Acronyms and School Jargon Buster
We are aware that schools carry a unique set up words, phases and acronyms that can become confusing to new families (and new staff!)
We have created this page to support your decoding! Please also just let us know if anything we say or write is confusing, or needs to be explained further.
A
ACS – Average class size
Afl – Assessment for learning
ALIS – Advanced Level Indicator System (a personalised monitoring system for older students)
ALPS – Advanced Level Performance System (a programme, based on a national database, that provides reports for schools to help them benchmark and analyse post- 16 performance)
AOT – Adult other than teacher
APDR – Assess, Plan, Do, Review
ASD – Autistic spectrum disorder
AT – Attainment target
B
BTEC – Business and Technology Education Council qualification
C
CAMHS – Child and Adult Mental Health Services (an NHS service that assesses and treats young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties)
CCT – Chartered College of Teaching
CEIAG - Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance
CIF – Common inspection framework (sets out how Ofsted will inspect schools)
CiN – Child in Need
CoP – Code of practice
CP – Child protection
CPDL – Continuous professional development and learning
D
DSL – Designated Safeguarding Lead
DfE – Department for Education
E
EAL – English as an additional language
Ebacc – English Baccalaureate
ECP – End of Course Prediction
EHCP – Education Health and Care Plan
EIP – Early intervention programme
EWO – Education Welfare Officer (usually employed by councils, they work with schools and families to encourage regular attendance)
EY – Early years
EYFS – Early years foundation stage
F
FAP – Fair Access Protocol
FOI – Freedom of Information Acti
FFT – Fischer Family Trust (a charity that supports education research in the UK.
FSM – Free school meals
G
GCSE – General Certificate of Secondary Education
H
HLTA – Higher level teaching assistant
HMCI – His Majesty's Chief Inspector
HMI – His Majesty's Inspector (an Ofsted Inspector)
HOD – Head of department
HOF – Head of faculty
HOH – Head of House
I
IAG - Information, Advice and Guidance sessions
IB – International Baccalaureate
INSET – In-service education and training
ITT – Initial teacher training
IWB – Interactive whiteboard
K
KS – Key stage (groups of years)
1 – Years 1+2
2 – Years 3,4,5,6
3 – Years 7+8
4 – Years 9, 10, 11
5 – Years 12 + 13
L
LA – Local authority
LAC – Looked after children (any child cared for by the local authority, for example, in foster care or at home but monitored by social services)
M
MAT – Multi-academy trust
MFL – Modern foreign languages
MTG – Minimum Target Grade
N
O
Ofsted – Office for Standards in Education
Ofqual – Office for Qualifications and Examinations Regulator
P
PAN – Pupil Admission Number
PCGE – Postgraduate Certificate of Education
PEX – Permanent Exclusion from school
PP – Pupil premium
PPA – Planning, preparation and assessment
PR – Progress Report
PSHE – Personal, social and health education (if you see a C near the end, it also includes citizenship) – includes Sex and Relationships Education as well
PTR – Pupil teacher ratio
Q
QTS – Qualified teacher status
R
RAP – Raising Attainment and Progress
RSC – Regional schools commissioner (these support and manage academies and free schools in their areas)
S
SATs – Statutory Assessment Tasks
Scitt – School-centred initial teacher training
SCR – Single central record
SDP – School development plan
SEF – Self evaluation form
SENCo – Special educational needs coordinator
SEND – Special educational needs and disability
SENDIAS - Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service.
SLT – Senior leadership team
SoW – Scheme of work
SPaG – Spelling punctuation and grammar
SSP – Student Support Plan
T
TA – Teaching assistant
U
UCAS – University and College Admissions Service
ULN – Unique Learner Number
UPN – Unique Pupil Number
V
VLE – virtual learning environment (online platforms where teachers can deliver learning, share materials and communicate with students)
Y
YIST - Youth Inclusion and Support Team
YOT – Youth Offending Team
