Jargon Buster
Below you will find some examples of words or acronyms that are used in the school environment and on this website, with an explanation of what they mean.
Academy - a state-funded school independent of local authority control. Academies are self-governing non-profit charitable trusts.
Achievement - Describes both attainment i.e. the level achieved and the progress you have made from a starting point.
AfL - Assessment for Learning - Assessment for Learning is the process of finding and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers, to decide where the learners are at a point in time, where they need to go and how best to get there.
APS – Average Points Score
ARE – Age Related Expectations
ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASS – Average Scaled Score
Attainment - The actual level attained and/or results.
Attainment Targets - A general defined level of ability that a pupil is expected to achieve in every subject at each key stage in the National Curriculum.
Blending - To draw individual sounds together to pronounce a word, e.g. f-l-a-p, blended together, reads flap
CAF – Common Assessment Form
CEO – Chief Executive Officer
CEOP - Child Exploitation and Online Protection
CiC -Children in Care
CLL - Communication and language
CP - Children on a child protection plan
LAC - Looked After Children
Core Subjects - English, Maths and Science: all pupils must study these subjects up to Key Stage 4
CPD - Continuous Professional Development
DBS - Disclosure & Barring Service - DBS refers to the agency created out of a merger between the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
DfE - Department for Education
Differentiation - a wide variety of teaching techniques and lesson adaptations that teachers use to pupils of differing abilities in the same class.
DSL – Designated Safeguarding Lead
EAL - English as an Additional Language
EBD - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
EHC Plan - Educational Health Care Plan - An education, health and care plan is a document that says what support a child or young person who has special educational needs should have.
EYFS – Early Years Foundation Stage. A framework of care and Education for children from birth to five years of age. This stage typically means Nursery and Reception Classes.
FSM - Free School Meals
GD – Greater depth (high score)
GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation
GLD – Good Level of Development is used in nursery and reception to assess children
HMI - Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools
HT – Headteacher or Half term
Inclusion - Removing barriers in learning so all pupils can participate at their own level.
INSET - In-Service Education and Training - Training for staff which takes place during the school year.
ITT - Initial Teacher Training
Key Stage one – age 5-7 (Years 1 and 2)
Key Stage two – age 7-11(Years 3,4, 5 and 6)
KPI - Key Performance Indicator
LA - Local Authority
LGB – Local Governing Body
LKS2 – Lower Key Stage 2
LTP – Long Term Plan
MAT – Multi Academy Trust
MDA – Midday Assistant
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties
MTP – Medium Term Plan
NC - National Curriculum
NSPCC - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
NOR - Number on Roll
NPQH - National Professional Qualification for Headship
NQT - Newly Qualified Teacher
Ofsted - Office for Standards in Education
PA – Persistent Absence
PD - Physical Development
PE - Physical Education
Performance Table - Published by the DfE to compare schools' results.
Phonics - Phonics refers to a method for teaching speakers of English to read and write their language
PP – Pupil Premium
PPA - Planning, Preparation and Assessment time to which teachers are entitled.
Progress - this refers to how well pupils have progressed in their learning from their starting point.
PSHE Personal Social Health and Economic education
PFA – Parents and Friends Association
QTS - Qualified Teacher Status
RE - Religious Education
RIDDOR - The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
RWM – Reading, Writing, Maths scores combined
SATs - Statutory Assessment Tests - National Curriculum Tests and Tasks which take place at the end of Key Stage 1 and at the end of Key Stage 2.
SCR - Single Central Record - Schools must hold a single central record of all adults working with pupils. The records hold security and ID checks among other specific information.
SEF – School Evaluation Form
SEND - Special Educational Needs and Disability
SENDCO - Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator
Service - Children whose parents are in military service
SDP - School Development Plan
SIP – School Improvement Partner
SLE - Specialist Leader of Education
SLT - Senior Leadership Team
SMSC - Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (development)
SPAG – Spelling and Grammar
TA - Teaching Assistant
Transition - The movement of pupils from Key Stage to Key Stage or school to school and the procedures associated with it.
UKS2 – Upper Key Stage 2
VLE - Virtual Learning Environment
VRR – Vulnerable risk register (children)
WPAT – Warrington Primary Academy Trust
WTSA – Warrington Teaching School Alliance