• KS1/KS2/KS3/KS4 – Key Stages 1 to 4, school stages for ages 5 to 16

Special Educational Needs & Support

• SEND – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

• SEN – Special Educational Needs, children requiring additional support

• EHCP – Education, Health and Care Plan, legal document outlining support for children up to 25

• Statement of Special Educational Needs – Older legal document replaced by EHCP

• SENCo – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, manages SEND in schools

• SALT – Speech and Language Therapist, professional supporting communication difficulties

• EP – Educational Psychologist, assesses SEND and advises schools

• TA – Teaching Assistant, supports classroom learning

• LSA – Learning Support Assistant, supports pupils with additional needs

• EAL – English as an Additional Language, pupils learning English as a second language

• ESL/ELL – English as a Second Language/English Language Learner

• SpLD – Specific Learning Difficulties like dyslexia or dyspraxia

• PLP – Pupil Learning Profile, SEND plan with targets and review cycle

• IEP – Individual Education Plan, targets to meet special needs

• Behaviour Support Plan – Long-term plan for supporting behavioural difficulties

• Graduated approach – Model providing different levels of SEND support

• Annual Review – Yearly meeting to review EHCP or Statement of SEN

• Disagreement resolution (mediation) – Process to resolve SEND disputes

• IO – Inclusions Officer, supports vulnerable pupils

• Education Caseworker – Local Authority employee supporting SEND families

• Learning difficulties – Challenges making learning harder for a pupil

• SENCo – Special Educational Needs Coordinator

• CAF – Common Assessment Framework, multi-agency assessment tool for early intervention

• TAC – Team Around the Child, multi-agency support meetings

• EHA – Early Help Assessment, early identification of families needing support

• Carer – Person caring for a child who is not their birth parent

• LAC/PLAC – Looked After Child / Previously Looked After Child

• CiC – Child in Care

• SEMH – Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs

• CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, NHS mental health support

• OT – Occupational Therapist, supports physical and developmental needs

Classification of Special Educational Needs (SEN)

• Cognition and Learning - this includes children who demonstrate features of moderate, severe or profound learning difficulties or specific learning difficulties (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia or dyspraxia

• Social, mental and emotional health - this includes children who may be withdrawn or isolated, disruptive or disturbing, hyperactive or lack concentration

• Communication and Interaction - this includes children with speech and language delay, impairments or disorders, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia, hearing impairment, and those who demonstrate features within the autistic spectrum

• Sensory and/or physical - this includes children with sensory, multisensory and physical difficulties

Assessment & Data

• SATs – Standard Assessment Tests at KS1 and KS2

• FFT – Fischer Family Trust, school data and target setting tool

• ASP – Analyse School Performance, DfE data portal

• ISDR – Inspection Data Summary Report, Ofsted data overview

• WAG – Working At Grade, assessment level

• TAG – Teacher Assessed Grade

• PAG – Predicted Attainment Grade

• CAT – Cognitive Abilities Test, aptitude test

• GL Assessments – Provider of standardised tests including CATs

• RA – Reading Age

• PTM/PTE – Progress Test in Maths and English

• ‘P’ Levels – Performance Levels for pupils below National Curriculum levels

• QAC – Quality Assurance Calendar

• SIP – School Improvement Plan

• SMART Targets – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed targets

Behaviour, Pastoral & Safeguarding

• DSL/DDSL – Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy, leads child protection

• CP – Child Protection, safeguarding from harm

• CIN – Child in Need, children needing support

• CAF – Common Assessment Framework

• TAC – Team Around the Child

• MAPA – Management of Actual or Potential Aggression, behaviour strategy

• ABC – Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence analysis method

• FTE – Fixed-Term Exclusion

• PEX – Permanent Exclusion

• EWO – Education Welfare Officer, monitors attendance

• LADO – Local Authority Designated Officer, investigates allegations against staff

• KCSIE – Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance

• PREVENT – Preventing Radicalisation strategy

• PSP – Pastoral Support Plan, helps improve social and behavioural skills

• British Values – Fundamental British values including democracy, rule of law, liberty, respect and tolerance incorporated in school ethos

• Behaviour Support Plan – Long-term support for pupils with behavioural challenges

• Disagreement resolution (mediation) – Helps resolve SEND-related disputes

Professional Roles & Training

• NQT/ECT – Newly Qualified Teacher / Early Career Teacher

• QTS – Qualified Teacher Status

• PGCE – Postgraduate Certificate in Education

• SCITT – School-Centred Initial Teacher Training

• SLT – Senior Leadership Team, includes Principals, Headteacher and deputies

• HOY – Head of Year, pastoral lead for a year group

• HOH/HOL – Head of House / Head of Learning

• PAL – Progress & Achievement Leader

• CPD – Continuing Professional Development, ongoing training

• INSET – In-Service Education and Training, staff training days

• TLR – Teaching and Learning Responsibility, paid leadership roles

• CRB / DBS – Disclosure and Barring Service, safeguarding check for staff

School Governance & Organisations

• DfE – Department for Education

• Ofsted – Office for Standards in Education, school inspection body

• MAT – Multi-Academy Trust, group of academies under one trust

• LA – Local Authority, local government body overseeing education

• UCAS – Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

• NAHT – National Association of Head Teachers, union

• NEU – National Education Union

• EDT – Education Development Trust, education consultancy

• STA – Standards and Testing Agency, manages national tests

• WMAT – Weydon Multi Academy Trust

Funding & Inclusion

• FSM – Free School Meals, meals for eligible low-income pupils

• PP – Pupil Premium, extra funding for disadvantaged pupils

• EEF – Education Endowment Foundation, funds educational research

• PEN – Parental Engagement Network

Digital & Learning Platforms

• VLE – Virtual Learning Environment, online platform for learning and resources

• MIS – Management Information System, manages school data

• Arbor – School Management MIS software

Other Common Terms & Miscellaneous

• PRU – Pupil Referral Unit, alternative provision for excluded or vulnerable pupils

• PTR – Pupil/Teacher Ratio

• LTP/MTP/STP – Long, Medium and Short Term Planning

• ATL – Attitude to Learning, measure of pupil engagement

• G&T – Gifted and Talented pupils

• SMSC – Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development

• RE – Religious Education

• RRSA – Rights Respecting Schools Award

• DTT – Direct To Task teaching strategy

• SALT – Speech and Language Therapist

• PDBW – Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare focus