Jargon Buster
AHD - Assistant Headteacher
ALD – Aided Language Display
AP - alternative provision
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) – A lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others
ASDAN – A British charity organisation which provides educational opportunities for young people, helping learners to develop their personal and social attributes through its award programmes and qualifications
B squared – A pupil tracking software for primary schools allows schools to track progress throughout the year against the end of year objectives
CLDD - Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities
Cohort – A group of students working together through the same academic curriculum
Connexions – A UK governmental information, advice, guidance and support service for young people aged thirteen to nineteen
CPD - Continuing Professional Development
Curriculum – The subjects studied in school
DBS - The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) makes checks to help employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children
Declaration of Pecuniary Interests (Governors) - Governors, Principals and members of staff are bound by Financial Regulations and, therefore, must declare in the Register any pecuniary interest they have in a personal capacity in any contract relating to the school
DfE – Department for Education
DT – Design and Technology
Educational Psychology – Concerned with children and young people in educational and early years settings. They tackle challenges such as learning difficulties, social and emotional problems and issues around disability as well as more complex development disorders.
EFL - Evidence for Learning
EHCP - Education, Health and Care Plan
Elklan Training - Elklan writes and delivers accredited courses for education and other staff working with those with speech, language and communication needs and for parents, and trains a network of licenced tutors to deliver Elklan courses locally
Ethos – The characteristic spirit of the school as seen in its attitudes and aspirations
EYFS - Early Years Foundation Stage. This encompasses children rom birth to 5 years old
Family Liaison Officer - Provides a continuing resource for parents and students
FE – Further Education
FGB - Full Governing Body
FOPS - Friends Of Paddock School
FSM – Free School Meals
GB - Governing Body
HLTA - Higher Level Teaching Assistant
HOS - Head of School
HR - Human Resources
HS - Health and Safety
HT - Headteacher
ICT - Information and Communications Technology
Inset day – Teacher Training day, school closed to pupils
IPP - Individual Pupil Pathway
IT - Information Technology
KS - Key Stage
KS1 - Key Stage 1 is a phase of primary education for pupils aged 5 to 7
KS2 - Key Stage 1 is a phase of primary education for pupils aged 7 to 11
KS3 - Key Stage 1 is a phase of primary education for pupils aged 11 to 14
KS4 - Key Stage 1 is a phase of primary education for pupils aged 14 to 16
LA - Local Authority
Literacy - the ability to read and write
LLE - Local Leader in Education
LT - Leadership Team
LTA - Lead Teaching Assistant
MAPA - Management of Actual or Potential Aggression
Makaton – Use of signs and symbols to help people communicate
Numicon Maths Training - Based on a proven concrete-pictorial-abstract approach, Numicon encourages children to explore maths using structured imagery and apparatus in order to understand and explain mathematical concepts
OFSTED - The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. We inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
OT - Occupational Therapy
PE – Physical Education
PECS - Picture Exchange Communication System
Phonics - a method for teaching reading and writing of the English language by developing learners' phonemic awareness —the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate phonemes —in order to teach the correspondence between these sounds and the spelling patterns (graphemes) that represent them
PODD - Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display Communication Book
Post 16 – Students over 16
PRU - pupil referral unit
PSHEC - PSHE education is a school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and prepare for life
Pupil Premium - Additional funding allocated to schools on the basis of the number of pupils who have been eligible for free school meals (FSM)
R4L - Routes for Learning
RA - Risk Assessment
Rights Respecting Schools Awards – It recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of a school's planning, policies, practice and ethos
Safeguarding - Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment, preventing harm to children's health or development, ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
SaLT - Speech and Language Therapy
SBM - School Business Manager
SCERTS - Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support
School Council – A group of students who are elected to represent the views of all pupils and to improve their school
School Development Plan – A strategic plan for improvement. It should bring together, in a clear and simple way, the school's priorities, the main measures it will take to raise standards, the resources dedicated to these, and the key outcomes and targets it intends to achieve.
School governors - People who want to make a positive contribution to children's education. Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in the country and have an important part to play in raising school standards. The role of the governing board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school.
SDP - School Development Plan
SEN - Special Educational Needs
SES - Self Evaluation Summary
Sherborne Training – A method of working in which the movement is securely based in normal developmental movement experiences
SLD – Structured Learning & Development
SLT – Speech and Language Therapist
SNAS - Special Needs Assessment Section
SSSA - Special School Support Assistant
TA - Teaching Assistant
TAAR - Teaching Assistant with added Responsibilities
TACPAC – A sensory communication resource using touch and music to help communication and social skills
TEACHH - Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children
The Oxford Reading Tree - Best-loved character series and widest range of books to support independent reading and encourage reading for pleasure
TLR - Teaching and learning responsibility
UNICEF - The world's leading organisation working for children in danger