Jargon Buster

AAP	Associate Assistant Principal
Academy	A state funded school which is directly funded by the Department for Education and independent of Local Authority control.
Academy Converter	A school that has chosen through Governing Body Resolution and application to the Secretary of State to become an Academy under the Academies Act 2010. They can be a ‘stand alone’ Academy or choose to join a sponsor.
Academy (Sponsor Led)	A school that was directed by the Secretary of State to become an Academy under the Academies Act 2010. They can be a ‘stand alone’ Academy or choose to join a sponsor.
ADHD	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder A condition whereby a child has difficulty in maintaining concentration and is unable to stay on task due to hyperactivity.
AFL	Assessment for Learning Using evidence from assessment to check student progress and inform teachers’ planning.
APP	Assessing Pupil Progress A system for using assessment criteria to assess progress and inform planning.
Assessment	Ways of judging how well students are progressing.
Attainment	What students accomplish.
ATL	Attitude to Learning Every student is graded on this in every subject each term.
Awarding Bodies	The Exam Boards who award examination results.
BFL	Behaviour for Learning A code that sets out the behaviour expected of students.
Bridge Centre	The Bridge Centre is the informal name of the Inclusion Centre and is the place where the Student Support Team are based.
British Values	A Government initiative to promote tolerance and equality. The British Values are: Democracy Rule of law Individual liberty Mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
BTL	Barrier to Learning Some students perform less well than we would like because of specific barriers. The BTL is an optional column when ATL data is reported which is designed to flag up students where organisation, literacy or numeracy or combinations of them are preventing the student from progressing as well as we would like.
CAGS	Centre Assessed GradesIn 2020, CAGs were used to replace exams. They were estimated by teachers based on what the students would most likely have achieved if there had been exams.
Catchment Area	A defined geographical area from which a school takes its students.
CBT	Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Centre	Exam boards and the JCQ refer to schools as ‘centres’ the places where exams take place.
CG	Current Grade
Citizenship	The subject which covers three inter-related areas: social and moral responsibility, community involvement and political literacy.
Classy Celia	The report that is used to compare a class's predicted grades to their target grades. This should be used to drive intervention by class teachers and Subject Leaders.
Code of Practice (SEND)	A guide to schools and Local Authorities (LAs) about the help they can give to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Community Schools	Schools wholly funded by the Local Authority (LA).
Core Curriculum	English, Mathematics and a Science; those subjects which must be studied by all students.
Curriculum	All the courses and learning opportunities a school offers or a course of study being followed by a child. What is taught, when it is taught and how it is taught.
DfE	The Department for Education
Differentiation	The way in which the school’s curriculum and teaching methods are adapted to meet the needs of children of differing abilities.
Disadvantaged (Pupil)	For statistical purposes, the DfE defines 'Disadvantaged' students as children who have qualified for Free School Meals (FSM) in the past six years, children with a parent in the armed services, looked after children (in the care system) and children who have previously been looked after. National trends are that these students tend to perform less well than their non-disadvantaged ('other') peers. Raising the attainment of disadvantaged students is a priority of the DfE. Disadvantaged students attract extra funding through the Pupil Premium process and the Academy is measure on their success.
DLG	Depth of Learning Grid A collection of Depth of Learning Indicators (DLIs) for a particular subject.
DLI	Depth of Learning Indicator Used for Key Stage 3 assessment.
DSL and ADSL	Designated Safeguarding Lead and Alternate Designated Safeguarding Leads.
Dyscalculia	Dyscalculia affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Sufferers may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts and often have problems learning number facts and procedures.
Dyslexia	A learning difficulty of which the chief manifestation is a particular difficulty with reading and spelling. For more information go to the British Dyslexia Association.
EBACC	The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance measure linked to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).
EBD	Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
EHCP	Education, Health and Care Plan An EHCP is a legal document which sets out a description of your child’s needs (what he or she can and cannot do) and what needs to be done to meet those needs by education, health and social care. Generally, only a very small number of children with especially complex and severe needs which require very high levels of support are issued with an EHCP. They are a more comprehensive replacement for ‘statements’.
EFA	Education Funding Agency The EFA administers education revenue and capital funding for learners between the ages of 3 and 19, or up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. It also supports building and maintenance programmes for schools, academies, free schools and Sixth Form colleges. EFA is an executive agency of the Department for Education.
Equal Opportunities	The principle of non-discrimination which emphasizes that opportunities in school should be freely available to everyone irrespective of their age, race, sex, religion, political association, ethnic origin, or any other individual or group characteristic unrelated to ability, performance, and qualification. The chance for everyone, no matter what their ability background to participate in school life/curriculum.
Evaluation	The making of a judgement about the success of something e.g. how well did it work?
Exam Boards	The organisation who decide on the content for exam courses and set and mark the exam questions.
Faculty	At Beccles High School, subjects are loosely grouped into faculties.
FE	Further Education The FE sector in England includes further education colleges, Sixth Form colleges, specialist colleges and adult education institutes. It does not include universities.
FSM	Free School Meals
FSM - Ever Six	Any student who has been registered for Free School Meals in the last six years.
FTE	Fixed Term Exclusion
Functional Skills	Functional Skills are practical skills in English, Maths and ICT that help learners gain the most out of work, education and everyday life.
G&T	Gifted and Talented The gifted are those with high ability in one or more academic subject and the talented are those with a high ability in sport, music, visual arts and/or performing arts.
GCSE	General Certificate of Secondary Education
Gold Groups	At Beccles High School, we have vertical tutor (form) groups from Year 7 to Year 10. Year 11 stand alone and are split into ‘Gold’ groups in order to prepare for GCSE.
Growth Mindset	In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work - brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great achievement.
HLTA	Higher Level Teaching Assistant
HOF	Head of Faculty
HOH	Head of House
HOY	Head of Year
Houses	Every student at Beccles High School is organised into one of four houses: Boudicca Cavell Kett Nelson Houses are led by a Head of House (a teacher) working with House Captains (students).
IAG	Information Advice and GuidanceTo inform students about their options for further education and training.
ICT	Information and Communication Technology
IEP	Individual Education Plan Drawn up by a school’s SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator). It sets targets for a child to achieve and a date for a review of progress.
Inclusion	The process by which schools, Local Education Authorities and others develop their cultures, policies and practices to include and provide for ALL students’ needs no matter what their background or ability is.
INSET	In-Service Education and Training INSET days are set aside to allow teachers to update their skills and knowledge in order to raise student achievement.
JCQ	Joint Council for Qualifications The National organisation that oversees examination administration.
KCSiE	Keeping Children Safe in Education The statutory guidance from the Department of Education that sets out the legal duties that govern all schools and colleges in England when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under the age of 18.
Key Stage (e.g. KS3, KS4)	Your child’s progress through school is measured in Key Stages. Key Stage 1 covers students aged from 5-7, Key Stage 2 from 7-11, Key Stage 3 from 11–14, Key Stage 4 from 14–16 and Key Stage 5 from 16-18.
LA	Local Authority A body responsible for providing education for pupils of school age in its area. It also has responsibility for early years, the youth service and adult education.
LAC	Looked after Children The term ‘looked after children’ is defined in law under the Children Act 1989. A child is looked after by a Local Authority if he or she is in their care or is provided with accommodation for more than 24 hours by the authority.
LEA	Local Education Authority This was the part of the Local Council that was responsible for education. The phrase is now obsolete in official use and has been replaced by the Children Services Authority or commonly known as Local Authority.
Learning Difficulty	If a child has a learning difficulty, he or she may find it harder to learn, understand and communicate than it is for other children.
LSA	Learning Support Assistant A non-teaching member of staff who helps to meet the educational needs of children. LSAs support teachers in classes and work with small groups or individual students in extraction.
LT	Leadership Team The Leadership Team is made up of the Executive Principal, Deputy Principal and Assistant Principal, Associate Assistant Principals, Director of Administration and Director of Student Support.
MEG	The Minimum Expected Grade a Key Stage 4 student should be aiming for.
MEL	The Minimum Expected Level a Key Stage 3 student should be aiming for.
MLD	Moderate Learning Difficulties
MT	Management TeamThe Academy's Management Team includes everyone who holds a TLR2 and TLR1 responsibility and those on the Leadership Team.
National Curriculum	The basic framework setting out what children aged 5-16 in state schools should learn.
OFQUAL	The Office of Qualifications and Examination RegulationsThe Government body that oversees exams/qualifications.
OFSTED	Office for Standards in EducationThe body which inspects state funded schools. OFSTED inspectors produce education reports to help improve schools
OPP	One Page Profile Drawn up by the Student Support Team, it sets targets for a child to achieve and a date for a review of progress.
Participation	Do all students join in? Can they?
PDBW	Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare
PEEP	Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan
PEX	Permanent Exclusion
PFG	Parent Focus Group Representative of the Academy's parental body, the PFG serves as a consultative and advisory group (but without delegated monitoring and reporting responsibility) and meets with the LT on a termly basis.
PFL	Prepared for Learning This is our protocol to ensure students are ready for lessons (i.e. have the correct stationary equipment etc).
PP	Pupil Premium The Pupil Premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.
Progress 8	Progress 8 is a measure of the progress children make between the end of primary school and the end of secondary school. It considers English, Maths and six other subjects.
PSED	Public Sector Equality Duty The PSED is a duty on public authorities to consider or think about how their policies or decisions affect people who are protected under the Equality Act. The Academy's PSED objectives are published on the website.
Safeguarding	To promote the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff at Beccles High School. This includes Child Protection.
SEMHD	Social, Emotional Mental Health Difficulties
SEN	Special Educational Needs Learning difficulties, talents or other needs, for which a child requires extra help.
SEND	Special Educational Needs and Disabilities A child or young person has special educational needs and disabilities if they have a learning difficulty and/or a disability that means they need special health and education support.
SENCO	Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator The teacher in a school who is responsible for arranging the extra help for children with Special Educational Needs.
SET	Sapientia Education TrustThe family of schools that Beccles High School belongs to.
SLT	Senior Leadership Team The Academy’s Senior Leadership Team includes the Executive Principal, Deputy Principal and Assistant Principal.
SMT	Senior Management Team The Senior Management Team is made up of members from the Senior Leadership Team, the Leadership Team, the Wider Leadership Team, the SENCO, Heads of Faculty and Heads of Key Stage 3 and 4.
SpLD	Specific Learning Difficulty A child has a Specific Learning Difficulty if they have an identified problem with one or more areas of the curriculum, usually reading, writing, spelling and/or number work.
SRB	Specialist Resource Base The SRB extracts some students from lessons to give them support as individuals or in small groups.
SSM	Student Support Mentor Student Support Mentors form the Student Support Team.
SSSM	Senior Student Support Mentor A senior member of the Student Support Team who hold additional responsibilities such as being an Alternate Designated Safeguarding Leads and line managing other members of the team.
Support Staff	Members of staff employed by the Academy to provide all support other than teaching.
TAGS	Teacher Assessed Grades In 2021, TAGs were used to replace exams. They required teachers to gather, mark and moderate evidence to show what grades students were working at.The grades given have to be based on evidence only.
Targets	The individual goals set for a child. Targets are a way of checking the child’s progress.
VSR	Virtual Staff Room Our Intranet where staff can access the most important documents in a SharePoint Library, known as the ‘VSR’ (Virtual Staff Room).
WLT	Wider Leadership Team The Wider Leadership Team is made up of members from the Senior Leadership Team, the Leadership Team and the Heads of Faculty for English, Maths and Science.
Work Experience	A system which allows students approaching the end of secondary education the opportunity to take part in work placements.