A to Z of common education acronyms

A to Z of common education acronyms

This is a guide to commonly used acronyms and abbreviations found in education.

Some of the terms refer to schemes or organisations that have ended but they remain included in the list as their legacy lives on.

If you know of other acronyms/abbreviations not listed here please let us know.

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

 

A A level Advanced level examinations
  ABE Adult Basic Education
  ACE Advisory Centre for Education
  ACL Adult Community Learning
  ACPC Area Child Protection Committee
  AI Assigned Inspector
  ALI Adult Learning Inspectorate
  ALIS A Level Indicator System
  AoC Association of Colleges
  ALPS Advanced Level Performance System
  APT&C Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical
  AQA Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
  ASB Aggregated Schools Budget
  ASPECT Association of Professionals in Education and Children’s Trusts
  AST Advanced Skills Teacher
  AT Attainment Target (in National Curriculum)
  ATL Association of Teachers and Lecturers
  AWPU(N) Age Weighted Pupil Unit (Number)
B BA Bachelor of Arts
  BAC Behaviour and Attendance Collaborative
  BAGA British Amateur Gymnastics Association
  BDA British Deaf Association
  BDA British Dietetic Association
  BDA British Dyslexia Association
  BECTA British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
  BEd Bachelor of Education
  BEI British Education Index
  BITC Business in the Community
  BLN Bradford Learning Network
  BME Black and Minority Ethnic
  BSA Basic Skills Agency
  BSc Bachelor of Science
  BSP Behaviour Support Plan
  BSS Behaviour Support Service
  BTEC Business and Technology Education Council
C C&G City and Guilds
  CAB Citizens Advice Bureau
  CAD Computer Aided Design
  CAF Common Application Form
  CAF Common Assessment Framework
  CAFM Computer Aided Facilities Management
  CAL Computer Assisted Learning
  CAM Computer Aided Manufacture
  CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
  CAP Common Application Process
  CAP Child Action Project
  CASE Campaign for the Advancement of State Education
  CAT Cognitive Ability Test
  CAT Curriculum Attainment Target
  CATS Credit Accumulation and Transfer System
  CCT Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  CDT Craft, Design and Technology
  CE (Bradford) Confederations Executive
  CEG Careers Education Guidance
  CEM Centre for Education Management
  CFE Countryside Foundation for Education
  CFET Certificate in Further Education and Training
  CIF Common Inspection Framework
  CLAIT Computer Literacy and Information Technology
  CMIS Central Management Information System (provided by Serco)
  CNAA Council for National Academic Awards
  CoC Changing Our Council (BMDC)
  CoVE Centre of Vocational Excellence
  CP Child protection
  CPA Comprehensive Performance Assessment
  CPD Continuing Professional Development
  CPS Classroom Teachers Pay Spine
  CPVE Certificate of Pre-vocational Education
  CRB Criminal Records Bureau
  CST Curriculum Support Team
  CTC City Technology College
  CTF Common Transfer File
D D&T Design and Technology
  DCPO Designated Child Protection Officer
  DDA Disability Discrimination Act
  DfE Department for Education
  DI The Dyslexia Institute
  DLO Desirable Learning Outcomes
  DOB Date of Birth
  DRC Disability Rights Commission
  DTP Desktop Publishing
  DWP Department of Work and Pensions
E EAB Examinations Appeals Board
  EAL English as an Additional Language
  EAZ Education Achievement Zone
  EAZ Education Action Zone
  EBD Emotional and Behavioural Difficulty
  EBP Education Business Partnership
  EC Excellence Cluster
  eCAF Electronic Common Assessment Framework
  EDU Education Development Unit
  EENET Enabling Education Network
  EFL English as a Foreign Language
  EHP Early Headship Provision
  EiC Excellence in Cities
  EIP Education Improvement Partnerships
  EMA Ethnic Minority Achievement
  EMAG Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant
  EMAS Ethnic Minorities Achievement Service
  EMS Education Management System
  EO Education Otherwise
  EO Equal Opportunities
  EOTAS Education Other than at School
  EP Educational Psychologist
  EPM Education Plan Monitoring
  EPT Educational Psychology Team
  ERA Education Reform Act
  ESF European Social Fund
  ESOL English for Speakers of Other Languages
  ESW Education Social Worker
  EU European Union
  EWO Education Welfare Officer
  EYCS Early Years and Childcare Service
  EYDCP Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership
  EYDP Early Years Development Plan
  EYFSP Early Years Foundation Stage Programme
F FAETC Further and Adult Education Training Certificate
  FAP Fair Access Protocol
  FE Further Education
  FEFC Further Education Funding Council
  FEX Fixed Term Exclusions from school
  FF Fair Funding
  FFS Farms for Schools
  FFT Fischer Family Trust (a charity that provides estimates of pupil performance)
  FL Family Learning
  FLLN Family Literacy, Language and Numeracy
  FMS Financial Management System (Capita)
  FOI Freedom of Information (Act)
  FORM 7 DfE form sent every January requesting school statistics (replaced by PLASC which has, in turn, been replaced by School Census from January 2007)
  FRESA Framework for Regional Employment and Skills Action
  FRS Fire and Rescue Service
  FS Foundation Stage
  FSA Financial Services Authority
  FSM Free School Meals
  FSP Foundation Stage Profile
  FSS Formula Spending Share
  FTE Full Time Equivalent
G G&T Gifted and Talented
  GBA Governing Bodies Association
  GCE A General Certificate of Education Advanced Level
  GCE AS General Certificate of Education Advanced Supplementary
  GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education
  GLD Good level of development (an Early Years judgement)
  GM Grant Maintained
  GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification
  GOYH Government Office of Yorkshire and Humberside
  GSA Girls' School Association
  GSB General Schools Budget
  GTC General Teaching Council
  H&S Health and Safety
H HACSG Hyperactive Children’s Support Group
  HE Higher Education
  HEADLAMP The Headteachers’ Leadership and Management Programme
  HEFC Higher Education Funding Council
  HESA Higher Education Statistics Agency
  HiMP Health Improvement Plan
  HIP Headteachers' Induction Programme (now replaced by EHP)
  HMC Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
  HMCI Her Majesty's Chief Inspector
  HMI Her Majesty's Inspector(ate)
  HMM Healthy Minds Matter
  HMSO Her Majesty's Stationery Office
  HODs Heads of Departments
  HRF Health Related Fitness
  HSE Health and Safety Executive
  HT Headteacher
I IAG Individual Advice and Guidance
  IB International Baccalaureate
  ICS Integrated Children's System
  ICT Information and Communications Technology
  IEC Interfaith Education Centre
  IEP Individual Education Plan
  IfL Institute for Learning
  IiC Investors in Children
  IIP Investors in People
  ILP Individual Learning Plan
  ILR Individual Learner Record
  ILS Integrated Learning Systems
  INSET In-service Education and Training
  IRT The Identification, Referral and Tracking of children and young people at risk
  IS Index Information Sharing Index
  ISA Information Sharing and Assessment
  ISA Independent Schools Association
  ISB Individual Schools Budget (i.e. the delegated budget for each school)
  ISC Independent Schools Council
  ISEB Independent Schools Examination Board
  ISI Independent Schools Inspectorate
  ISIS Independent Schools Information Service
  ISP Integrated Service Plan
  ISR Individual School Range
  IT Information Technology
  ITT Initial Teacher Training
  IYSS Integrated Youth Support Service
J JAR Joint Area Review
  JCQ Joint Council for Qualifications
K KS Key Stage
  KS1 Key Stage 1 Years 1-2 (5 - 7 year olds)
  KS2 Key Stage 2 Years 3-6 (8 - 11 year olds)
  KS3 Key Stage 3 Years 7-9 (12-14 year olds)
  KS4 Key Stage 4 Years 10-11 (15 - 16 year olds)
L LA Local Authority
  LAC Looked After Children
  LAP Local Achievement Partnership
  LDP Local Delivery Plan
  LEA Local Education Authority
  Learndirect National Education and Training Helpline
  LIF Local Initiative Fund
  LIG Leadership Incentive Grant
  LLDD Learner with Learning Difficulties or Disabilities
  LMS Local Management of Schools
  LMSS Local Management of Special Schools
  LPSA Local Public Service Agreement
  LPSH Leadership Programme for Serving Headteachers
  LRM Local Resource Management
  LSB Local Schools Budget (i.e. the total budget available to be spent on schools)
  LSC Learning and Skills Council
  LSDA Learning Skills Development Agency
  LSE Library Services for Education
  LSP Local Strategic Partnership
  LSW Learning Support Workers
  M.Ed Master of Education
M MA Master of Arts
  MCI Management Charter Initiative
  MENCAP Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults
  MFL Modern Foreign Languages
  MIND National Association for Mental Health
  MIS Management Information System
  MLD Moderate Learning Difficulty
  MSc Master of Science
  MTFS Medium Term Financial Strategy
N NACAB National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
  NACE National Association for Able Children in Education
  NAGC National Association for Gifted Children
  NAGM National Association of Governors and Managers
  NAHT National Association of Headteachers
  NAPE National Association for Primary Education
  NAS National Autistic Society
  NASUWT National Association of School Teachers/Union of Women Teachers
  NATFHE National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education
  NC National Curriculum
  NCB National Children's Bureau
  NCER National Consortium of Examination Results
  NCMA National Childminding Association
  NCPTA National Conference of Parent Teacher Associations
  NCSL National College of School Leadership
  NCT Non-contact time
  NCT National Curriculum Tests
  NCVQ National Council for Vocational Qualifications
  NCY National Curriculum Year
  NDS New Deal for Schools
  NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training
  NEOST National Employers Organisation for School Teachers
  NETTS National Education and Training Targets
  NFER National Federation for Educational Research
  NGC National Council for Governing Bodies
  NGFL National Grid for Learning
  NHS HT National Health Service Hospital Trust
  NHS PT National Health Service Partnership Trust
  NIACE National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
  NLP National Literacy Project
  NOVA      End of Key Stage results analysis tool provided by the NCER
  NN Neighbourhood Nurseries
  NNEB National Nursery Examination Board
  NOCN National Open College Network
  NOF New Opportunities Fund
  NoR Number on Roll
  NPQH National Professional Qualification for Headship
  NPQSL National Professional Qualification for Subject Leaders
  NQT Newly Qualified Teacher
  NSPCC National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
  NUPE National Union of Public Employees
  NUT National Union of Teachers
  NVQ National Vocational Qualifications
O O and A Observation and Assessment
  OCN Open College Network
  OCR Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations
  OFSTED Office for Standards in Education
  OJC Officers' Joint Committee (BMDC) with Unison
  OOHL Out of Hours Learning
  OU Open University
P PAC Public Affairs & Communications (BMDC)
  PAN Planned Admission Number
  PANDA Performance and Data Analysis
  PANDAS Performance and Assessment Documents
  PAT Professional Association of Teachers
  PATA Parent and Toddler Association
  PCT Primary Care Team
  PDC Professional Development Consultancy
  PE Physical Education
  PEACH Parents for the Early intervention of Autism in Children
  PEO Principal Education Officer
  PEPs Personal Education Plans
  PEX Permanent Exclusion from school
  PfS Playing for Success
  PGCE Postgraduate Certificate of Education
  PID Project Initiation Document
  PIN Parents Information Network
  PIP Performance Improvement Plan
  PIs Performance Indicators
  PLASC Pupil Level Annual Schools Census (replaced by School Census from January 2007)
  PLP Primary Leadership Programme
  PO Project Officer
  PoCA Protection of Children Act
  PoS Programmes of Study (in National Curriculum)
  PPA Pre-school Playgroups Association
  PRB Performance Review Board
  PRC Pupil Referral Centre
  PRP Performance Related Pay
  PRU Pupil Referral Unit
  PSA Parent School Association
  PSE Personal and Social Education
  PSHE Personal, Social and Health Education
  PSHE+C Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education
  PSS Pupil and Student Services Group
  PTA Parent Teacher Association
  PTR Pupil Teacher Ratio
  QA Quality Assurance
Q QAA Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
  QAN Qualification Accreditation Number
  QCA Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
  QTA Qualified Teacher Status
  QTPS Qualified Teachers Pay Spine
  QTS Qualified Teacher Status
R R (Y1, Y2 etc) Reception (Year 1 etc)
  RARPA Recognising and recording progress and achievement
  RDA Regional Development Agency
  RE Religious Education
  READS Racial Equality and Diversity Service
  Reg 33 Regulation 33 relation to the inspection of children's homes
  RgI Registered Inspector
  RoA Record of Achievement
  RSA Royal Society of Arts Examination Board
  RSU Research and Statistics Unit
S s2s School to school secure data transfer system
  SACRE Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education
  SAR Self Assessment Report
  SATs Standard Assessment Task/Test
  SCC School causing concern
  School Census Pupil level statistics collected termly by DfE
  SCR Single Central Record
  SDP School Development Plan
  SEF School self-evaluation form issued by Ofsted
  SEMT School Emergency Management Team
  SEN Special Educational Needs
  SENCO Special Educational Needs Coordinator
  SENDA Special Educational Needs Discrimination Act
  SEP Single Education Plan
  SEU Standards and Effectiveness Unit
  SFR Statistical First Release (DfE data release)
  SHA Secondary Heads Association
  SHMIS Society of Headmasters and Headmistresses of Independent Schools
  SIMS Schools Information Management System (provided by Capita)
  SIP School Improvement Partner
  SLA Service Level Agreement
  SLC Student Loans Company
  SLD Severe Learning Difficulty
  SM Special Measures
  SMART Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-scaled targets
  SMSC Spiritual Moral Social Cultural
  SMT Senior Management Team
  SN Standard Number (replaced PAL - Planned Admission Level
  SOP School Organisation Plan
  SoS Secretary of State
  Soulbury Pay scale for education staff
  SoW Scheme of Work
  SPAW School Performance Award Scheme
  SpLD Specific Learning Difficulty
  SRB Single Regeneration Budget
  SRS Safer Routes to Schools
  SSA Standard Spending Assessment
  SSCO School Support Coordinators
  SSE School Self Evaluation
  SSF School Standards Fund
  SSFA School Standards and Framework Act 1998
  SSM Strategic Support Managers (BMDC)
  STABIS State Boarding School Information Service
  STRB School Teachers' Review Body
  SURE Start Sure Start is a government programme bringing together, early education, childcare, health and family support agencies
  SW Serious Weaknesses
T TEFL Teaching English as a Foreign Language
  TES Times Educational Supplement
  TP Teachers' Pensions
  TSC Transactional Services Centre (BMDC)
  TTA Teacher Training Agency
  TUC Trade Union Congress
U UCAS University and Colleges Admissions Service
  UfA University of the First Age
  ULN Unique Learner Number
  UPN Unique Pupil Number
V VA Voluntary Aided
  VC Voluntary Controlled
  VRQ Verbal Reasoning Quotient
W WEA Workers Educational Association
  WBL Work Based Learning
  WYLP West Yorkshire Learning Providers
Y Y1, Y2 etc Year 1, Year 2 etc
  YELLIS Year 11 Indicator System
  YIST Youth Inclusion and Support Team
  YPLA Youg Person's Learning Agency
  YOT (or S) Youth Offending Team (or Service)
  YTS Youth Training Scheme

 

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