Education Jargon
Ability Grouping
A method of assigning children to classes or teaching groups according to particular abilities. This can include setting, banding and streaming.Admissions
The admission of pupils to County and Controlled Schools is the responsibility of the LEA. At Aided Schools admissions are the responsibility of the governors. See the appropriate admissions policy for your school.Admissions Appeals
Where a child is refused admission to a school and the parent is not satisfied by the decision, then an appeal may be made to an appeals body.Admissions Limit
The maximum number of pupils it is intended to admit into the first year of school.Advisers
Persons employed by the authority, with expertise in a particular curriculum area or phase of education, to provide advice, guidance and support in all matters of education, e.g. appointments, curriculum development, classroom practice and induction of teachers. These functions are carried out by Inspectors.ACAS
Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration ServiceACo
Area Co-ordinator (or Clerk to the Governing Body)Agreed Syllabus
Non-denominational scheme of Religious Education adopted by LEAs for use in non-Aided schools.ASFO
Area School Finance Officer. An officer of Durham Local Education Authority (LEA) School and Governor Support Service (SGSS) to assist the school in setting the budget and monitoring expenditure.ABAPSTAS
Association of Blind and Partially Sighted Teachers and Students.AWPU
Age Weighted Pupil Unit: the basis for calculating most of the money allocated to a school.Audio-Visual Aids
Any non-book material used as a teaching aid and nowadays usually indicates electronic equipmentBaseline Assessment
A system for measuring and evaluating skills, capabilities and limitations, for children starting school.Casting Vote
The Chair of governors has a casting vote where an equal number of votes is cast for and against a motion. S/he may then, and only then, cast a second vote to decide the issue (or vote for the first time in the case of an initial abstention).Clerk to the Governing Body
A person appointed to carry out administrative duties for the governing body, such as preparing agendas, minuting meetings and dealing with correspondence. Most governing bodies in Durham have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the School and Governor Support Service (SGSS) to provide these duties.Community Governor
Representatives chosen by elected governors to join the governing body."Conduct" (of a school)
All aspects of the running of a school, including its aims and the means by which these are pursued, the allocation of resources and the academic and pastoral organisation adopted.CRE
Campaign for Racial EqualityCurriculum
The sum of all the experiences to which a child is exposed at school, both inside and outside the classroom.Delegation
Where power and authority is properly exercised by a person or a group on behalf of another person or group.DfES
Department for Education and Skills - the central government department responsible for national education policy, planning and finance from Nursery to Higher, Further and Adult Education.Directed Time
Time when a teacher must be available to carry out duties under the direction of the Head. As well as teaching lessons, it covers other duties, such as attending staff meetings and parent consultation meetings and taking part in training activities. A full-time teacher’s directed time amounts to a maximum of 1265 hours in any one school year.EBD
Emotional and Behavioural Disorder.Educational Psychologists
Carry out psychological assessment and work with individual children to improve learning and behaviour.EWO
Education Welfare Officer. A professional worker who visits homes and deals with attendance problems and other welfare matters.Exclusions
Suspension of pupil from school fixed term or permanently on disciplinary grounds.Falling Rolls
A decline in the number of pupils, either at a particular school, or, because of lower birth rates or outward migration, across a wider area.Field Study
Practical activities in biology, geography and geology, etc. which take place away from the school site.Foundation Governor
Governor appointed by the foundation body of a voluntary school, usually a church, to preserve the character of the school.Form of Entry
As in "a 4FE school". The number of forms or classes that a school admits each year, thus indicating the size of the school. For planning purposes a form of entry is taken as 30 pupils.Form 7
A DfES form sent to every school each January to collect statistical information on a national basis about the numbers of teachers employed, the number of children in each age group, the organising of classes etc. It is used as the basis for calculation of funding for the school.General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)
A single system of examinations for 16 year olds which is based on national criteria.Governors
Those appointed to act as corporate members of a body set up to exercise general oversight of the school, in accordance with its Instrument of Government.Grievance
A complaint formally registered by an employee that he/she has been unfairly treated in some way in his/her employment. The governors must have procedures for attempting to solve such problems. A model policy has been developed by the LEA and is included in schools "Manual of Guidance".Group (of a school)
The number of pupils and their ages determines the school’s Unit Total according to a formula laid down by the Teachers Pay and Conditions Document. Unit Totals are divided into bands which decide the GROUP NUMBER of a school.HMI
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (of Schools and Colleges)."In Loco Parentis"
"In the place of a parent" - a teacher must act towards a pupil as a "reasonable" parent could be expected to act.INSET
In-Service Education and Training. Courses and other activities for practising teachers run by LEAs, the DfEE or other organisations, and designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning.Inspector
A member of staff in the Education Department appointed to inspect, monitor, review and report on standards. At this point in time the function is also linked to the provision of advice and support to further development and good practice in education.ICT
Information and Communication TechnologyInstrument of Government
A document which lays down the constitution of membership of a body of governors of a school and the manner in which the governing body discharges its function.Key Stages
The stages of compulsory education, at the end of which children are tested against attainment targets set by the National Curriculum for those stages.(Foundation Stage age 3 / 5 Pre-school and Reception)
KS1 age 5 /7 Y1 / Y2
KS2 age 7 / 11 Y3 / Y6
KS3 age 11 / 14 Y7 / Y9
KS4 age 14 / 16 Y10 / Y11
