We all use abbreviations and acronyms without thinking if the person we are communicating with knows what they mean. Hopefully, on our website we have eliminated or explained any used, but just in case, here is a list of the common abbreviations and acronyms associated with school life.
If you think there are any we've missed or should include please get in touch and we will gladly add them to our list.
A
AO Attendance Officer
ACE Advisory Centre for Education
ACS Average Class Size
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AfL Assessment for Learning
AQA Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
ASSC Autistic Spectrum and Social Communication Service
AT Attainment Target
B
B&A Behaviour and Attendance
BTEC Business and Technology Education Council
C
CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
CAT Cognitive Ability Test
CFR Consistent Financial Reporting
CMHT Community Mental Health Team
CPD Continuing Professional Development
CVA Contextual Value Added
D
DfE Department for Education
DBS Disclosure and Barring Service
D&T Design and Technology
E
EAL English as an Additional Language
EBD Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
EHWB Emotional Health and Well-Being
EP Educational Psychologist
F
FE Further Education
FOI Freedom of Information
FS Foundation Stage
FSA Family Support Adviser
FSM Free School Meals
FTE Full Time Equivalent
G
GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education
GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification
GRE Grant Related Expenditure
G&T Gifted and Talented
GTTL Guide to the Law
H
H&S Health and Safety
HE Higher Education
HI Hearing Impaired
HLTA Higher Level Teaching Assistant
HMI Her Majesty’s Inspectorate
HSA Home-School Agreement
HSI Healthy Schools Initiative
I
IB International Baccalaureate
ICT Information and Communication Technology
IEP Individual Education Plan
IiP Investors in People
INSET In-Service Education and Training
J
JE Job Evaluation
K
KS Key Stage
KPI Key Performance Indicator
L
LA Local Authority
LAC Looked After Children
LSA Learning Support Assistant
LSCB Local Safeguarding Children Board
LSU Learning Support Unit
M
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MARAT Multi Agency Referral and Assessment Team
MFL Modern Foreign Languages
MLD Moderate Learning Difficulties
MSI Multi-Sensory Impaired
N
NAHT National Association of Headteachers
NASEN National Association of Special Educational Needs
NASUWT National Association of School Masters/Union of Women Teachers
NC National Curriculum
NCSL National College for School Leadership
NEET Not in Education Employment or Training
NGA National Governors Association
NHSS National Healthy Schools Standard
NLS National Literacy Strategy
NoR Number on Roll
NPQH National Professional Qualification for Headship
NQT Newly Qualified Teacher
NUT National Union of Teachers
NVQ National Vocational Qualifications
O
OfSTED Office for Standards in Education
OT Occupational Therapist
P
PAN Planned Admission Numbers
PCSO Police Community Support Officer
PAT Professional Association of Teachers
PCT Primary Care Trust
PEP Personal Education Plan
PFI Private Finance Initiative
PGCE Postgraduate Certificate in Education
PHSE Physical Health and Social Education
PIB Pre Inspection Briefing
PLASC Pupil Level Annual School Census
PM Performance Management
PMR Performance Management Report
PMLD Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
PPA Planning, Preparation and Assessment time
PRP Performance Related Pay
PRU Pupil Referral Unit
PSHE Personal, Social, Health and Economic
PSP Pastoral Support Programme
PTA Parent Teacher Association
PTR Pupil Teacher Ratio
PYOP Preventing Youth Offending Programme
Q
QCA Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
QT Qualified Teacher
QTA Qualified Teaching Assistant
QTS Qualified Teacher Status
R
RAISE Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Self Evaluation
RE Religious Education
RS Religious Studies
ROA Record of Achievement
S
SACRE Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education
SATs Standard Assessment Tests
SALT Speech and Language Therapy
SDP School Development Plan
SEAL Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
SEF Self-Evaluation Form
SEN Special Educational Needs
SENCO Special Educational Needs Coordinator
SEN&D (SEND) Special Educational Needs and Disability
SENDA Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001
SENDIST Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal
SI School Improvement
SIP School Improvement Plan
SLA Service Level Agreement
SLD Severe Learning Difficulties
SLT Senior Leadership Team
SRE Sex and Relationship Education
T
TA Teaching Assistant
TDA Training and Development Agency
TES Traveller Education Service
TLR Teaching and Learning Responsibility
U
UCAS University and College Admissions Service
UPN Unique Pupil Numbers
UPS Upper Pay Scale
V
VA Voluntary Aided
VC Voluntary Controlled
VI Visually Impaired
VLE Virtual Learning Environment
Y
YOT Youth Offending Team
YS Youth Service
.png)