Glossary

B

BA/BSc (QTS) Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)

A teaching qualification awarded in England – a combined course with route to QTS. Note your teaching qualification may not be recognised in other countries including in others of the four countries in the UK.

Banding

The structuring of a year group into divisions, each usually containing two or three classes, on grounds of general ability. Pupils are taught within the band for virtually all the curriculum. See also Mixed ability grouping, Setting and Streaming.

Baseline Testing

Any process that sets out to find out what the learner can do now in relation to the next stage of learning. For example, the assessment of practical skills and familiarity of pupils with equipment and tools prior to a D and T course, or the assessment of pupils in Year 1 and reception classes for speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics, social skills. See also Benchmarking.

BEd

Bachelor of Education, a teacher training qualification in England leading to QTS.

Benchmarking

A term used to describe a standard against which comparisons can be made. Can be used by schools, e.g. to measure success of the school in public examinations relative to a national norm.

BESD

The revised SEND Code of Practice in 2014 replaced the old category of ‘Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties’ (BESD) by ‘Social, Emotional and Mental Health’ (SEMH) needs. A group of pupils with special educational needs. The term is often applied to pupils whose behaviour is consistently poor and not obviously related to the circumstances and environment in which pupils find themselves. See also SEN, SEND, SEMH.

BTEC

Business and Technician Education Council. Part of Pearson (EdExcel), which offers a suite of vocational courses called BTECs e.g. BTEC Nationals.

C

C and G

City and Guilds; see AQA

Career Entry and Development Profile (CEDP) or Career Entry Profile

Prior to 2021 changes, providers in England were required to provide newly qualified teachers with a document to help support induction. The new Early Career Framework sets out a package of support. See ECT.

Careers Education

Designed to help pupils to choose and prepare for opportunities, responsibilities and experiences in education, training and employment. See National Careers Service and statutory guidance for schools online in the list of websites.

Church and Faith Schools

A faith school is a British school teaching a general curriculum but with a particular religious character, or having formal links with a religious organisation. Regulations differ in detail among constituent countries of Britain. In England, the curriculum, admissions criteria and staffing policies may reflect their religious foundation. Similar to other State Maintained Schools but follow a locally agreed religious education curriculum and have religion-centred admissions criteria and staffing policies. May also be referred to as schools with a religious character. See Other State Schools in England.See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Citizenship

A compulsory subject of the English NC at Key Stages 3 and 4. See also Cross-curricular elements.

Collaborative group

A way of working in which groups of children are assigned to groups or engage spontaneously in working together to solve problems; sometimes called co-operative group work.

Comprehensive school

A type of state maintained secondary school which admits pupils of age 11 to 16 or 19 from a given catchment area, regardless of their ability. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Community and Foundation special schools

For children with specific special educational needs, such as physical or learning difficulties. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Community of practice

Groups of people who share a concern for something or have knowledge and skills to share. For example, a subject association network or a network of teachers working on solving a particular problem.

Community School

A school run by the LA, which employs the staff, owns the land and buildings and decides admission criteria. Develops links with community. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Continuity

A feature of a curriculum and of lesson plans that ensure that learning builds on what has already been taught and experienced and prepares pupils for what is to come. See also Progression.

Core subjects

Foundation subjects that are taught at both KS3 and KS4 comprising English, Mathematics and Science in the National Curriculum for England.

Coursework

Work carried out by pupils during a course of study marked by teachers and contributing to the final examination mark. Usually externally moderated. May also be referred to as non-exam assessment (NEA)

CPD

Continuing professional development for teachers.

Criterion-referenced assessment

A process in which performance is measured by relating candidates’ responses to pre-determined criteria. See also Assessment, Assessment for learning, Assessment of learning, Formative assessment, Ipsative assessment, Norm-referenced assessment and Summative assessment.

Curriculum

The full range of learning experiences in a pupil’s time in education. It is planned and sequenced with a view to knowledge, skills and understanding and usually themed into subject groupings.

Curriculum guidelines

Written guidance for organizing and teaching a particular subject or area of the curriculum. See also Programmes of Study.

D

DCELLS

Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills of the Welsh Assembly http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/department-for-children-education-lifelong-learning-and-skills-dcells.html

DES, DfE, DfEE, DfES, DCSF

DES

(Department of Education and Science) Pre-1992

DfE

(Department for Education) 1992–1995; title reappeared 2010–present.

DfEE

(Department for Education and Employment) 1995–2001.

DfES

(Department for Education and Skills) 2001–2007.

DCSF

(Department for Children, Schools and Families) 2007–2010.

Various names for the ministry of education in England. See Government education departments and chronology

Differentiation

The matching of work to the differing capabilities and learning needs of individuals or groups of pupils in order to extend their learning. Also known as Adaptive teaching.

Disapplication

Arrangement for lifting part or all of the NC in England requirements for individuals or for any other grouping specified by the Secretary of State.

E

Early Career Framework

(ECF). A statutory 2-year core induction programme (from Sept 2021) for all early career teachers. See also NQT, RQT, ECT.

ECT

The term early career teacher (ECT) replaces newly qualified teacher (NQT). See the Early Career Framework reforms: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-career-framework-reforms-overview/early-career-framework-reforms-overview.

EAL / ESL

English as an Additional Language. English as a second language.

EBacc

To enter the EBacc, pupils must take up to eight GCSEs across five subject ‘pillars’. Numbers of students entering and achieving the EBacc are used as government accountability measures.

EdExcel / Pearson Edexcel

An awarding body. Online http://www.edexcel.org.uk

Education welfare officer (EWO)

An official of the LA concerned with pupils’ attendance and with liaison between the school, the parents and the authority.

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

Document setting out the education, healthcare and social care needs of a young person for whom extra support is needed in school, beyond that which the school can provide. Formerly known as a ‘statement of special educational needs’ so the legacy terminology of ‘statemented’ pupils may survive.

Exclusion

Headteachers of state maintained schools and other state schools in England are empowered to exclude pupils temporarily or permanently when faced with a serious breach of their disciplinary code. The exclusions are either a fixed term or permanent. Schools may send pupils to a pupil referral unit (PRU).

EYFS

Early Years Foundation Stage (of the NC for England).

F

Feedback

Includes information to pupils on their achievements, the purpose of which is to help to improve their performance. Feedback can be part of a formal assessment system (when it might be called formative assessment) or it can be informal and available from multiple sources.

Floor target

A government-set measure below which schools are considered underperforming.Also known as minimum or floor standards e.g. floor standards for Progress 8 score.

Formative assessment

Also, assessment for learning, linked to teaching when the evidence from assessment is used to adapt teaching to meet pupil’s learning needs. See also Assessment, Assessment for learning, Assessment of learning, Criterion-referenced assessment, Ipsative assessment, Norm-referenced assessment and Summative assessment.

Forms of entry (FE)

The number of forms (e.g. of 30 pupils) that a school takes into its intake year. From this can be estimated the size of the intake year and the size of the school.

Foundation schools

The governing body of these schools employs the staff and sets the admissions criteria. The school land and buildings are owned by the governing body or a charitable foundation. See State Maintained Schools and Other State Schools in England.

Functional Skills

Functional skills are those core elements of English, Mathematics and ICT that provide individuals with the skills and abilities they need to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life, their communities and work. They can be examined individually.

Foundation subjects

Subjects that state maintained schools are required by law to teach. In England, three foundation subjects are designated core subjects. See https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum

Free Schools

In England, a political initiative to set up independent, state-funded schools, non-selective and outside LA control, established in 2010 under the Academies Act. Free schools are set up by parents, teachers, charities or businesses. Grants are available to support the initial setting-up process. They are subject to the Schools Admissions Code of Practice, but priority is given to founders’ children. In time, subject to Ofsted inspection. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England and https://www.gov.uk/types-of-school.

G

Grade-related criteria

The identification of criteria, the achievement of which are related to different levels of performance by the candidate.

Grammar schools

State maintained or independent schools that select all or almost all of their pupils based on academic ability, usually through the 11 plus examination. Parents often pay for extra tuition to give their children a higher chance of being admitted. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Group work

A way of organizing pupils where the teacher assigns tasks to groups of pupils, to be undertaken collectively; although, the work is completed on an individual basis.

Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB)

A term used to cover those communities, some of which have minority ethnic status, and either are or have been traditionally associated with a nomadic lifestyle, and include gypsy travellers, fairground or show people, circus families, New Age travellers, and bargees. The term Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) may be used as an umbrella term. See Traveller education.

GCE

General Certificate of Education – Also called Advanced Level of the GCE. An award after two years of study usually post GCSE. May comprise two awards; an AS level which can be taken after one year of study and A2 level after two years of study or a linear 2-year A Level.

GCSE

General Certificate of Secondary Education.

GNVQ

General National Vocational Qualifications, last awarded in 2007.

Government education department titles

and chronology For England and Wales to 2006, then England.

Grade-related criteria

The identification of criteria, the achievement of which are related to different levels of performance by the candidate.

Grammar schools

State maintained or independent schools that select all or almost all of their pupils based on academic ability, usually through the 11 plus examination. Parents often pay for extra tuition to give their children a higher chance of being admitted. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Group work

A way of organizing pupils where the teacher assigns tasks to groups of pupils, to be undertaken collectively; although, the work is completed on an individual basis.

Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB)

A term used to cover those communities, some of which have minority ethnic status, and either are or have been traditionally associated with a nomadic lifestyle, and include gypsy travellers, fairground or show people, circus families, New Age travellers, and bargees. The term Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) may be used as an umbrella term. See Traveller education.

H

HEI

Higher Education Institution.

HMCI

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools in England.

HMI

Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools in England.

House system

A structure for pastoral care/pupil welfare within a school in which pupils are grouped in vertical units, i.e. sections of the school that include pupils from all year groups. Alternative to the year system.

I

IB

International Baccalaureate. A post-16 qualification designed for university entrance.

In-class support

Support within a lesson provided by an additional teacher, often with expertise in teaching pupils with special educational, disability or language needs. See also Learning support, Learning support assistant, Partnership teaching, Withdrawal.

Inclusion

Inclusion involves the processes of increasing the participation of pupils in, and reducing their exclusion from, schools. Inclusion is concerned with the learning participation of all pupils vulnerable to exclusionary pressures, not only those with impairments or categorised as having special educational needs.

Independent school

A private school that receives no state assistance but is financed by fees. Often registered as a charity. See also Public school.

Induction

For teachers, the first stage of continuing professional development (CPD). A statutory requirement for Early Career Teachers (ECTs), formerly known as newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in England in the first two years of teaching (formerly one year). Successful completion of induction requires ECTs to meet standards set by the regulatory body in the country in which they wish to practice.

Intervention

Additional support put in place in schools to address wider learning needs, and ameliorate educational impact of disadvantage. Usually evidence-based and possibly linked to socioeconomic status indicated by eligibility for Pupil Premium Grant.

Ipsative assessment

A process in which performance is measured against previous performance by the same person. See also Assessment, Assessment for learning, Assessment of learning, Criterion-referenced assessment, Formative assessment, Norm-referenced assessment, and Summative assessment.

ITE

Initial Teacher Education

ITT

Initial Teacher Training.

ITTE

Initial Teacher Training and Education.

J

Nothing for J.

K

Key Stages (KS) England

The periods in each pupil’s education to which the elements of the NC for England apply. There are four Key Stages, normally related to the age of the majority of the pupils in a teaching group. They are: Key Stage 1, beginning of compulsory education to age 7 (Years R (Reception), 1 and 2); Key Stage 2, ages 7–11 (Years 3–6); Key Stage 3, ages 11–14 (years 7– 9); Key Stage 4, 14 to end of compulsory education (Years 10 and 11). Post-16 is a further Key Stage.

L

LA

see Local Authority

Learning objectives

What pupils are expected to have learned as a result of an activity, lesson or topic.

Learning outcomes

Assessable learning objectives; the action or behaviour of pupils that provides evidence that they have met the learning objectives.

Learning support

A means of providing extra help for pupils, usually those with learning difficulties, e.g. through a specialist teacher or specially designed materials. See also Learning support assistants, In-class support, Partnership teaching, Withdrawal.

Learning support assistants

Teachers who give additional support for a variety of purposes, e.g. general learning support for pupils with SEND or ESL; most support is given in-class although sometimes pupils are withdrawn from class. See also Learning support, In-class support, partnership teaching, Withdrawal.

Lesson plan

The detailed planning of work to be undertaken in a lesson. This follows a particular structure, appropriate to the demands of a particular lesson. An individual lesson plan is usually part of a series of lessons in a Unit of work.

Local Authority (LA)

An LA has responsibility for local services, including education, libraries and social services. It has a statutory duty to provide education in their area. Many schools have opted out of LA control, see e.g. Academies and Free schools.

M

Maintained boarding schools

State funded schools that offer free tuition but charge fees for board and lodging. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Middle school

A school that caters for pupils aged from 8–12 or 9–13 years of age. They are classified legally as either primary or secondary schools depending on whether the preponderance of pupils in the school is under or over 11 years of age.

Minority ethnic groups

Pupils, many of whom have been born in the United Kingdom, from other ethnic heritages, e.g. those of Asian heritage from Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, India or East Africa, those of African or Caribbean heritage or from countries in the European Union.

Mixed ability grouping

Teaching group containing pupils representative of the range of ability within the school. See also Banding, Setting, Streaming.

Moderation

An exercise involving teachers representing an awarding body external to the school whose purpose is to check that standards are comparable across schools and teachers. Usually carried out by sampling coursework or examination papers. Informal moderation between teachers of the same subject in the same school is common.

Moderator

An examiner who monitors marking and examining to ensure that standards are consistent in a number of schools and colleges.

Module

A definable section of work of fixed length with specific learning objectives and usually with some form of terminal assessment. Several such units may constitute a modular course.

Multi-Academy Trust

An academy chain or trust that operates more than one academy school see e.g. Academies

N

NC (National Curriculum)

for some schools only in England. https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum. The core and other foundation subjects and their associated attainment targets, programmes of study and assessment arrangements of the curriculum

National Curriculum Tests

formerly Standard Assessment Tasks (q.v.).

National Qualifications

A framework for qualifications. GCSE qualifications are level 2; A Levels are Level 3. See https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean

NEA

Non-exam assessment. See Coursework.

NEAB

See AQA.

NFER

National Foundation for Educational Research. Carries out research and produces educational diagnostic tests.

Non-contact time

Time provided by a school for a teacher to prepare work or carry out assigned responsibilities other than direct teaching. May be known as PPA: ‘planning, preparation and assessment’ time.

Norm-referenced assessment

A process in which performance is measured by comparing candidates’ responses. Individual success is relative to the performance of all other candidates. See also Assessment, Assessment for learning, Assessment of learning, Criterion-referenced assessment, Formative assessment, Ipsative assessment, Summative assessment.

NQT

Newly qualified teacher. From Sept 21 the induction period for an NQT doubles to two years. See also RQT and Early Career Framework. May also be referred to as an Early Career Teacher (ECT).

O

OCR

Oxford and Cambridge awarding body.

OFQUAL

Set up in 2008. Regulator of examinations and tests in England, taking over that aspect of QCA. Independent (of DfE ministers) and responsible directly to parliament. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual

OFSTED

Office for Standards in Education. Non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act (1992) to take responsibility for the inspection of schools in England. OFSTED inspects pre-school provision, further education, teacher education institutions and local authorities. Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) form the professional arm of OFSTED. See also OHMCI.

OHMCI

Office of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector (Wales). Non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act (1992) to take responsibility for the inspection of schools in Wales. Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) form the professional arm of OHMCI. See also OFSTED.

Other State Schools in England

These include academies, community and foundation special schools, church and faith schools (see Voluntary schools), free schools, grammar schools, maintained boarding schools, specialist schools and pupil referral units. See Directgov website. See also State Maintained Schools in England.

P

Parent

Under section 576 of the Education Act 1996 a parent includes any person who is not a parent of the child but has parental responsibility (see Parental Responsibility), or who cares for the child.

Parental responsibility

Under section 2 of the Children Act 1989, parental responsibility falls upon: all mothers and fathers who were married to each other at the time of the child’s birth (including those who have since separated or divorced);mothers who were not married to the father at the time of the child’s birth; and fathers who were not married to the mother at the time of the child’s birth, but who have obtained parental responsibility either by agreement with the child’s mother or through a court order. Under section 12 of the Children Act 1989, where a court makes a residence order in favour of any person who is not the parent or guardian of the child that person has parental responsibility for the child while the residence order remains in force.

Partnership teaching

An increasingly common means of meeting the language needs of bilingual pupils in which support and class teachers plan and implement together a specially devised programme of in-class teaching and learning. See also Learning support, Learning support assistants, In-class support, Withdrawal.

Pastoral care

Those aspects of a school’s work and structures concerned to promote the general welfare of all pupils, particularly their academic, personal and social development, their attendance and behaviour.

Pedagogic content knowledge

The skills to transform subject knowledge into suitable learning activities for a particular group of pupils.

Peer assessment

Peer assessment is a process whereby pupils assess others’ work based on a teacher’s benchmarks. Self-assessment is where pupils do the same for their own work. The aim in both cases is to improve students’ understanding and their metacognitive skills.

PGCE

Post Graduate Certificate in Education. The main qualification for secondary school teachers in England and Wales recognised by the DfE for QTS.

Policy

An agreed school statement relating to a particular area of its life and work.

Profile

Samples of work of pupils, used to illustrate progress, with or without added comments by teachers’ and/or pupils.

Programme of study (PoS) for NC in England

The subject matter, skills and processes that must be taught to pupils during each Key Stage in order that they may meet the objectives set out in attainment targets. They provide the basis for planning schemes of work.

Progress 8

A secondary school accountability measure, based on progress across 8 qualifications. See also Attainment 8.

Progression

The planned development of pupils’ knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes over time. See also Continuity.

Project

An investigation with a particular focus undertaken by individuals or small groups of pupils leading to a written, oral or graphic presentation of the outcome.

PSE

Personal and social education.

PSHCE

Is PSHE with a specific, additional citizenship component.

PSHE

Personal, social, health and education, a non-statutory subject in the English National Curriculum. See also PSHCE.

PSHEE

is PSHE with a specific additional economic component.

PTA

Parent-teacher association. Voluntary grouping of parents and school staff to support the school in a variety of ways.

PTR

Pupil Teacher Ratio. The ratio of pupils to teachers within a school or group of schools (e.g. 17.4:1).

Public school / Independent school

not state funded. So-called because at their inception they were funded by public charity.

Pupil Premium Grant

Additional funding for schools to use to improve education outcomes for eligible disadvantaged pupils in schools in England. Schools are accountable for the way the money is spent and strategies must be research-informed. See also intervention.

Pupil referral units (PRUs)

For children of compulsory school age who may otherwise not receive suitable education, focusing on getting them back into a mainstream school.

Q

QCA

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Initiated in 1997 by the merger of SCAA and National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ). Was responsible for overview of the curriculum, assessment and qualifications across the whole of education and training, from pre-school to higher vocational levels. QCA advised the Secretary of State for education on such matters. Aspects of assessment were delegated by QCA to the NAA. Dissolved in 2010 the responsibilities shared between QCDA and Ofqual. The Welsh equivalent of QCA was ACCAC, later DCELLS.

QTS

Qualified teacher status. This is usually attained by completion of a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree or a Bachelor of Arts/Science degree with Qualified Teacher Status (BA/BSc (QTS)). There are other routes into teaching leading to QTS such as SCITT, School Direct.

R

RAISEonline

Closed 2017. Reporting and Analysis for Improvement through School Self-Evaluation. In England it provided interactive analysis of school and pupil performance data. Was replaced by Analyse School Performance (ASP) but the term may be in legacy use.

Reliability

A measure of the consistency of the assessment or test item; i.e. the extent to which the test gives repeatable results. See also Validity.

RQT

A Recently Qualified Teacher or early career teacher. Typically someone who has completed their induction. See also NQT, ECT and Early Career Framework.

S

SACRE

The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education in each LA to advise the LA on matters connected with religious education and collective worship, particularly methods of teaching, the choice of teaching materials and the provision of teacher training.

SATs

See Standard Assessment Tasks.

Scheme of work

A planned course of study over a period of time (e.g. a Key Stage or a Year). In England it contains knowledge, skills and processes derived from the programmes of study and attainment targets together with units of work and lesson plans.

School Improvement Plan (SIP)

A coherent plan, required to be made by a school, identifying improvements needed in curriculum, organisation, staffing and resources and setting out action needed to make those improvements.

SEG

See AQA.

SEN (Special Educational Needs) and Disabilities (SEND)

Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty. Children have a learning difficulty if they: have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age; or have a disability that prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local authority; are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would so do if special educational provision was not made for them. Very able or gifted pupils are not included in SEN. See also SEND, SENCO.

SENCO

Special Educational Needs Coordinator in schools. May also be known as SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator) See also SEN, SEND.

SEN Code of Practice

Act of Parliament describing and prescribing the regulations for the support of pupils with SEN. Chapter 6 relates to schools.

Setting

The grouping of pupils according to their ability in a subject for lessons in that subject. See also banding, mixed ability grouping, streaming.

Sixth Form College

A post-16 institution for 16–19-year-olds. It offers GCSE, GCE A level and vocational courses.

SLD

Specific learning difficulties.

Special school

See Community and Foundation special schools.

Specialist schools

Teach the whole curriculum but with a focus on one subject area such as arts; business and enterprise; engineering; humanities; language; mathematics and computing; music; science; sports; technology. The funded programme ended in 2010, but many schools retain the title. See Other State Schools in England.

STA (Standards and Testing Agency)

An executive agency of the DfE set up in 2011. It is responsible for the development and delivery of all statutory assessments from early years to the end of Key Stage 3, which formerly were carried out by QCDA (dissolved in March 2012).

Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs)

Externally prescribed National Curriculum for England assessments that incorporate a variety of assessment methods depending on the subject and Key Stage. The term SAT is not now widely used, having been replaced by ‘National Curriculum Tests’, overseen by STA.

State Maintained Schools

All children in England between the ages of 5 and 16 are entitled to a free place at a state school. State schools receive funding through their local authority or directly from the government. You may see the terms community school, voluntary school, academies, free schools, grammar schools, special schools. See https://www.gov.uk/types-of-school.

Statutory order

A statutory instrument which is regarded as an extension of an Act, enabling provisions of the Act to be augmented or updated.

Streaming

The organisation of pupils according to general ability into classes in which they are taught for all subjects and courses. See also Banding, Mixed ability grouping, Setting.

Summative assessment

Assessment linked to the end of a course of study; it sums up achievement in aggregate terms and is used to rank, grade or compare pupils, groups or schools. It uses a narrow range of methods which are efficient and reliable, normally formal, i.e. under examination conditions. See also Assessment, Assessment for learning, Assessment of learning, Formative assessment, Ipsative assessment, and Norm-referenced assessment.

Supply teacher

Teachers appointed temporarily to fill vacancies, usually from an agency. Schools may employ their own internal cover supervisor to cover daily planned or unplanned teacher absences.

Support Teacher

See In-class support and Learning support.

T

TRA (Teaching Regulation Agency)

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) is an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE). The TRA was formally known as the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). They have responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession, including misconduct hearings and the maintenance of a record of teachers, trainee teachers and those who hold a teacher reference number.

Teacher Assessments

Assessments made by teachers alongside National Curriculum Tests at some Key Stages in England.

Teacher’s record book

A book in which teachers plan and record teaching and learning for their classes on a regular basis. May be known as a teacher’s planner.

Team teaching

The teaching of a number of classes simultaneously by teachers acting as a team. They usually divide the work between them, allowing those with particular expertise to lead different parts of the work, the others supporting the follow-up work with groups or individuals. See also In-class support, Learning support, Partnership teaching.

T Levels (Technical Levels)

These are for vocational courses, which will be on a par with A levels and will provide young people with a choice between technical and academic education post-16. They start in 2020 www.gov.uk/government/news/new-t-levels-mark-a-revolution-in-technical-education

Traveller education

The development of policy and provision that provides traveller children with unhindered access to and full integration in mainstream education. See GTRSB.

Trust schools

A foundation school supported by a charitable foundation or trust, which appoints school governors. A trust school employs its own staff, manages its own land and assets, and sets its own admissions criteria.

Tutor group

Grouping of secondary pupils for registration and pastoral care purposes.

U

Unit of work

Medium-term planning of work for pupils over half a term or a number of weeks. The number of lessons in a unit of work may vary according to each school’s organisation. A unit of work usually introduces a new aspect of learning. Units of work derive from schemes of work and are the basis for lesson plans.

V

Validity

A measure of whether the assessment measures what it is meant to measure – often determined by consensus. Certain kinds of skills and abilities are extremely difficult to assess with validity via simple pencil and paper tests. See also Reliability.

Vocational courses

Programmes of study leading to vocational qualifications that are work-related, preparing learners for employment. Awarding Bodies offer vocational courses.

Voluntary-aided school

Often religious schools. The governing body, often a religious organisation, employs the staff and sets admissions criteria. The school land and buildings are also owned by a charitable foundation. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Voluntary-controlled school

Mainly religious or ’faith’ schools but run by the LA. The land and buildings are often owned by a charitable foundation, but the LA employs the staff and has primary responsibility for admission arrangements. See also State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

Voluntary school

School that receives financial assistance from the LA, but owned by a voluntary body, usually religious. See State Maintained Schools in England and Other State Schools in England.

W

Withdrawal

Removal of pupils with particular needs from class teaching in primary schools and from specified subjects in secondary schools for extra help individually or in small groups. In-class support is increasingly provided in preference to withdrawal. See also Learning support, Learning support assistants, In-class support, Partnership teaching.

WJEC

(Welsh Joint Education Committee) provides examinations, assessment, professional development, educational resources, support for adults who wish to learn Welsh and access to youth arts activities. It also provides examinations throughout England.

Work experience

The opportunity for secondary pupils to have short experience of a work environment, usually within school time, during which a pupil carries out a particular job or range of jobs more or less as would regular employees, although with emphasis on the educational aspects of the experience.

X

Nothing for X.

Y

Year system

A structure for pastoral care/pupil welfare within a school in which pupils are grouped according to years, i.e. in groups spanning an age range of only one year. An alternative grouping is the house system.

Years 1–11

Year of schooling in England. Five-year-olds start at Year 1 (Y1) and progress through to Year 11 (Y11) at 16 years old. See Key Stages for details.

Z

Nothing for Z.