Educational jargon glossary
AHT - Assistant Head teacher
DHT - Deputy Head teacher
EAL - English as an Additional Language - Refers to children whose first language(s) is/are not English and who may not yet be speaking English fluently or even at all.
ELG's - Early Learning Goals set out the learning and development skills most children will have achieved by the end of Reception.
EYFS - Early Years Foundation Stage - A framework for care and education of children from birth to five years of age.
EWO - Education Welfare Officer - Person employed by the school to help parents and the LA meet their statutory obligations in relation to school attendance.
EYP - Early Years Practitioner
FS - Foundation Stage - made up of Nursery and Reception children 3-5 years old
FSM - Free School Meals
IT - Information and Communication Technology
INSET - In-Service Education and Training - Training for teachers which takes place during the school year.
ITE - Initial Teacher Education
HT - Head teacher
KS1 - Key Stage 1 - 5-7 years old
KS2 - Key Stage 2 - 7-11 years old
LA - Local Authority
MFL - Modern Foreign Languages
NQT - Newly Qualified Teacher
PE - Physical Education
PPA - Planning, Preparation and Assessment time
PSHCE - Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education
QTS - Qualified Teacher Status
RE - Religious Education
SATs - Standard Attainment Tests/Tasks - National Curriculum Tests and Tasks which take place at the end of Key Stage 1 and at the end of Key Stage 2.
SEAL - Social Emotional Aspects of Learning
SENCo - Special Educational Needs Coordinator
SCITT - School-centred initial teacher training
SD - School Direct trainee teacher programme
SEND - Special Educational Needs and Disability Provision - Support for pupils with learning difficulties.
SLT - Senior Leadership Team
Common questions
What are INSET days? INSET stands for In Service Training. All schools in England have five days every year when they are closed to pupils to allow for staff training. They are an important part of staff training and development, ensuring that staff stay up to date with latest developments.
What is the Foundation stage? The Foundation Stage is Nursery and Reception.
What are Key Stage 1 and 2 (KS1 and KS2)? Key Stage 1 is Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 2 is Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.
What is the national curriculum? The national curriculum outlines what all children should be taught in each Key Stage.
What are national curriculum levels? We no longer use national curriculum levels as these were withdrawn by the Department of Education.
What are SATs? They are Statutory Assessment Tasks. These are national tasks / tests which are used to assess all children at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) and the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6). The SAT results give a ‘snapshot’ of children’s attainment; in other words how they achieved in particular tasks or tests taken on a specific day / week.
What is Teacher Assessment? This is the teachers’ judgement about a child's attainment according to national curriculum end of year expectations. This judgement will be made based on evidence gathered over a period of time and from a range of pieces of work, together with test results.
Who are governors? Members of a school's Governing Body who have responsibility for raising school standards through key roles of setting strategic direction, ensuring accountability and monitoring & evaluating school performance.