Publicly funded independent secondary schools with sponsors from the private or voluntary sectors or from churches or other faith Sponsors.

Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales

Advisory Centre for Education – an advisory service for parents.

Area Child Protection Committee

Adult and Community Learning.

Average Class Size.

Association of Directors of Education in Wales

Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder.

In community schools part of a Local Authority policy but in foundation and voluntary aided schools the governing body is responsible for setting a policy.

Additional Educational Needs

Annual Governors’ meeting with Parents

Additional Literacy Support.

Asset Management Plan

Annual Performance Assessment.

Average Points Score.

Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical

Asperger’s Syndrome

Advanced Skills Teacher

Anti Social Behaviour Order.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Assessment Profile on Entry for Children and Toddlers.

A person who is appointed by the governing body to work with a committee but who is not a governor.

Association of Teachers and Lecturers, formally AMMA.

Children identified by Social Services or Schools as in danger of emotional, physical or sexual abuse or mental cruelty from within their families

The knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of differing ability and maturity are expected to have by the end of each Key Stage of the National Curriculum – i.e. At ages 7,11, 14 and 16.

Organisation established by Government to monitor the use of funds by local authorities and to promote good practice and efficiency in local government.

Where the absence has been agreed by the school. This could be for holiday or sickness absence.

Age Weighted Pupil Unit. The sum of money allocated to the school for each pupil according to age. The main source of funding for the school from the LA.

A method of voting, normally secret.

Baseline assessment

An assessment of a child's skills and ability usually made by a teacher within the first 7 days of school entry.

Reading, writing and arithmetic.

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency.

Behaviour Support Plan

A statement that sets out arrangements for schools and other service providers for the education of children with Behavioural difficulties.

Comparing school expenditure with broadly similar schools from the LA, the region and nationally.

Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

Building Excellent Schools Together - Wales Improvement Program

A policy confirming that governing bodies will work with regards to economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

Behaviour Improvement Program

Basic Skills Agency

The total sum of money allocated to a school for the financial year by the LA.

Best Value Performance Plan Statutory County Council Plan reporting progress relative to a number of statutory measures of public service efficiency.

Best Value Service Review

Common Assessment Framework.

Computer-Assisted Learning.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

Spending on building projects and large items of equipment.

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

Cognitive Ability Tests for knowing, thinking and reasoning.

A defined geographical area from which a school takes its pupils

Acentral register maintained by Social Services which lists children in the area who are considered to be suffering from, or are likely to suffer, significant harm and for whom there is a protection plan.

Person appointed to carry out advisory and administrative duties e.g. preparing agenda, minuting meetings.

All maintained schools should provide for collective worship for their pupils. The precise nature at a foundation or voluntary school will depend on the religious character of the school.

Schools wholly funded by the LEA.

Governors appointed by the governing body to represent community interests. Community governors can be persons who live or work in the community served by the school or persons who do not work or live close to school but are committed to the good governance and success of the school.

Money set aside for unexpected costs.

English, math’s and science.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

Child Protection.

Continuing Professional Development - any activity that increases teachers' knowledge or understanding.

Child Protection Issue.

Common Pay Scale.

Criminal Records Bureau.

A broad definition including not just the list of subjects taught but all the pupils’ learning experiences at school and the processes of learning as well as the knowledge that is acquired.

Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Disability Discrimination Act.

Money provided to schools which governors can manage at their discretion.

Authority given to a committee or the Head teacher to take action on behalf of the governing body.

A process where one body or person gives another body or person authority to take decisions on a particular matter.

Department for Education and Skills.

The Christian denominations divide the country into ecclesiastical districts called dioceses.

The area over which a bishop has jurisdiction.

The National Curriculum has been designed to make sure that all children are assessed. However, there may be a small number of pupils who are not able to take part in some assessment, even allowing for the full range of arrangements that can be made.

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Disabilities Rights Commission

Dedicated Schools Grant.

The use of any part of the school premises by community groups and others, whether during or outside of school hours.

Used to describe the specific learning disorder of children who have difficulty in acquiring reading, spelling, writing and numeracy skills

English as an Additional Language.

All pre-school education provision such as nursery classes and schools, day nurseries and playgroups

Education Action Zones.

Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Education Business Partnership.

Every Child Matters.

Electronic Data Interchange

Education Development Plan which each LA is required to prepare setting out its strategies for improving standards in schools and raising pupil attainment.

Person employed by the LEA to help parents and LEAs meet their respective statutory obligations in respect of school attendance.

Trained teachers with a degree in Psychology employed by the LEA to advise and help teachers and where necessary, to make recommendations to the LEA on providing for the needs of some children

Excellence in Cities.

Elective test usually taken at age 11 so selective grammar schools can choose the most academic pupils.

The joint brand name of the National Council for Education and Training for Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

Ethnic Minority Achievement Service.

Equal Opportunities Commission

Equal Opportunities Policy.

Education other than at School alternative education provision for children excluded from schools.

Educational Psychologist.

Educational Psychology Service

Chance for everyone to participate in school life/curriculum.

A governing body’s thinking and practice on issues of equality surrounding gender, race, sexuality, disability and class.

Extended School.

Education Supervision Order which a LA may apply for to deal with cases of poor attendance at school.

Education Strategic Plan – a statutory plan to link the school improvement agenda of the Authority and state schools in this area.

Education Standard Spending.

Office of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales.

Education and Training Action Group

Education and Training Action Plan

A group that has different national or cultural traditions from the majority of the population.

Education Welfare Officer employed to help pupils and parents where there are problems, particularly regarding attendance.

The temporary or permanent banning of a pupil by the head teacher on disciplinary grounds.

By virtue of holding a particular office.

Schools which provide a range of extended services and facilities for the benefit of pupils, parents, families and the wider community.

Early Years

Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership

Early Years Foundation Stage.

The new (from April 2000) regime for 100% funding of LEAs and schools according to their respectively defined responsibilities, superseding LMS (Local Management of Schools 1988-2000)

Provides pre-school education and opportunities for parents to be involved.

Further Education

The coming together under one governing body of not more than five maintained schools.

Some authorities give priority to children from certain primary schools.

Full Governing Body.

Financial Management Standard in Schools.

Freedom of Information.

The number of classes that a school admits each year.

The calculation of the funds given to schools by the LA.

Governors appointed by the foundation body of a voluntary school for the purpose of securing that the character of the school is preserved and developed, and in particular that the school is conducted in accordance with the provision of any trust deed.

Educational provision for all children from 3-7 years.

Type of school run by the Local Authority but with more freedom than community schools to manage their school and decide on their admissions. The school’s land and buildings are either owned by the governing body or by a charitable foundation.

Full Service Extended School.

Free School Meals.

Full Time Equivalent.

Gifted and Talented.

Governing Body

General Certificate of Secondary Education - public examinations taken by most 16-year-olds

Governor Development Team.

Grants for Education Support and Training Programme

General National Vocational Qualifications - broad-based vocational qualifications offered to 14-19 year olds at Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced levels.

The model of action and intervention described in the SEN Code of Practice for Wales to help children with SEN

Selective secondary schools entrance is based on a test of ability, usually at age 11.

The General Teaching Council - an independent professional body for teachers.

General Teaching Council (Wales)

Health & Safety

Health And Safety At Work.

Higher Education

Government scheme to help improve the health of both pupils and teachers.

Higher Level Teaching Assistant.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools.

Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools

Head of Department.

A written contract between school, parents or carers and the pupil. It sets out expectations of attendance, behaviour, standards of education and homework. This is a statutory document for the governing body.

Head of Service

Head of Year.

Health and Safety Executive

Health and Safety at Work Act

Income Allocation Notification.

Information and Communication Technology.

Individual Education Plan devised for meeting the special education needs of individual pupils with needs over and above that of other children.

Investors in People. External award accrediting the competence of sections in relation to policies and practice affecting the people they manage.

Inclusion in education involves the process of increasing the participation of students in, and reducing their exclusion from, the cultures, curricula and communities of local schools.

Process by which individuals move through their salary scale until they reach the top.

Someone who can support parents, for example, by going to meetings, encouraging parents to get involved and helping them understand the SEN framework

A school that is not maintained by an LEA.

In-Service Education and Training - professional development for teaching and support staff. 5 INSET days are held each year, pupils do not attend school on these days.

A legal document setting out the composition of the Governing Body.

A system which encompasses the policies, processes, tasks, behaviours and other aspects of an organisation which is effective and efficient.

Individual Schools Budget.

Independent Schools Council.

Individual Support Plan

Initial Teacher Training.

Joint Area Review.

Key Stages - The four stages of the National Curriculum for pupils aged 5-16.

Pupils aged 3-7.

Pupils aged 7-11.

Pupils aged 11-14.

Pupils aged 14-16.

Local Authority (previously known as the LEA the Local Education Authority).

Local Agenda 21 - international agenda for initiatives to improve the environment.

Looked After Children

A member appointed to a panel hearing appeals against non-admission or exclusion, being a person without personal experience in managing or providing education in any school.

Local Education Authority. A local government body that is responsible for providing education and for carrying out statutory assessments and maintaining Statements

Governor appointed by the LEA

School for which an LEA has financial and administrative responsibility.

A free advice line offering information on adult education Tel 0800 100 900.

A widely used job title for an assistant providing in-school support for pupils with SEN.

A governor who acts as a critical friend to the Governor Development Team to monitor the training provision and evaluate the quality of the service provided to all governors.

The term that describes a scheme for delegating financial responsibility from the LEA to schools.

Local Management of Schools

Leadership Program for Servicing Head teachers

Learning Support Assistant

Local Schools' Budget

Learning and Skills Council.

An ordinary school which is for all children. This would normally be a state school

Maintained Special School

Special Schools which are maintained by the LEA.

An experienced governor who will work with a new governor.

Minimum Funding Guarantee.

Modern Foreign Languages.

A parish or community council

A Teaching group in which children of all abilities are taught together and not streamed or set.

Meal Time Assistant.

Two or more professional trained in different specialisms working together to provide support, help and advice.

National Association of Head teachers.

The person at the LEA who deals with your child’s case

National Association for Primary Education, covering the ages from 3 to 13.

National Association of School Governors.

National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers.

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

National Assembly for Wales

National Curriculum - Established by the 1988 Education Act to ensure that all pupils receive a broad and balanced education.

National Co-ordinators of Governor Services.

National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations

National Council for Vocational Qualifications (see QCA)

National Foundation for Educational Research

National Governors Council

National Grid for Learning.

National Nursery Examination Board

New Opportunities Fund - source of government and/or lottery funding for change, for example it funds teacher training for ICT.

Members of school staff employed by the governors to provide services in school other than teaching, such as classroom assistants, cleaners and administrators.

Special Schools which are not maintained by the state, but charge fees on a non-profit making basis.

Number On Roll.

A document that may be issued when, following a statutory assessment, the LEA decide not to make a Statement

Notes Of Visit.

National Professional Qualification for Headteachers.

Newly Qualified Teacher -Teachers who obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) must successfully complete an induction period of three school terms (or equivalent) in order to remain eligible for employment as a teacher in maintained schools and non maintained special schools.

National Record of Achievement.

New Relationship with Schools.

National Union of Teachers.

National Vocational Qualification

Occupational therapy is the use of the purposeful activity and play to help a child attain maximum level of functional performance.

Office for Standards in Education. The body which sets standards and arranges school inspections.

Statement of what the school actually spent by the end of the financial year.

Planned Admissions Number - The number of children the LA (or governing body of an Aided School) determines can be admitted to a school.

A parent includes any person, who is not a parent of the child but has parental responsibility; or who cares for them under Section 576 of the Education Act 1996.

Governor elected by the parents of pupils on roll at the time of the election.

A service which provides support and advice to parents whose children have SEN

Parental Responsibility as per Section 2 of the Children Act 1989. Means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which a parent or legal guardian of a child has by law.

Pupil Achievement Tracker.

Primary Behaviour Improvement Team - To work in partnership with parents, teaching staff and other agencies to encourage the positive behaviour of children with emotional and behaviour difficulties: to enable them to succeed within a mainstream primary school.

A review of teachers’ performance both as individuals and in teams. It sets a framework for heads, teacher and their team leaders to establish and review priorities and objectives.

Normally a teacher who provides specialist instruction e.g. music at a number of schools.

Private Finance Initiative.

Post Graduate Certificate of Education

Parent Governor Representative elected to serve on the Councils’ Scrutiny Committee (Lifelong Learning)..

Physiotherapy is a health care profession that emphasis’s the use of physical approaches in the promotion, maintenance and restoration of an individuals physical, psychological and social well-being.

Pre-Inspection Briefing.

Performance Indicators in Primary Schools

Performance Indicators - measures to judge incremental, year-on-year trends or progress relative to national, regional, local or similar authority averages or top of class scores.

Pupil Level Annual Schools Census.

The time at the end of a lesson in which the teacher finds out what children have learnt.

Planning, Preparation and Assessment 10% non contact time for teachers.

Non pupil days set aside for teachers to attend for planning, in service training curriculum or staff development.

Formerly the National Record of Achievement. Supports pupils from Year 9 in planning their future progression.

Document describing the school’s ethos for prospective parents. The Education Act defines sections which must be included to allow parents to compare schools.

Performance Related Pay

Pupil Referral Service.

Pupil Referral Unit.

Personal, Social and Health Education.

Pastoral Support Program/Plan for pupils at serious risk of permanent exclusion.

Pupil Support Service

Parent Teacher Association

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

Any school established and maintained by an LEA which is specially organised to provide education for pupils who would not otherwise receive suitable education.

Pupils registered at a school.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Qualified Teacher Status

The number of governors who must be present to validate the proceedings of a governors’ meeting.

Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Evaluation. Online performance and assessment reports produced nationally.

Raising Attainment Plan.

Religious Education

Remodeling is set out in a national agreement that aims to reform the workforce. It is about giving teachers more time and support in order to raise standards, increase job satisfaction and improve the status of the profession.

Subordinate legislation deriving its authority from an Act of Parliament, legally binding on governing bodies and others.

A formal resolution made at a meeting which has been voted upon and agreed.

Registered Inspector (one authorised by Estyn to lead an inspection team)

Rewards and Incentives Group.

Record of Achievement (a document now required for all children leaving school containing a record over time of a pupil's achievements in and out of school).

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

Security Action for Education.

Speech and Language Therapist.

Standard Assessment Tasks used for curriculum assessment.

School Curriculum and Assessment Authority

When a class or subject teacher identify that a pupil has special educational needs they provide interventions that are additional to or different from those ordinarily provided by the school.   Refer to the SENCO

When the class or subject teacher and the SENCO are provided with advice or support from outside specialists.

A report by governors on the school’s performance, pre-populated with data supplied by the DCSF.

Sports Council Wales

School Development Plan.

Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning.

Social Environmental Behaviour Skills.

The release of staff on a temporary basis to work elsewhere.

Self/School Evaluation Form.

Special Educational Needs - policy and practice in relation to some 20%+ of the pupil population who at one or another time in their school careers experience some form of learning difficulty.

A guide for schools and LEAs about the help they give to children with SEN

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

Special Educational Needs Discrimination Act

The SCE oversees the education of the UK Service children abroad and those who have significant special educational needs.

Secondary Heads' Association

Statutory Instrument. Subordinate legislation made under the authority of an Act of Parliament. It has the same force in law as an Act of Parliament.

Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools.

Statement of Internal Control.

Schools Information Management Systems. A computer software package to assist schools in managing information on pupils, staff and resources.

School Improvement Plan.

SLA

Service Level Agreement - a written contract between a provider of services and their purchaser, commonly found in local government internal arrangements between one department or service and another, eg between Education Services and Schools.

An acronym for School Attainment Targets - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-limited.

Senior Management Team.

Standard Number. The legally determined number of pupils in the admission year group below which the PAN (Planned Admissions Number) may not be set.

SNAP Cymru’s Independent Parent Partnership Service is free to families and offering impartial, accurate information, advice and support to young people, parents and carers.

Schools Organisation Plan

Children have special educational needs if they have learning difficulties that need special educational provision. They have learning difficulties if they find it harder to learn than most children of the same age or they have disabilities that make it difficult for them in school

An independent body that hears appeals against decisions made by LEAs on statutory assessments and Statements

The additional or different help given to children with SEN

A school that is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with SEN whose special educational needs cannot be met within mainstream school.

A unit attached to a mainstream school to cater for children with specific special needs.

The SLT is a health care profession, the roll and aim of which is to enable young adults and children with speech, language and communication difficulties to reach their maximum communication potential and achieve independence in all aspects of life.

Specific Learning Difficulty i.e. Dyslexia

Standard Spending Assessment (Government assessment of what a local authority needs to spend in a given year.

School Standards and Framework Act 1998

The legally determined number of pupils in the admission year group below which the PAN (Planned Admissions Number) may not be set.

Statement of special educational needs. A document that sets out a child’s significant special educational needs and all the additional help they should receive

A very detailed examination of a child’s special educational needs

A child reaches statutory school age at the beginning of the term following his or her fifth birthday.

School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document

Planning, in order to attain agreed goals.

School Teachers Review Body. A body appointed by the Prime Minister to examine and report on such matters relating to the statutory conditions of employment of school teachers including teachers pay.

An innovative cross-departmental strategy to improve services for children under 4 and those in disadvantages areas.

Teacher Assessment

Teaching and Learning.

Each autumn, governing bodies of all maintained primary and secondary schools must set targets for improving pupil performance.

A digital television channel and website which enables teachers and schools to learn by sharing practical ideas and information.

Times Educational Supplement.

Teachers may apply to be assessed to be paid above the threshold of their incremental ceiling.

Teaching and Learning Responsibility additional payment for specific teaching and learning responsibilities over and beyond the normal teaching role.

A plan drawn after the year 9 annual review of a Statement. It sets out the steps needed to move from school to adult life

Teacher Training Agency

Transfer of Undertakings

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service a central agency for processing applications for university courses.

Union of local authority, health and other public sector employees.

Upper Pay Spine.

Voluntary Aided Schools - A school set up and owned by a voluntary body, usually a church body, largely financed by an LEA. The governing body employ the staff, and control pupil admissions and religious education. They also pay 15% towards some building costs.

Shows the progress made by an individual pupil or groups of pupils compared with the average progress made by similar pupils nationally between the Key Stages.

Voluntary Controlled Schools – A school set by a voluntary body usually a church body (Church in Wales). Totally funded by an LEA. The LEA employs the staff and is the admission authority.

Classes formed (in primary schools) with pupils of different age groups.

A local authority term to enable monies to be transferred from one budget heading to another.

Welsh Assembly Government

Welsh Development Agency

Welsh Language Board

Wales Local Government Association

Year Eleven Information System.

Youth Justice Board.

Youth Offending Team.