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Jargon busting

As much as we try not to use acronyms or abbreviations in our documents and letters to parents/carers, they can sometimes creep in. We are also conscious that documents from the Department for Education and Ofsted often contain shortened versions of words and phrases which are common within education, but you may not come across outside the sector.

To address this and help readers to understand these documents, you will find a list of common acronyms and abbreviations below. If we have missed any, please don't hesitate to ask.

AfL

Assessment for Learning

APP

Assessing Pupil Progress
(Based on rigorous teacher assessment. Gathering evidence from various sources and putting together to make a judgement about pupil.)

APS

Average Points Score

ASP Analyse School Performance - Provides detailed performance data for schools
BNTO Be Nice To Others - An anti-bullying committee named by our children and run by our children with staff and a governor

CAMHS

Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service

CL

Communication & Language (Early Years)

CPD

Continuing Professional Development

DfE Department for Education 
DPS Deanshanger Primary School

DT

Design and Technology

DBS

Disclosure and Barring Service (Formerly CRB check)

DHT

Deputy Head Teacher

EAL

English as an Additional Language

EHCP Education, Health and Care Plan - for young people who have additional needs

EP

Educational Psychologist

EWO

Education Welfare Officer (deals with poor attendance)

EYFS

Early Years Foundation Stage

FGB

Full Governing Body

FS

Foundation Stage 

FFT

Fischer Family Trust - provides estimates for UK schools, teachers and governors to support effective target setting and evaluation

G&T

Gifted and Talented - now most often called ' Most Able'

H&S

Health & Safety

HT

Head teacher

ICT

Information & Communication Technology

IEP

Individual Education Plan 

INSET

In-service Training

KS1

Key Stage One – Years 1 & 2

KS2

Key Stage Two – Years 3,4,5 & 6

KUW

Knowledge and Understanding of the World (Early Years)

LA

Local Authority - for our school this is Northamptonshire

LAC

Looked After Child

LSA  Learning Support Assistant
MAT  Multi Academy Trust 

MMS

Midday Meal Supervisor

Ofsted Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills

PCSO

Police Community Support Officer

PD

Physical Development (Early Years)

PE Physical Education 

PEP

Personal Education Plan

PP

Pupil Progress

PPA

Planning, Preparation & Assessment time (for teachers)

PSED

Personal Social Emotional Development ( Early Years)

PSHE

Personal Social Health Education

PTA Parent and Teacher Association

RE

Religious Education

SA

School Action (SEN pupil with Outcome Plan)

SALT

Speech and Language Therapist

SATs

Standard Attainment Tests ( A statutory assessment in year 2 and year 6)

SEAL

Social-Emotional Aspects of Learning

SEF

Self Evaluation Form

SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disability

SENCo

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

SFVS

School Financial Value Standard

SIP

School Improvement Plan

SLT

Senior Leadership Team

SMSC

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural

TA

Teaching Assistant ( At DPS, we use the term LSA - Learning Support Assistant)

TLR

Teaching and Learning Responsibility

UW

Understanding of the World (Early Years)

VA

Value Added

VCOP

Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers and Punctuation

VLE

Virtual Learning Environment