Hartlepool Governor Support Service
Useful Acronyms
Articles of Association | The Articles of Association is the formal governing document for an academy; it sets out its rules for operating, including the composition of the governing body. |
Attainment targets / Age Related Expectations (ARE) | These establish what children of different abilities should be expected to know and be able to do by the end of each key stage of the national curriculum. |
Chair's Action | In maintained school the chair is allowed to take decisions without asking the governing body if a delay will be detrimental to the school, a member of staff, a pupil or a parent. In academies, this power is not automatic and must be delegated to the chair. |
Collaboration |
An agreement between two or more schools to work together on one particular issue. They keep their individual governing boards, but may set up a joint committee to which they can delegate power. |
Community schools | Maintained schools at which the LA is the employer, owns the land and buildings and sets the admission criteria. |
CPD | Continuing Professional Development for school staff or governors. |
DDA | Disability Discrimination Act. |
Delegated Budget | Money provided to school, which governors can manage at their discretion. |
Delegated Powers | Authority given to a committee, an individual governor or the Headteacher to take action on behalf of the governing board. In multi academy trusts this also refers to powers delegated to local governing bodies. |
DfE | Department of Education - the government department responsible for schools and children (formerly DCSF). |
EAL | English as an Additional Language. |
EFA | Education Funding Agency - it is responsible for all revenue and capital funding for schools. |
Exclusion | The temporary of permanent removal of a pupil from school for serious beaches of the school's behaviour and discipline policy. |
Ex Officio | Able to attend meetings by virtue of holding a particular office. |
Extended schools/services | Schools that provide a rang of services and activities often beyond the school day, to help meet the needs of the pupils, their families and the wider community. |
Federation | Two or more maintained schools governed by one governing body. |
Foundation Stage | Curriculum followed by children below statutory school age, in schools and nursery/pre-school provision. |
FSM | Free school meals - pupils are eligible for FSM if their parent receive certain benefits. |
HLTA | High Level Teaching Assistant. |
HMCI | Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools. |
HMI | Her Majesty's Inspector. |
IEP | Individual Education Plan for pupils with special needs. |
Instrument of Government | A legal document setting out the composition of maintained school governing bodies. |
KS 1-4 | Key stages 1-4. The four stages of the national curriculum: KS1 for pupils aged 5-7, KS2 for 7-1; KS3 for 11-14. KS5 applies to 16-19 years olds but is not part of the national curriculum. |
LA | Local authority - the LA has certain responsibilities regarding education, for example the educational achievement of looked after children. It will also provide other services to schools, which may be provided via a service level agreement to maintained schools and in many cases academies. |
LAC | Looked After Children. |
MAT | Multi academy trust - where two or more academies are governed by one trust (the members)) and a board or trustees (the trustees). |
National Curriculum | This was established by the 1988 Education Reform Act to ensure that all pupils receive a broad and balanced education, which is relevant to their needs. |
Non-teaching (support staff) | Members of the school staff employed to provide services in a school, such as teaching assistants, cleaners and office staff. |
NQT | Newly Qualified Teacher. |
Ofsted | Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills - the board which inspects education and training for learners of all ages and inspects and regulates care for children and young people. |
PAN | Published Admissions Number - the number of children the LA (or governing board of a foundation or voluntary aided school or academy) determines must be admitted to any one year group in the school. |
PI | Performance Indicators (sometimes called key performance indicators). Used to evaluate the success of a school or of a particular activity in which in engages. |
PPA | Planning, Preparation and Assessment - 10% guaranteed non-contact time |
PRU | Pupil Referral Unit - alternative education provision for pupils unable to attend a mainstream school or special school. |
Pupil Premium | Funding allocated to schools to support pupils eligible for FSM, in care or who have parents in the armed forces. |
QTS | Qualified Teacher Status. |
Quorate | A meeting is quorate if a sufficient number of members are present. Decisions can only be ratified if a meeting is quorate. |
Quorum | The minimum of members present at a meeting before decisions can be made. |
RAISEonline | Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Self-Evaluation is the web-based system to disseminate school performance data to schools. |
Resolution | A formal decision which has been proposed, seconded and agreed - not necessarily by a vote - at a meeting. |
RWM | Reading, Writing and Maths. |
SAT's | Standard Assessment Tasks - used for national curriculum assessment. |
School Census | A statutory return which takes place during the autumn, spring and summer terms. |
School Development Plan (SDP) | The operational document describing how the school will work towards the strategic priorities set by the governing board. |
Schools Forum | A Schools Forum has been established in each LA area to advise on the allocation of the funding for schools - the majority of places on this board should be filled by governors and Headteacher, preferably in equal numbers. |
SCR | Single Central Record. |
SEF | Self Evaluation Form - a document prepared by schools to help assess their strengths and areas for development. |
SEND | Special Educational Needs and Disabilities - learning difficulties for which special educational provision has to be made. |
SENCO | SEN Co-ordinator - the teacher responsible for co-ordinating SEND provision in the school. |
Service Level Agreement | A contract between a service provider (usually the local authority) and a school that defines the level of service expected from the service provider. |
SFVS | Schools Financial Value Standard - a means for the governing board to assess its financial processes, capabilities and skills. |
SIMS | Schools Information and Management System - a computer package to assist schools in managing information on pupils, staff and resources. |
SIP | School Improvement Partner. |
Skills Audit | Used to record skills of individual governors and help identify strengths and gaps in knowledge of governing bodies as a whole. This can be used to support governor recruitment and highlight governor training needs. |
Special School | Pupils with a statement of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or an education, health and care plan, whose needs cannot be fully met from within mainstream provision. |
STPCD | School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document - an annually published document which forms a part of the contract of all teachers and Headteachers in maintained schools in England and Wales. Many academies will also follow the STPCD. |
Strategic Plan | The school's strategic document which sets out a small number of key priorities for the school over the next 3-5 years. The governing board should take the lead on developing the strategic plan. |
TA | Teaching Assistant. |
Terms of Reference | The scope and limitations of a committee's activity or area of knowledge. |
TLR | Teaching and Learning Responsibility - payments made to teachers for an additional responsibility. |