Jargon Buster
Schools often use terms and abbreviations, which can be confusing to those not working within education. The list below is to help parents, carers and visitors to our website understand some of the language that we use.
| Term | meaning |
|---|---|
| Academies | Academies are independent state-funded schools. These schools have more freedom over their finances, the curriculum they teach and teachers’ pay and conditions. These schools are funded directly by central government rather than by the local authority. |
| Achievement | Describes both attainment, i.e. the level achieved, and the progress you have made from a starting point. |
| Attainment | The actual level attained and/or results. |
| CAMHS | Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services |
| Catchment area | A defined geographical area from which a school takes its pupils |
| CPD | Continuing Professional Development – the training upon which staff embark to further their knowledge, skills and understanding. |
| DBS | Disclosure and Barring Service – a criminal record check which is required for anyone who teachers or supervises children |
| DfE – The Department for Education | The government department which is responsible for education and children's services in England. |
| Differentiation | This is the way in teaching methods and the curriculum are adapted to meet individual learning needs of pupils. Although it is often found in the context of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, differentiation applies to all teaching contexts where learners have different needs and abilities. |
| Early Learning Goals | Early Learning Goals set out the learning and development skills most children should have achieved by the end of the Reception year. |
| EHC Plan | Educational, Health Care Plan – a document that states what support a child who has special educational needs should be receiving. |
| EWO | Education Welfare Officer – an employee of the Local Authority who works with schools to help them meet their statutory obligations in terms of school attendance. |
| EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage | A framework for the care and education of children from birth to five years of age. |
| FSM | Free School Meals |
| HLTA | Higher Level Teaching Assistant – a teaching assistant who is further qualified to support the class teacher in undertaking specific roles such as teaching the whole class during PPA time or delivering whole class areas of learning such as Letters and Sounds. |
| ICT | Information and Communication Technology |
| Inclusion | Inclusion recognizes the importance of catering for different needs. Inclusive principles highlight the importance of meeting individual children’s needs. |
| KS1 | Key Stage 1 – children from 5 – 7 years old (Years 1 and 2) |
| KS2 | Key Stage 2 – children from 7 – 11 years old (Years 3 to 6) |
| LA | Local Authority |
| LAC | Looked After Children – children who are the responsibility of the Local Authority |
| MDSA | Midday Supervisory Assistant – our dinner ladies who supervise lunchtimes |
| MFL | Modern Foreign Languages |
| NQT | Newly Qualified Teacher. A teacher in their first year of teaching after qualifying (when they get additional support and supervision) |
| Ofsted | The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is an independent organisation, which reports directly to Parliament. Ofsted inspects and regulates services which care for children and young people and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages. Ofsted sets out to raise standards in British schools through regular inspections. |
| PAN | Published Admission Number – the maximum number of children the Local Authority will admit to each year group. |
| Pedagogy | The art of teaching. |
| Phonics | Phonics is a system of breaking down words into smaller components of sounds. Synthetic phonics involves breaking words down, then teaching children to blend these sounds together to form words. |
| Plenary | A part of the lesson where the teacher reviews what has been learnt, usually through questioning the pupils. |
| PP | Pupil Premium – this is additional funding from the government which all schools receive for disadvantaged pupils. The aim of the funding is to ensure these pupils benefit from the same opportunities as all other children. |
| PPA | Planning, Preparation and Assessment Time – teachers are entitled to 10% of their weekly teaching time out of the classroom. During this time teachers will plan future lessons, mark children’s work, undertake small assessment tasks or work alongside a colleague to target a specific area of learning. |
| PSHE | Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education |
| QTS | Qualified Teacher Status |
| SALT | Speech and Language Therapy |
| SATs | Standard Attainment Tests – National Curriculum Tests and Tasks which take place at the end of Key Stage 1 and at the end of Key Stage 2. |
| SEND | Special Educational Needs and Disability |
| SLD | Severe Learning Difficulties |
| SLT | Senior Leadership Team |
| SPaG | Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Test |
| TA | Teaching Assistant |
