With policy shifts, emerging research, EdTech solutions and teacher led innovation there are constant challenges to the traditional classroom paradigm. This inevitably leads to a constant shift in the language used in the school system and understanding the different terminology used by educational professionals is challenging.
Like other industries and sectors teaching is not immune to a continual emergence of new acronyms and abbreviations. Teacher training providers utilise the lexicon of education but it is sometimes difficult to cover all of the terms used. Therefore having access to a glossary of educational acronyms and abbreviations is especially useful for Newly Qualified (NQT) or Early Career Teachers (ECT).
If you’re returning to the UK school system after a sabbatical or career break this comprehensive bank of terms will prove useful. Equally, if you are re-entering the UK teacher workforce after a period teaching abroad, re-familiarising yourself with the phraseology used in UK schools is useful for job applications and on the job performance.
Let’s also remember, there are many people who are non-teachers operating in and around the education system. Schools don’t just rely on teachers to deliver a quality educational experience. Support staff make a vital contribution, so whether you’re a teaching assistant, school business manager, bursar, governor, caretaker, cook or cleaner staying on top of the language used in schools is crucial. In addition to these professionals parents are an integral stakeholder group that For many parents the constant use of acronyms can be as confusing. Having these acronyms spelt out helps to provide clarity.
Finally, a whole ecosystem of Edtech and Pedtech products have emerged in the last decade. If you’re an account or partnership manager communicating with schools your marketing pitch might fall flat if you fail to understand the abbreviations and acronyms used in the contemporary UK education system.
Those Who Can strives to help educational professionals with their careers inside, outside and beyond the classroom. We hope you find this bank of terms useful.
ASC
– Autism Spectrum Condition
ASD
– Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADD
– Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD
– Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ALPS
– A Level Performance System
AoA
– Articles of Association (Academies)
AST
-Advanced Skills Teacher
ASP
– Analyse School Performance
A8
– Secondary student performance indicator
BAP
– Behaviour and Attendance Partnership
BAME/BME
– Black and/or Minority Ethnic
CATs
– Cognitive Ability Tests
CAF
– Common Assessment Framework
CAMHS
– Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services
CiC
– Children in Care
CLA
– Children Looked After
CPD
– Continuing Professional Development
DBS
– Disclosure & Barring Service
DFE
– Department For Education
DSL
– Designated Safeguarding Lead
EAL
– English as an Additional Language
EBacc
– English Baccalaurete
EBD
– Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties
ECH
– Education Care & Health Plan
ESFA
– Education & Skills Funding Agency
EWO
– Education Welfare Officer
EYFS
– Early Years Foundation Stage
FGB
– Full Governing Body
FGM
– Female Genital Mutilation
FSM
– Free School Meals
FFT
– Education Data Analysis Tool
GAG
– General Annual Grant
GCSE
– General Certificate of Secondary Education
GDPR
– General Data Protection Regulation
G&T
– Gifted and Talented Students (phrase not used by DFE)
GTP
– Graduate Teacher Programme
HLTA
– Higher Level Teaching Assistant
HMI
– His Majesty’s Inspector of Schools
IEP
– Individual Education Plan
IiP
– Investors in People
INSET
– In Service Educational Training
ITT
– Initial Teacher Training
KS1,2
– Key Stage 1, 2
KCSiE
– Keeping Children Safe in Education
LA
– Local Authority
LAC
– Looked After Children
LADO
– Local Authority Designated Officer
LGB
– Local Governing Body
LSA
– Learning Support Assistant
LSCB
– Local Safeguarding Children Board
MAT
– Multi Academy Trust
MFL
– Modern Foreign Languages
MIS
– Management Information System
MLD
– Moderate Learning Difficulties
MPG
– Main Professional Grade
NASUWT
– National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
NC
– National Curriculum
NEU
– National Education Union
NGA
– National Governance Association
NOR
-Number on Roll
NPQH
– National Professional Qualification for Headship
NQT
– Newly Qualified Teacher
NVQ
– National Vocational Qualifications
OFSTED
– Office for Standards in Education
PAN
– Published Admission Number
PLP
– Personal Learning Plan
PMLD
– Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulties
PPA
– Planning, Preparation and Assessment time
PP(G)
– Pupil Premium (Grant)
PRU
– Pupil Referral Unit
PTA
– Parent Teacher Association
P8
– Performance measure derived from A8
Quality First Teaching
– style of teaching that emphasises high quality, inclusive teaching for all pupils in a class.
QTS
– Qualified Teacher Status
RAISE online
Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Self Evaluation
SAT
– Single Academy Trust
SATs
Standard Assessment Tests
SALT
– Speech & Language Therapy
SCR
– Single Central Record
SDP
-School Development Plan
SEAL
– Social & Emotional Aspects of Learning
SEMH
– Social Emotional Mental Health
SENCO
– Special Educational Needs Coordinator
SEND
– Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
SFVS
– Schools Financial Value Standard
SEF
– School Evaluation Form
SIP
– School Improvement Plan
SLA
– Service Level Agreement
SLD
– Severe Learning Difficulties
SLT
– Senior Leadership Team
SPAG
– Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar
SRE
– Sex & Relationships Education
TA
– Teaching Assistant
VA
-Value Added
VA
– Voluntary Aided
VC
– Voluntary Controlled
VI
– Visually Impaired
WAVE 1,2,3
– Levels of support for SEND students
WBL
– Work Based Learning