A glossary of terms for governors

Listed below are common terms and acronyms used in schools and education.

Click on the letter of the alphabet to jump to that part of the list.

A to Z list of terms

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

A

Academies
A new type of school that brings a distinctive approach to school leadership drawing on the skills of sponsors and other supporters.

ACE
The Advisory Centre for Education. Website

ASB
Aggregated School Budget.

AST
Advanced Skills Teachers.

Attainment targets
These establish what children of differing ability should be expected to know and be able to do by the end of each Key Stage of the National Curriculum.

AWPU
Age-weighted Pupil Unit, that is, the sum of money allocated to the school for each pupil according to age. This is the main source of funding for the school.

B

Basic skills
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic.

BCC
Black Country Challenge

Best Value
A commitment which the council, including children and young people's service, makes to ensure that services provided are to clear standards of cost and quality by the most efficient, effective and economic means available.

BEST
Behaviour and Education Support Team.

Bichard Report
A report produced following the Soham murders which identifies how such an incident should not happen again. Website

BSF
Building Schools for the Future.

C

Capital expenditure
Spending on projects, improvements and extensions of the school.

Capitation allowance
The part of the school’s annual budget allocated to spending on equipment and teaching materials.

CARD
Choose a Real Deal

CASE
The Campaign for State Education. Website

Casting Vote
An additional vote to be used by the Chair of Governors if an equal number of votes is cast for and against a motion.

Children’s Centres
The aims of children’s centres are to provide good quality integrated services that have a broad and lasting impact on children, their parents and the wider community, e.g. education, care, family support and health.

CLC
City Learning Centre (based on Wednesfield High School site). Website

Clerk to the Governing Body
A person appointed to carry out administrative duties for the governing body, such as preparing agenda, minuting meetings and dealing with correspondence.

CLLDP
Communication, Language and Literacy Development Programme

CoCo
Community Cohesion

Community Governor
A governor representing community and local business chosen by members of the governing body.

Community Schools
Formerly LA maintained schools.

Competitive tendering
Obtaining quotes from the LA and private sector companies before awarding contracts.

Core Curriculum
English, Maths, Science and ICT - these are studied by all pupils.

CPD
Continuing Professional Development.

CRB
Criminal Records Bureau.

CTBs
Children's Trust Boards.

CYP
Children & Young People.

D

DCSF
Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Dedicated Headship Time
Quality time agreed between the governing body and the headteacher which the headteacher spends focussing on the leadership of the school.

Delegated budget
The part of the Education budget which governors manage under Local Management of Schools (LMS).

Delegated powers
Permission for a committee to take action on behalf of the governing body without further reference to it.

DEPNET
Deputy Heads' Network

Differentiation
The organisation of teaching programmes and methods specifically to suit the age, ability and aptitudes of individual children.

Directed time
Time when a teacher must be available to carry out duties, including attending staff and parent meetings, under the direction of the head. Maximum of 1265 hours in a school year.

Disapplication
A term used where National Curriculum requirements may not apply to a pupil.

DIUS
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

DMNs
Development and Management Networks

Draft
A provisional or tentative paper put forward for consultation.

E

EAP
Employee Assistance Programme.

EBD
Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (Special Needs).

ECaR
Every Child a Reader

ECM
Every Child Matters - a government initiative focusing on positive outcomes for all children and young people. Website

EDS
Equality and Diversity Service.

EIA
Education and Inspection Act 2006.

EMAG
Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant - funding to support ethnic minority pupils in schools.

Engage
An intranet portal developed to be one of the primary communication tools within the Wolverhampton Children & Young People's Service

EOC
Equal Opportunities Commission. Website

EP
Education Psychologist.

ESW
Educational Social Workers.

ET
Excellent Teacher.

Exclusion
The temporary or permanent banning of a pupil from school.

Ex Officio
Able to attend meetings by virtue of holding a particular office.

Extended Schools
Schools offering extended services such as study support, childcare, parental support, health and social care.

EYFS
Early Years Foundation Stage. The first stage of the national curriculum that focuses on the distinct needs of children aged three until the end of the reception year of primary school.

F

F&GP
Finance & General Purposes.

Fair Funding
The framework for delegating money to schools.

Federation
More than one school can be 'federated' under a single governing body.

FMSiS
Financial Management Standards in Schools.

Form of Entry
The number of classes that a school admits each year.

Formula Funding
A local authority formula for allocating money to schools.

Foundation Governor
A Governor appointed by the foundation body of a voluntary school.

Foundation Schools
Formerly grant maintained schools in the main.

G

GB
Governing Body.

G&T
Gifted and Talented pupils with a gift or talent to achieve higher than expected national curriculum levels.

GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education.

GNVQ
General National Vocational Qualification.

GTC
General Teaching Council. Website

GTP
Graduate Teacher Programme - a programme delivered jointly between a university and a school to enable a graduate to achieve qualified teacher status.

H

HLTA
Higher Level Teaching Assistant.

HMI
Her Majesty's Inspectors. Website

Home School Agreements
The governing body must establish this agreement, setting out the aims and values of the school, the responsibilities of schools and parents and the expectations of pupils.

I

ICT
Information and Communications Technology.

IEB
Interim Executive Board.

IIP
Investors in People. A quality standard awarded to organisations - including schools - demonstrating a commitment to developing employees. Website

Inclusion
Educating all pupils, whatever their needs, within mainstream schools.

Inset Day
Teacher Training Day - each year five days during term-time are set aside for staff training. Pupils do not attend school on these days.

IOG
Instrument of Government - A legal document setting out the composition of governing bodies.

ISA
Independent Safeguarding Authority.

ISCG
Information for School and College Governors. Website

ITT
Initial Teacher Training.

J

K

Key Stages
The four stages of the National Curriculum (see SATS).

L

LA
Local Authority.

LAC
Looked After Children e.g. those in care homes, foster homes.

LDD
Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities.

Learning & Skills Council (LSC)
Aim is to improve the skills of young people and adults.

LIG
Leadership Incentive Grant - collaboration between schools to strengthen leadership significantly, enhance teaching and learning and establish high expectations.

LMS
Local Management of Schools - a system whereby schools are responsible for their delegated budgets and managing their own affairs.

LPSH
Leadership Programme for Serving Headteachers - run by NCSL.

M

MAST
Multi Agency Support Team.

Minutes
The formal written record of a meeting.

Mixed ability
A teaching group in which children of all abilities are taught together.

MLD
Moderate Learning Difficulties (Special Needs).

MTL
Masters in Teaching and Learning.

N

NAHT
The National Association of Head Teachers. Website

NASM
The National Association of School Managers. Website

NAS/UWT
The National Association of Schoolmasters / Union of Women Teachers. Website

National Curriculum
This was established by the 1988 Education Reform Act to ensure that all pupils receive a broad and balanced education which is relevant to their needs. Website

National Strategy
Introduced by the Government in September 1998 to promote higher standards, primarily in English and Maths in Primary and then Secondary Schools. Later extended to cover a wider range of curriculum areas with the sole intention of raising standards.

NCSL
National College for School Leadership. Website

NGA
National Governors Association.

NPQH
National Professional Qualification for Headship - a qualification for aspiring Headteachers which all new Headteachers should have gained or be working towards.

NQT
Newly Qualified Teacher. Link

NUT
The National Union of Teachers. Website

O

OFSTED
Office for Standards in Education - the body, staffed by HMI, which arranges and sets standards for school inspectors. Website

P

PAL
Planned Admission Level - the number of children planned to be admitted to a school. Used as the basis for determining admission appeals.

Parent Councils
Trust schools are legally obliged to set up a Parent Council. Others may do so if they wish.

PAN
Published Admission Number.

PAT
The Professional Association of Teachers. Website

Peripatetic Teacher
A teacher who works in a number of schools, to give specialist instruction e.g. in music.

PFI
Private Finance Initiative.

PGCE
Post-Graduate Certificate of Education - a teaching qualification which includes a period of practical teaching experience.

PGR
Parent Governor Representative.

PI
Performance Indicators.

PLASC
A DCSF form submitted by every school each January to record the number of teachers employed, the number of children in each age group, the organisation of classes etc. Website

PPA
Planning, Preparation and Assessment time.

Primary Capital Programme
Government initiative creating Primary schools equipped for 21st century learning.

PRP
Performance Related Pay.

PRU
Pupil Referral Unit - Unit catering for pupils with a range of difficulties which mainstream schools would have problems dealing with. Link

PSB
Potential School Budget.

PTA
Parent Teachers Association.

PTR
Pupil/Teacher Ratio. This is calculated by dividing the number of pupils in a school by the number of full-time equivalent teachers.

Pupil Profile
Broad evaluation of a pupil’s personality, interests and capabilities. This forms part of his/her Record of Achievement.

PVE
Preventing Violent Extremism.

Q

QCA
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority - the agency responsible for advising on the school curriculum. Website

QID
Quality & Improvement Directorate.

QTS
Qualified Teacher Status.

Quorum
The minimum number of members needed in order for the meeting to take place.

R

RAISEonline
Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Self-Evaluation - an online analysis of a schools' results.

Reading age
A measurement of a pupil’s reading ability based on standard national tests defining normal attainment at that age.

Resolution
A formal decision which has been proposed, seconded and agreed not necessarily by a vote - at a meeting.

Rising fives
Children who start school in the term before their fifth birthday.

ROSE
Record of School Effectiveness - a local document which is designed to help schools judge their effectiveness across a range of indicators.

S

SACRE
Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education - Local statutory body which advises on religious education and collective worship.

SATs
Standard Assessment Tasks - (now National Curriculum tests).

School Profile
A document giving key information about the school including the school’s achievements and its plans for the future.

SDP/SIP
School Development/Improvement Plan - the school’s plan for improvement.

Secondment
The release of staff on a temporary basis to another establishment.

SEF
Self Evaluation Form - completed by each school and used as main document by Inspectors during Ofsted inspections.

SEN
Special Educational Needs - learning difficulties for which special educational provision has to be made. Many include children with physical disabilities or emotional and behavioural disorders and gifted children. Governors have a duty to help identify and provide for such pupils. Link

SENCO
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator - the member of school staff with responsibility for co-ordinating special needs.

Setting
A system of organising pupils into ability groups for particular subjects.

SGB
Strategic Governance Board

SHA
Secondary Heads’ Association. Website

Sibling
A brother or sister.

SIC
Statement of Internal Control.

SIP
School Improvement Partner.

SIPB
School Improvement Partnership Board.

SLD
Severe Learning Difficulties (Special Needs).

SLA
Service Level Agreement - A contract between a Governing body and the LA specifying work to be undertaken in a given area, with cost details.

SMART
Targets which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time related.

SMT
Senior Management Team.

Special Needs Resource Base
A unit attached to a mainstream school to cater for children with specific special needs.

Special School
A school for children whose special educational needs cannot be met within a mainstream school.

Specialist School
A secondary school which offers specialist curriculum provision in addition to the National Curriculum.

SRC
School Report Card.

SSA
Standard Spending Assessment.

SSFA
School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Website

SSSNB
School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

Standards Fund
The current method by which schools and LAs receive money from the government for training staff and governors.

Statementing
The procedure by which a child is formally assessed under the 1993 Education Act as having significant special educational needs. Website

STPCD
School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.

STRB
School Teacher’s Review Body. Makes recommendations to the Secretary of State on teachers’ pay. Website

Supply Teacher
Temporary Substitute teacher for those away through illness etc.

Support Staff
Members of the school staff employed to provide services in a school but not to teach, such as classroom assistants, cleaners and school secretaries.

T

TA
Teaching Assistant.

TDA
Training and Development Agency - a government organisation which sets standards for a variety of roles in the teaching profession. Website

TLG
Training Link Governor - a role allocated to a Governor on the Governing Body; he/she oversees the development of Governors on the Governing Body.

TLR
Teaching and Learning Responsibility payments.

Trust Schools
A state-funded foundation school supported by a charitable trust. It manages its own assets, employs its own staff and sets its own admission arrangements.

U

V

VA
Voluntary Aided.

VC
Voluntary Controlled.

Vertical Grouping
Classes formed (in primary schools) with children of different age groups.

Virement
The agreed transfer of money from the budget heading to which it has been allocated to another budget heading.