In Education, we use quite a lot of acronyms and abbreviations. PSHCE, CPD, SATs… Do you ever find yourself baffled by them? What do they all mean?

To help make things clearer, we’ve come up with a big list of abbreviations and what they stand for. We hope you find something useful in the list.  

Commonly used acronyms and abbreviations

ADHD                        Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD Attention Deficit Disorder)

AGT                          Able, Gifted and Talented  

AP                            Achievement Partner

APP                           Assessing Pupil Progress

APS                          Average Point Score

ARC                          Additionally Resourced Centre

ARE                          Age Related Expectations           

BSA                          Books/Stationery/Apparatus

CAF                          Common Assessment Framework

CAMHS                     Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

CATs                        Cognitive Ability Tests

CEIAG/ IAG             Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance

CPD                          Continuing Professional Development

CRB                          Criminal Records Bureau (replaced by DBS)

CVA                          Contextual Value Added

DBS                          Disclosure and Barring Service

DES                          Disability Equality Scheme

DfE                          Department for Education

DDA                          Disability Discrimination Act

DSP                           Designated Safeguarding Person

DT                            Design Technology

EAL                         English as an Additional Language

EHC                         Education, Health Care (Plan)

FFT                         Fischer Family Trust (education charity)

GDPR                      General Data Protection Regulation

HSE                        Health and Safety Executive

ICT                         Information and Communication Technology

IEP                          Individual Education Plan/Programme

IIE                          Investment in Excellence

INSET                     In Service Education and Training

L & M                       Leadership and Management

LAC                         Looked After Children

LA                          Local Authority

LADO                     Local Authority Designated Officer (Safeguarding)

LCVAP                    Locally Co-ordinated Voluntary Aided Programme

LLE                        Local Leader of Education

LSU                       Learning Support Unit

MFG                       Minimum Funding Guarantee

MFL                       Modern Foreign Languages

NGA                     National Governors’ Association

NLE                      National Leader of Education

NLG                      National Leader of Governance

NPQH                    National Professional Qualification for Headship

NQT                     Newly Qualified Teacher

OFSTED                Office for Standards in Education

OSC                       Out of School Clubs (or ASC – After School Clubs)

PAN                      Published Admissions Number

PFI                       Private Finance Initiative

PGCE                    Post Graduate Certificate in Education

PLASC                  Pupil Level Annual School Census

PM                       Performance Management

PPA                      Planning, Preparation and Assessment

PRU                      Pupil Referral Unit

PSA                     Parent Support Adviser

PSHCE/PSHE       Personal, Social, Health (and Citizenship) Education

PTA                     Parent Teacher Association

QCDA                  Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

R & R                  Recruitment and Retention

RAISE                 Raising Achievement in School Education

SACRE                Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

SATs                   Standard Assessment Tasks

SBM                    School Business Manager

SEAL                   Social and Emotional Aspects to Learning

SEF                     Self Evaluation Form

SEND / SENCO          Special Educational Needs and Disabilities / Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

SENTASS             Special Educational Needs Teaching and Support Service

SFVS                     Schools Financial Value Standard

SIMS                    School Information and Management System

SIP / SDP / SP      School Improvement Plan / School Development Plan / School Plan

SIS                        School Improvement Service

SLA                        Service Level Agreement

SLE                         Specialist Leader of Education

SMSC                      Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural

SMT                        Senior Management Team

SSSR                      Supported School Self Review

TaMHS                  Targeted Mental Health in Schools

T & L                      Teaching and Learning

TLR                        Teaching and Learning Responsibilities

VA                          Voluntary Aided

VA                          Value Added

VC                           Voluntary Controlled