Glossary
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
Download the whole spreadsheet here
A&E - Accident & Emergency
The department in a hospital specifically for people who have been involved in an accident or are suffering from a critical or life threatening illness.
AC - Audit Commission
An independent body responsible for ensuring that public money is being used economically, efficiently and effectively.
ACPC - Area Child Protection Committee
The Area Child Protection Committee brings together representatives of each of the main agencies and professionals responsible for promoting children's welfare and helping to protect children from abuse and neglect.
ADHD - Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD is a range of problem behaviours associated with poor attention span, including restlessness and hyperactivity.
AEO - Assistant Education Officer
ADSS - Association of Directors of Social Services
They have four objectives; to promote the education of the public in matters of social policy, social organisation and social problems; to promote the release of poverty; to promote the release of the aged, sick and disabled and the preservation and protection of physical and mental health for the benefit of the public; and to promote better care and the upbringing of children in need and the preservation of family life for the benefit of the public
APA - Annual Performance Assessment
Assessment of the annual performance of a company or organisation.
ASB - Aggregated Schools Budget
The total financial amount delegated to schools.
ASB - Anti-social Behaviour
Anti-social behaviour includes a range of problems – noisy neighbours, abandoned cars, vandalism, graffiti, litter and youth nuisance.
ASBO - Anti-social Behaviour Order
Civil orders that exist to protect the public from behaviour that causes or is likely to cause harassment, harm or distress.
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
The term used for a range of disorders affecting the development of social interaction, communication and imagination.
ASHE - Association of Secondary Heads
The professional association for leaders of secondary schools and colleges. Members of ASHE are entitled to personal advice and guidance from a network of local and national officials, support through national branches and meetings, and a number of member benefits.
AXS - The branding given to Devon's whole systems approach to the implementation of the Every Child Matters Agenda. AXS is 'text speak' for 'access'. Implementing the national tools and processes, the programme is focussing on early intervention and prevention. See www.devonchildrenstrust.org.uk/wfd/axstraining.html for more information
BDA - British Dyslexia Association
An educational charity, founded in 1972, for the assessment and teaching of people with dyslexia and for the training of teachers. It has grown to become the only national dyslexia teaching organisation in the world.
BEAM - Balance Education and Movement.
BECTA - British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
Government agency promoting the use of information and communications technology.
BEM - Business Excellence Model
A nine-box model, originally developed by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). Its purpose is to "support the management of Western European organisations in accelerating the process of making quality a decisive influence for achieving global competitive advantage."
BEMS - Building Energy Maintenance Systems
Sustains and promotes vital research in education.
BERA - British Educational Research Association.
BHLP - Budget Holding Lead Professional
Pilots have been set up to trial the concept of the budget-holding lead professional. The aim is to test whether better service packages for core groups of children and families could be delivered by giving lead professionals a budget with which to quickly procure goods and commission services directly from providers. Devon is a Pilot as a part of the AXS Programme
BIP - Behaviour Improvement Programme
An innovative new programme aimed at improving poor behaviour and attendance in schools where these issues form significant barriers to learning.
BME - Black and Minority Ethnic
The number and proportions of people from black and ethnic communities.
BSA - Basic Skills Agency
Development organisation for literacy and numeracy.
BSP - Behaviour Support Plans
Local Authorities are required to publish a Behaviour Support Plan which sets out the arrangements for the education of children with behaviour difficulties.
BST - Behaviour Support Team
BTEC - Business and Technology Education Council
A further education award.
BV - Best Value
BVPI - Best Value Performance Indicator
A national measure of performance which is set by central government.
BVPP - Best Value Performance Plan
Each year, all Councils must produce a Best Value Performance Plan. The plan lets you know which of our services we have looked at over the previous year, and any plans we have to improve them.
BVR - Best Value Review
The purpose of a best value review is to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of the functions under review.
CACL - Content for Adult and Community Learning
This funding stream, of up to £2,000 per project, enables ACL organisations to establish small-scale projects which allow practitioners to develop their own materials for e-learning.
CAF - Common Assessment Framework
The 'Every Child Matters' Green Paper introduced CAF as a central element of the strategy for helping children, young people and their families. The aim is to identify, at the earliest opportunity, children’s additional needs that are not being met by the universal services they are receiving, and provide timely and co-ordinated support to meet those needs. Devon's implementation is a part of the AXS Programme
CAL --Computer Assisted Learning
An open learning resource.
CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Service to provide help support and care for children and young people suffering from mental health problems.
CASE - Campaign for the Advancement of State Education
An education group, which campaigns for the right of all to the highest quality state education, regardless of race, gender, home circumstances, ability or disability.
CASP - Children Activity and Support Programme (“Big Steam”)
CBfEVE - Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges
CCA - Child Care Award
CCT - Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Allowing external organisations to put in a tender in order to compete for work which was previously undertaken by the County Council.
CCW - Child Care Worker
Childcare workers nurture and teach children of all ages in childcare centres, nursery schools, preschools, public schools, private households, family childcare homes, and in before and after school programs.
CDC - Council for Disabled Children
CDC - Child Development Centre
CDRP - Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
Organisations including the police, health care service and local authorities, working together in order to reduce crime.
CDT - Craft, Design and Technology
CEN - Community Education Network
CENs - Community Empowerment Networks
CEO - Chief Education Officer
Head of all education services within a local authority.
CER - Community Education and Regeneration
CFF - Common Funding Formula
Proposals designed to deliver greater equity and consistency in how schools are funded.
CID - Communication and Interaction Difficulties
CIF - Common Inspection Framework (for post-16 Education and Training)
Guidelines for joint inspections, setting out descriptions of good practice in education and training that inspectors should be looking out for.
CIN- Children in Need
A framework securing the well-being of children by protecting them from all forms of harm and ensuring that their development needs are responded to appropriately.
CIPFA - Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
The leading accountancy body for public services.
CIS - Children`s Information Service
Provides good quality, impartial information and guidance on childcare, early education and other children's services.
CLIP - Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
Provides advice and guidance about information management, libraries and records management.
CoA - Certificate of Achievement (MEG/OCR)
CONFED - Confederation of Education Services Managers
CoP - Code of Practice
CP - Child Protection
Assisting or caring for children who are particularly vulnerable.
CPA - Comprehensive Performance Assessment
Helping local councils in England improve services for their communities.
CPAG - Child Poverty Action Group
Charity campaigning for the abolition of poverty among children and young people in the UK, and for the improvement of the lives of low-income families
CPC - Child Protection Committee
To promote the well-being of children and ensure their protection from abuse and neglect through multi-disciplinary and multi-agency co-operation.
CPD - Continuing Professional Development
The means by which members of professional associations maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in their professional lives.
CPE - Centre of Procurement Excellence
Created to improve best practice and innovate changes in council procurement.
CPET - Child Protection Enquiries Team
CPR - Child Protection Register
A confidential list of names of children who are believed to be at risk of significant harm.
CPS - Crown Prosecution Service
Body responsible for prosecuting people in England and Wales charged with criminal offences.
CQSW - Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
Qualification allowing you to be employed as a social worker.
CRAC - Careers Research and Advisory Centre
An independent educational charity which aims to advance the education of the public, and young people in particular, in lifelong career-related learning.
CRB - Criminal Records Bureau
A government organisation whose purpose is to help all types of organisations in England and Wales make more informed recruitment decisions.
CRE - Commission for Racial Equality
Organisation which works towards the elimination of racial discrimination and encourages good relations between people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
CSCI - Commission for Social Care Inspection
The only independent inspectorate for all social care services in England.
CSET - County Special Education Team
CSIE - Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education
An independent centre working in the UK and overseas to promote inclusion and end segregation.
CSN - Children with Special Needs
Children who have either physical or mental disabilities.
CTLF - Children’s Trust Local Forum (formerly LPIG)
CVS - Council for Voluntary Service
Organisation which helps to promote voluntary and community action by supporting members of the CVS.
CYP - Children and Young People
CYPS - Children and Young People's Services
Devon County Council directorate which includes education and social services.
CYPP - Children and Young People’s Plan
CYPSP - Children and Young People’s Strategic Plan
DAISI - Devon Arts in Schools Initiative
DAG - Drug Action Group
DAT - Drug Action Team
Local multi-agency, co-ordinating groups set up under the UK Government's strategy for England: 'Tackling Drugs Together'.
DCC - Devon County Council
Local Authority for Devon.
DCD - Developmental Coordination Disorder
Generalised term for difficulties with physical skills which are not due to a known disease state.
DCLG - The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
Central Government body whose remit is to promote community cohesion and equality, as well as being responsible for housing, urban regeneration, planning and local government.
DCMS - Department for Culture, Media and Sport (England)
Responsible for Government policy on the arts, sport, the National Lottery, tourism, libraries, museums and galleries, broadcasting, film, the music industry, press freedom and regulation, licensing, gambling and the historic environment.
DCS - Devon Curriculum Services
Local Authority service which works with schools, other organisations and partners to raise educational standards.
DDA - Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) aims to end the discrimination which many people with disabilities face.
DfES - Department for Education and Skills (England)
Organisation who aim to provide the highest level of educational standards, available to everyone at all levels.
DH - Department of Health
Responsible for setting health and social care policy in England.
DIS - Disability Information Service
DISC & DISCplus - Devon Information Services for Children
Provides a wide range of children's services, including child care, holiday clubs and parent and toddler groups. DISCplus provides information for those children with special needs.
DoE - Department of Education (Northern Ireland)
Responsible for education provision in Northern Ireland.
DoH - Department of Health
Responsible for setting health and social care policy in England.
DP - Direct payments
Local council payments available for anyone who has been assessed as needing help from social services, and who would like to buy in their help instead of receiving it directly from the local council.
DRTF - Disability Rights Task Force
Established to advise on how best to deliver the Government's manifesto commitment to comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people.
DSO - Direct Service Organisation
DSP - Devon Strategic Partnership
Organisation which aims to improve the quality of life of people living in Devon by ensuring the work of all agencies and groups has the needs of local people at its core.
DT - Design and Technology
DV - Domestic Violence
Violence that takes place in the home.
DWP - Department for Work and Pensions (formerly DSS)
Organisation which promote work as the best form of welfare, helping more people into work and supporting those who can't work.
DYA - Devon Youth Association
Supports and runs sustainable services with and for young people.
DYP - Devon Youth Parliament
Gives the young people of the UK between the ages of 11 and 18 a voice, which will be heard and listened to by local and national government as well as other agencies.
DYS - Devon Youth Service
Supports the learning of young people and promotes the social and economic inclusion of all young people.
EA - Education Authority (Scotland)
Responsible for education provision in Scotland.
EAL - English as an Additional Language
When English is someones second language.
EAZ - Education Action Zone
Education Action Zones allow local partnerships - schools, parents, the community, businesses and local authorities - to find solutions to their problems.
EBD - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulty
EBP - Education Business Partnership
Organises work experience placements and prepares children to enter into their working lives.
ECM - Every Child Matters
A new approach to the well-being of children and young people from birth to age 19. Devon's approach to this agenda is the AXS Programme
ECYPPC - Education of Children and Young People in Public Care
Established to tackle the serious underachievement of those children in care in order to bring their attainment closer to that of their peers.
EDI - Electronic Data Interchange
The transfer of information between different companies using networks such as the internet.
EDP - Education Development Plan
Focuses the efforts of the Local Education Authority and schools as they work together to improve standards.
EDP - Education Department Performance
EEC - Early Excellence Centres
Established in the late 1990s to bring together early education, day care, social support and adult learning.
EFQM - European Framework for Quality Management
An excellence model established as a framework for assessing applications for the European Quality Award.
EIA - Equality Impact Assessments
A way of finding out whether a policy (or proposed policy), affects different groups of people in different ways.
EIP - Early Intervention Programme
An intervention initiative to raise standards of literacy and numeracy of pupils from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
ELB - Education and Library Board (Northern Ireland)
The authority responsible for education, youth and library services in Northern Ireland
EP - Educational Psychologist
Applying knowledge and techniques from psychology to the field of education.
EPPA - Effective Partnership with Parents
EPQA - Effective Practice Quality Assurance
Introduced by the Youth Justice Board in 2003, including final warnings, education, training, employment and assessment, planning, intervention, and supervision.
EPS - Education Psychology Service
The Service, comprising psychologists, teachers and special needs assistants, is concerned with pupils whose progress at school or whose behaviour creates difficulties for themselves, their teachers or their parents.
ERA - Education Reform Act 1988
The act was introduced to make provision for local authority functions with regard to higher and further education; to reorganise the provision of higher education. It also introduced the National Curriculum at compulsory schooling level, making subjects such as English and Maths compulsory - prior to this, Religious Education had been the only compulsory school subject!
ERO - Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 (N. Ireland)
ESCR - Electronic Social Care Record
An electronic record of all people in care, registered carers and types of care available.
ET&E - Education, Training & Employment
Aims to raise standards in education, achievement & employment for care leavers.
EWO - Education Welfare Officer
Also known as education social workers, they deal with young people who have problems with irregular attendance or absence from school.
EWS - Education Welfare Service
Organisation which help schools improve pupils’ attendance and reduce unnecessary absence and truancy.
FACS - Fair Access to Carers Breaks
To provide a fair way of allocating the available resources for short breaks to carers who care for disabled adults and children.
FCW - Family Care Worker
Provides care, within a family environment, for young people whose assessed needs cannot be met by traditional foster care or residential placement.
FE - Further Education
Post 16 education.
FGC - Family Group Conferences
Offered to a wide range of families where decisions need to be made about children.
FoI - Freedom of Information Act
Gives people a general right of access to information held by or on behalf of public authorities, and promotes a culture of openness and accountability for public sector bodies.
FPC - Family Proceedings Court
The court where family matters are dealt with.
FSAT - Foundation Stage Advisory Teacher
FSM - Free School Meals
Children whose families are on low income may qualify to receive free school meals.
FSP - Foundation Stage Profile
A way of summing up each child's progress and learning needs at the end of the foundation stage. For most children, this is at the end of the reception year in primary school.
FSS - Formula Spending Share (replaced SSA)
Guarantees all authorities a minimum increase of 3.2% in Education Formula Spending Share per pupil per academic year.
FTE - Full Time Equivalent
GCSE - General Certificate of Secondary Education
Qualification awarded to secondary school pupils on completion of their compulsory school attendence.
GIS - Geographic Information Systems
GNVQ - General National Vocational Qualification
GOSW - Government Office of the South West
GP - General Practitioner
H&S - Health and Safety
Guidelines to help to maintain and safe and healthy environment.
HA - Health Authority
Responsible for health services and developments within the NHS.
HAZ - Health Action Zone
Improves local health services.
HE - Higher Education
Education at a degree or equivalent level.
HEADLAMP - Headteachers` Leadership and Management Programme
A plan that will ensure a continual programme of training and development throughout a school leader's career.
HEI - Higher Education Institution
Universties or educational institutes that provide education at a higher education level.
HES - Hospital Episodes Statistics
The national statistical data warehouse for England of the care provided by NHS hospitals and for NHS hospital patients treated elsewhere.
HH - Home Help
Non-medical care to elderly and disabled people in the comfort of their own homes.
HKD - Hyperkinetic disorder
A range of problem behaviours associated with poor attention span, including restlessness and hyperactivity,
HLTA - Higher Level Teaching Assistant
Teaching assistants who offer a more in depth role than normal.
HMCI - Her Majesty`s Chief Inspector of Schools
Monitors all schools performances.
HMD - Home help, meals and day care
Practical help for elderly people in their own homes.
HMI - Her Majesty's Inspector/ate
HMSO - Her Majesty's Stationery Office
Manages Crown copyright and has statutory responsibilities for the publication of legislation and official Gazettes.
HONOSCA - Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents
A recently developed measure of outcome for use in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
HRM - Human Resources Management
Department whose responsibility is to help maintain working relationships between employers and employees.
HS - Healthy Schools
An initiative centered on children's environmental health, and dedicated to assuring every child and school employee an environmentally safe and healthy school.
ICD - International Classification of Diseases
The international standard diagnostic classification for all general epidermiological and many health management purposes.
ICRS - Integrated Care Record Service
Aims to unify all methods of storing, transferring, and recording information throughout the health service. It is hoped to add social services information to provide a single care record.
ICS - Integrated Children's System
A system to help social services managers and practitioners improve the outcomes of their work with children and families.
ICT - information and communication techonology
Modern electronic technology allowing users to gain information and to communicate.
IfSC - Information for Social Care
Part of the Social Care Quality Programme. Sets the government strategy for improving the systems used by social services departments.
IiP - Investors in People
Firms that have been recognised asallowing their staff to train in order to progress.
IM&T - Information Management and Technology
Set out by the NHS Executive for England. Describes the projects to be undertaken on behalf of the NHS and their planned introduction to authorities and NHS trusts.
INSET - In-Service Education and Training (for Teachers)
Firms that have been recognised in allowing their staff to train in order to progress.
IPF - supplier of specialist finance, audit and HR professionals
The management support company for the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Provides advice and information.
IRU - Independant Review Unit
The first ever independent scrutiny unit with a remit to cut red tape and reduce bureaucracy in schools.
ISA - Information sharing agreement
Lawful sharing of personal information about a child, young person, or their family between organisations.
ISP - Information Sharing Protocol
Sharing information is vital for early intervention to ensure that children and young people with additional needs get the services they require. It is also essential to protect children and young people from suffering harm from abuse or neglect and to prevent them from offending. Devons implementation is a part of the AXS Programme
ISBN - International Standard Book Number
A product number, used by publishers, booksellers and libraries for ordering, listing and stock control.
IT - Information Technology
Computerised technology.
JACAT - Joint Agencies Child Abuse Team
Part of Children and Young People's Services, multi-agency professionals working together to combat child abuse.
JAR - Joint Area Review
Evaluates and reports on the extent to which local services benefit children and young people.
JAT - Joint Agency Teams
Multi-agency professionals working together to provide services for children with special needs.
JR SSI - Audit Commission Joint Reviews
KIGS - Key Indicators Graphical System
KPI - Key Performance Indicators
Help an organisation to define and measure progress towards organisational goals.
KS - Key Stage
Varying levels of educational expectations children within certain age brackets are required to work towards:
KS1 - Key Stage 1 (primary school, ages 4 to 7)
KS2 - Key Stage 2 (primary school, ages 7 to 11)
KS3 - Key Stage 3 (secondary school, ages 11 to 13)
KS4 - Key Stage 4 (secondary school, ages 13 to 16)
GCSE Level
LA - Local Authority
A local government agency, such as Devon County Council.
LAA - Local Area Agreement
Giving local authorities more control over their finances and more freedom to work in innovative ways to benefit their communities.
LAC - Looked After Children
A child who is being cared for by Children and Young people's Services.
LARIA - Local Authorities Research and Intelligence Association
LLC - Local Learning Community
LEA - Local Education Authority (England and Wales)
Oversees all aspects of education with the local government's vicinity.
LGA - Local Government Association
Represents the local authorities of England and Wales to promote better local government.
LGBT - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans-gender
LGC - Local Government Chronicle
Magazine for local government professionals.
LGIP - Local Government Improvement Project
Providing local authorities with positive assistance to support continuous improvement in service delivery.
LGIU - Local Government Information Unit
Independent policy and research think-tank. It provides an information, advice, training and lobbying service, representing the interests of local authorities and supporting them in delivering results for their communities.
LIP - Local Information Plan
Identify ways to improve the security, usability, and performance of councils' social care information systems.
LLSC - Local Learning and Skills Council
A national organisation that is responsible for the efficient planning and funding of post-16 learning - except higher education.
LAC - Looked After Children
Children and young people under the age of 18 who are looked after by the local authority.
LPD - Lost Pupil Database
LPIG - Local Planning and Implementation Group (now CTLF)
LP - Lead Professional
All children and young people who require integrated support from more than one practitioner should experience a seamless and effective service. This is delivered most effectively when one practitioner – a lead professional - takes a lead role to ensure that front-line services are co-ordinated, coherent and achieving intended outcomes. Devon's implementation is a part of the AXS Programme
LPS - Local Preventative Strategies
Aims to ensure all children and young people reach their potential and can access services and support when they need to in order to prevent greater problems arising.
LPSA - Local Public Service Agreement
Voluntary agreement negotiated between a local authority and the Government.
LSC - Learning and Skills Council
Responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England.
LSDA - Learning and Skills Development Agency
Organisation which aims to improve the quality of post-16 education and training in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
LSP - Local Strategic Partnership
A single non-statutory, multi-agency body, which matches local authority boundaries, and aims to bring together at a local level the different parts of the public, private, community and voluntary sectors.
LSU - Learning Support Units
MAPP - Multi Agency Public Protection
MAPPA - Multi Agency Public Protection Meetings
MARAC - Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences
MAT - Multi-Agency Team
MIS - Management Information System(s)
A general term for the computer systems in an enterprise that provide information about its business operations.
MYP - Member of Youth Parliament
A young person under 18 who represents their party in the Youth Parliament.
NAA - National Assessment Agency
Agency which monitors national curriculum tests and supervises the delivery and modernisation of GCSE and A level examinations.
NACE - National Association for Able Children in Education
Organisation which supports the daily work of teachers providing for pupils with high ability.
NAEIAC - National Association of Educational Inspectors Advisers and Consultants
A professional association and trade union representing professionals working in a wide range of educational improvement roles.
NAGC - National Association for Gifted Children
A charity covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland whose objective is to ensure that appropriate provision is made for children to develop their gifts and talents to the maximum.
NAGM - National Association for Governors and Managers
Independent membership organisation for governors.
NAHT - National Association of Head Teachers
Organisation providing support and guidance to head teachers.
NAO - National Audit Office
Regulates the use of national public finances.
NAPE - National Association for Primary Education
Promotes the education of children from birth to 13 years.
NAPP - National Association for Primary Providers
NAS - National Autistic Society
Promotes the rights and interests of all people with autism, to ensure that they and their families receive quality services appropriate to their needs.
NASIP - National Association of School Improvement Professionals (formerly SCIA)
NASUWT - National Association of School Masters/Union of Women Teachers
Represents teachers in all roles, including heads and deputies.
NBM - Neighbourhood Beat Manager
Neighbourhood Policing, the appointment of locally accountable, accessible and visible police officers dedicated to making a real difference to communities.
NC - National Curriculum
Provides structured and assessed education through Key Stages.
NCE - National Commission on Education
Established by the Royal Society, the British Academy, and the Royal Academy of Engineering in response to government unwillingness to assess educational standards in the UK.
NCET - National Council for Educational Technology
Promotes teaching and learning with interactive technology.
NCH - National Children's Homes
A children's charity which seeks to help the most vulnerable children in the UK reach their potential.
NCS - National Childcare Strategy
Ensures that affordable, accessible and quality childcare is available everywhere.
NCSL - National College for School Leadership
Provides career-long learning and development opportunities and professional and practical support for England’s existing and aspiring school leaders.
NCVCCO - National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations
Umbrella group of major national voluntary organisations offering community based work with children, young people and families in response to social needs.
NCVQ - National Council for Vocational Qualifications
Set up in 1986 to develop a new framework of National Vocational Qualifications.
NDPB - Non-Departmental Public Body
Public bodies which carry out a wide range of functions on behalf of the government.
NDS - New Deal for Schools
Provides funding for local education authorities with the greatest levels of social need to provide childcare support facilities in nursery education.
NEET - Not in Education, Employment or Training
Young people who currently not in education, employment or training.
NGfL - National Grid for Learning
Provides online educational resources.
NHS - National Health Service
National health authority.
NHSP - National Healthy Schools Programme
NLG - New Local Government Network
Set up in 1996 to make local government more relevant and credible to local people.
NLN - National Learning Network
A national partnership programme designed to increase the uptake of Information Learning Technology.
NOF - New Opportunities Fund
Awards lottery money to organisations providing new opportunities in deprived areas.
NPG National Priorities Guidance
Guidance on national priorities to increase the pace of modernisation so that the public feel the benefit of services that are fast, fair, convenient and excellent.
NPQH - National Professional Qualification for Headteachers
New qualification for all headteachers.
NR - Neighbourhood Renewal
A package of £1.3billion to help local authorities and their partners to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour, education, housing, livability, health inequalities and unemployment.
NRA - National Record of Achievement
A folder given to all school children designed to keep educational progress reports as well as examination certificates.
NRF - Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
Aims to enable England's 88 most deprived authorities, in collaboration with their Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), to improve services in order to narrow the gap between deprived areas and the rest of the country.
NSF - National Service Framework
Sets standards for children’s health and social services, and the interface of those services with education.
NSPCC - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Charity organisation which specialises in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to
children.
NTA - Non-Teaching Assistant
Non teaching staff who provide learning support.
NUPE - National Union of Public Employees
A British trade union representing public sector workers.
NUT - National Union of Teachers
National organisation providing information, advice and support to teachers.
NVQ - National Vocational Qualification
A recognised qualification..
OfSTED - Office for Standards in Education
A non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England.
OJEU - Official Journal of the European Communities
This is the publication in which all contracts from the public sector which are valued above a certain threshold must be published.
ONS - Office for National Statistics
Collates data on economy, population and society at national and local level.
OPM - Office of Public Management
Assist with making changes in public organisations.
OSCI - Out of School Childcare Initiatives
A grant which is intended to assist with the start-up costs of new schemes caring for children out of school hours, or support the creation of new places at existing schemes.
OTT - Overseas Teacher Training
Offers a way for qualified teachers from overseas to gain Qualified Teacher Status in the UK whilst teaching.
PA - Personal Adviser
Advises others on specialist subjects.
PAF - Performance Assessment Framework
Provides information on all the objectives of social services, all types of people receiving social services, all the types of services those people receive and all the aspects of performance in delivering those services.
PAL - Patient Advice and Liaison
Provides information and deal with the concerns of patients and their families.
PANDA and Form 4 - Performance and assessment
Puts data about a school into a series of tables & charts so the school can see how it is achieving compared to other schools.
PCC - Pastoral Care Co-ordinators
PCT - Primary Care Trust
Local NHS organisation designed to improve the health of people in local communities.
PE - Physical Education
Lessons at school which involve sport and activities and teaching about fitness and well being.
PEDPASS - Physical Education, Daily Physical Activity and School Sport
PEP - Personal Education Plan
A statutory requirement for every child looked after by local authorities.
PESSCLPE - School Sport and Club Links strategy
Established to enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by five- to sixteen-year-olds by increasing the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum.
PFI - Private Finance Iniative
A way of providing a service or facility by paying a private company who then provides the service or facility rather than the public owning it.
PI - Performance Indicator
Feedback on how orgainsations and strategies are performing.
PPA - Planning, Preparation and Assessment
Time that is spent planning and preparing lessons.
PPA - Pre-school Playgroups Association
Association providing information and support to all pre school groups.
PPI - Public Performance Indicator
PPP - Public Private Partnership
Any collaboration between public bodies, such as local authorities or central government, and private companies.
PPS - Parent Partnership Scheme
The service encourages equal partnership between parents or carers and the people who are involved with special educational needs.
PRC - Pupil Referral Centre
PRG - Pupil Retention Grants
Pays for in-school units for pupils at risk of exclusion due to their behaviour. They are taught by a small group of teachers before being reintegrated into the classroom.
PRP - Performance Related Pay
A financial award for employees whose work is above average.
PRU - Pupil Referral Unit
A type of school and education otherwise than mainstream school.
PS - Partially sighted
Those with vision problems which are not necessarily corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses.
PSA - Parent School Association
Group of parents who help to organise fund raising events for the school and assist with other activities.
PSA - Public Service Agreement
Represents an agreement between the government and the public, reflecting key priorities across all areas of public services.
PSAT - Pre-School Advisory Teacher
PSD - Personal and Social Development
Taught in secondary schools - attempts to address issues which concern teenagers.
PSHE - Personal, Social and Health Education
Taught in schools, attempting to aid the development of skills, and provide the opportunity to consider attitudes,values, beliefs, and qualities, including a sense of morality.
PSS - Personal Social Services
There is no clear coherent category of 'personal social services', which cover both social work and social care to people who fall outside the remit of health care.
PTA - Parent Teacher Association
Association where parents and teachers meet to orgainse events and assist with activities at school.
QCA - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
The regulatory body for public examinations and publicly funded qualifications.
QT - Qualified Teacher
Someone who has competed the initial teacher training course, and has met expected standards in their first year of teaching.
QTS - Qualified Teacher Status
Title given after completing the initial teacher training course in order to meet the standards required of a teacher.
RDA - Regional Development Agency
Works to improve the economy of an area.
RE - Religious Education
The subject in which the world's religions, and underlying concepts such as ethics and philosophy, are studied.
REC - Racial Equality Council
Works to promote racial equality.
RIA - Regulatory Impact Assessment (under DDA, Part 3)
Must be completed for all policy changes, European or domestic, which could affect the public or private sectors, charities, the voluntary sector, or small businesses.
RIC - Reception into Care
RO - Revenue Outturn
Collates data which is used for the Public Expenditure review process and National Accounts purposes.
ROA - Record of Achievement
A folder given to all school children designed to keep educational progress reports as well as examination certificates.
RSG - Revenue Support Grant
Central government funding provided to local authorities.
RSI - Repetitive Strain Injury
Injury to joints caused by repetitive use.
SAO - School Attendance Order
An LEA has the authority to issue a School Attendance Order if it is not satisfied that the parents are supplying a suitable education to their children when they have exercised their right to educate 'otherwise' than at school.
SALTs - speech & language therapists
SAP - Single Assessment Project
A national assessment critieria set up by the government.
SAR - Strategic Area Review
Strategic Area Review seek to identify the strengths of providers and build on these, as well as improving areas of weakness in order to drive up quality and success rates across the learning and skills sector.
SAZ - Sports Action Zone
Promotes the value of sport and create more socially inclusive communities.
SD - Service Directory
A service directory is a comprehensive online information bank of all types of children’s and young people’s services available in a local area. It should be easily searchable and should include a broad range of preventative services from providers in both voluntary and statutory agencies. Devon's implementation is a part of the AXS Programme
SEAL - Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
SEBD - Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
SEBDA - Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Association
A charitable organisation that exists to promote excellence in services for children and young people who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
SEED - Scottish Executive Education Department
Responsible for administering policy on pre-school & school education, children and young people, tourism, culture and sport in Scotland.
SEN - Special Education Needs
When a child needs extra learning support.
SENCO - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
The person in charge of orgainsing learning support for children with special needs.
SEU - Social Exclusion Unit (Cabinet Office)
Agency which aims to make public services available for those who are disadvantaged.
SEU - Standards and Effectiveness Unit (DfES)
Established to implement the Government's policies for raising standards of education in schools in England.
SHA - Secondary Heads Association
Organisation providing support and guidance to head teachers.
SHEU - Schools Health Education Unit
Offers survey, evaluation and monitoring services to all those concerned with the health and social development of young people.
SILO - Schools Industry Liaison Officer
SIP - School Improvement Plan
It is expected, though not a legal requirement, that all schools will have one of these Plans which looks at raising standards.
SIPS - School Inclusion: Pupil Support
Brings together key issues such as pupil attendance, behaviour, the use of exclusion and reintegration. Encourages schools, local authorities and outside agencies to work together to combat long standing multi-faceted problems.
SLA - Service Level Agreement
SMT - Senior Management Team
Management team consisting of senior members of staff.
SN - Special Needs
Those with extra needs, such as dyslexia.
SNAG - Special Needs Advisory Group
SR - Supported Residents
SRB - Single Regeneration Budget
Brings together a number of programmes from several government departments with the aim of simplifying and streamlining the assistance available for regeneration.
SSCo - School Sport Co-ordinator
Co-ordinator who oversees sport in school.
SSMSS - Social Services Management and Support Services
SSRG - Social Services Research Group
An independent group of individuals providing a range of research information, planning and evaluation in social care and health services.
SW - Social Worker
SWPG - South West Purchasing Group
Comprised of 15 local authorities, with a database of around 900 providers of different types of services, using "public spending for public benefit".
TEFL - Teaching of English as a Foreign Language
The teaching of English as a second language.
TES - Times Educational Supplement
The Times educational magazine.
TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Teaching English as a second language.
TESSS - The Extended Schools Support Service
Available to schools providing extended services such as child care. Offers advice on providing extended services, briefings and seminars, web postings on the extended schools site, a library of job descriptions connected with extended schools.
TLRP - Teaching & Learning Research Programme
Its overarching purpose is to support and develop educational research leading to improvements in outcomes for learners of all ages, in all sectors and contexts of education, training and lifelong learning throughout the UK.
TQM - Total Quality Management
Monitoring of quality throughout the organisation by everyone in that organisation.
TSA - Trust for the Study of Adolescence
Founded to help improve the lives of young people and families. Their work is derived from the belief that there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about adolescence and young adulthood.
TUPE - Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment
Safeguards employees rights when businesses change hands between employers.
UA - Unitary Authority
Created 1995-1998 - administrate all areas of local government within a given area.Torbay and Plymouth are both examples of unitary authorities.
UASC - Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
"A person who, at the time of making the asylum application is, or (if there is no proof) appears to be, under eighteen, is applying for asylum in their own right and has no adult relative or guardian to turn to in the country in which they seeking asylum."
UCAS - University and College Admissions Services
Processes applications for entry to UK higher education, providing information
and services to prospective students and HE professionals.
UKYP - UK Youth Parliament
Giving the young people of the UK, between the age of 11 and 18 a voice, which will be listened to by local and national government.
UPN - Unique Pupil Number
A Unique Pupil Number (UPN) is allocated to each child in an English state school. It is an identifier for use in the educational context during a child's school career only and subject to Data Protection restrictions.
VLE - Visual Learning Environment
Allows students to virtually see what they are learning.
VRQ - Verbal Reasoning Quotient
Specific measure used in literacy.
VYS - Volunteer Youth Service
A registered charity affiliated to the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services.
WAG - Welsh Assembly Government
Responsible for developing and implementing policies and programmes for all issues that have been devolved to Wales.
YES - Youth Enquiry Service
Offers free and confidential information and support to young people.
YIP - Youth Inclusion Programme
Tailor-made programmes for 13 to 16-year-olds who are engaged in crime, or are identified as being most at risk of offending, truancy, or social exclusion.
YISP - Youth Inclusion and Support Programme
Tailor-made programmes for 13 to 16-year-olds who are engaged in crime or are identified as being most at risk of offending, truancy, or social exclusion.
YJB - Youth Justice Board
Works to preventing crime and the fear of crime, reduce reoffending and work with young offenders.
YLC - Young Leaders in the Community
An innovative programme in which young people aged 16 to 19 are employed and trained.
YOT - Youth Offending Team
Made up of representatives from the police, Probation Service, social services, health, education, drugs and alcohol misuse and housing officers. Each YOT has a manager who is responsible for co-ordinating the work of the youth justice services.
YSS - Youth Support Service
The Youth Support Service provides informal social education opportunities which complement the learning that takes place in schools.
YST - Youth Sports Trust
Organisation which supports the education and development of all young people through physical education (PE) and sport.
YTS - Youth Training Scheme
A one- or two-year course of training and work experience for unemployed school leavers aged 16 and 17.
