Jargon Buster
Below is a list of the jargon words and abbreviations we use in school with an explanation of what we mean when we use them. The list is in alphabetical order. You can use the alphabet below to jump to a section of the word list, or just scroll through the list. If we haven't included a word, and you think we should have, 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 ZA
Additional Needs - Some children have issues that impact on their education: their first language may not be English, they may be very able, they may need support with social skills, they may have a medical condition - there are many reasons why a child may have additional needs. These issues are addressed by the teachers and Inclusion Co-ordinator to ensure the children have full access to the curriculum.
AfL - Assessment for Learning.
APP - Assessing Pupil Progress: a technique to enable teachers to personalise learning for individual children by identifying their next steps in learning.
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
B
BLP - Building Learning Power: a project to explicitly teach children the skills required for independent learning.
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CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Psychiatrists and Psychologists with specialist expertise to help children and young people.
Chessington Cluster - A group of schools in Chessington who work together.
CRB - Criminal Records Bureau: This Government Agency carries out background checks for all people who work (either paid or as volunteers) with children and vulnerable people. It is a legal requirement for all staff and volunteers to have had a CRB check before they start work in school.
D
DCIAS - Disabled Children's Information and Advice Service: organisation to support families with disabled children.
DCIAS on RBK website - opens in new window
DCSF - Department for Children, Schools and Families: Government department with responsibility for children, schools and families (formerly DfES: Department for Education and Skills).
Dyscalculia - a specific learning disability which may affect an individual's understanding and use of numbers and arithmetic.
Dyslexia - a specific learning disability which may affect an individual's ability to read, spell, write or organise ideas.
Dyspraxia - a specific learning disability affecting an individual's ability to co-ordinate movements.
E
EAL - English as an Additional Language: a person has EAL if their first language is not English.
ECM - Every Child Matters: The aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need for:
• Being healthy
• Staying safe
• Enjoying and achieving
• Making a positive contribution
• Economic well-being.
E-mail - our e-mail address is chp@rbksch.org
Extended School: Agenda/ Provision - services for children and families based at school but around the school day. E.g. Kid's Club before and after school care, Family Learning, Holiday activities.
EYFS, Early Years Foundation Stage - Statutory Guidance for 0-5 year olds.
EYFSP - Early Years Foundation Stage Profile – This is a record of the statutory assessments completed on all pupils at the end of their Reception year, before they move into year 1 and Key Stage 1.
F
Families Information Service, FIS - Kingston Council service offering free information and advice for parents and carers with children aged 0-20 years.
Families Information Service on RBK website - opens in new window
Foundation Stage - Formerly (pre September 2008) Educational Provision for 3-5 year olds in Nursery and Reception. Children in this age group. Now replaced by Early Years Foundation Stage.
FSP - Foundation Stage Profile – Formerly (pre September 2008) this was a record of the statutory assessments completed on all pupils at the end of the Foundation Stage. This assessment took place at the end of a child's reception year, before they moved into year 1 and Key Stage 1. Now replaced by Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.
FSM - Free School Meals : provision of school meals free of charge to low income families. There is an application process. Please contact the School Office for further information or from the Guildhall (Tel: 020 8547 5251). The RBK website has details on eligibility for FSM and a downloadable application form.
School meals information on RBK website - opens in new window
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H
Health Authority - The part of the National Health Service (NHS) responsible for providing Speech and Language Therapist and/or Occupational Therapist services to Schools.
HLTA - Higher Level Teaching Assistant: a member of the support staff in school who is qualified to a higher level than a Teaching Assistant (TA). An HLTA may support a specific child with SEN, work in a classroom to support a whole class, work with groups of children to support a particular area of the curriculum, work with a whole class under the guidance of a teacher or have an area of expertise of benefit to the whole school.
I
ICAN - A charity dedicated to helping people with speech, language and communication difficulties.
ICT - Information and Communications Technology: computers and associated equipment, the curriculum related to such equipment.
IEP - Individual Education Plan: a plan drawn up for a particular pupil, specifying targets and planned reviews of progress against the targets.
IIP - Investors in People: the body that inspects and issues the award based on the inspection findings.
INCo - Inclusion Co-ordinator: member of the Senior Management Team responsible for ensuring that all pupils are fully accessing the curriculum.
INSET - In-service training: as in 'INSET day', when the school is closed to children, but the staff are in school to attend a variety of training activities.
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K
KS – Key Stage : educational provision for children at different ages. Children are formally assessed at the end of each Key Stage.
KS1 – Key Stage One – Educational provision for children aged 5-7 in school years 1 to 2.
KS2 – Key Stage Two – Educational provision for children aged 7-11 in school years 3 to 6.
KS3 – Key Stage Three – Educational provision for children aged 11-14 in school years 7 to 9.
KS4 – Key Stage Four – Educational provision for children aged 14-16 in school years 10 and 11.
L
LA - Local Authority: the local council i.e. Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames (RBK).
LD - Learning Difficulties or Disabilities
LEA - Local Education Authority: i.e. Learning and Children's Services: the department at RBK which is responsible for schools.
M
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties
N
NC - National Curriculum: the defined curriculum that is taught in state schools.
NNEB - Nursery Nurse qualification, or a member of staff who holds this qualification.
O
OFSTED - The Office for Standards in Education: the organisation that inspects state schools and reports their findings.
OT - Occupational Therapist: person trained to diagnose difficulties with motor skills (movements) and sensory issues. Also able to provide therapy and recommend approaches to treat the identified difficulties.
P
PNS- Primary National Strategy: planning schemes for Maths and Literacy teaching in Primary Schools.
PSHE- Personal, Social and Health Education.
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R
RBK - Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, i.e. our local council, part of the Greater London area.
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SALT, SLT or S< - Speech and Language Therapist: person trained to diagnose difficulties with speech production, language acquisition and comprehension. Also able to provide therapy and recommend approaches to treat the identified difficulties.
SATs -Standard Attainment Tests and Tasks in English, Mathematics and Science. Tests and activities carried out by children at 7, 11 and 14 years to assess their level of achievement in these areas of the National Curriculum.
School Site - Buckland Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 1JE. Telephone: 020 8408 8925. Fax: 020 8397 7926.
SEAL - Social Emotional Aspects of Learning: a program of work covering the social and emotional curriculum.
SEN - Special Educational Needs. Many children need extra help at some time in their school life to keep up with their peers. This may be a temporary issue that requires a short term approach to get over a particular difficulty - This would be termed 'School Action'. Other difficulties may be more profound and require advice from LA agencies . This would be termed 'School Action Plus'. Occasionally a child's problems cannot be met by the school within their normal arrangements and a 'Statement of Special Educational Need' may be required - this has extra funding from the LA specifically to meet the child's needs within the school.
SENCo - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator: a member of the Senior Management Team who has responsibility to oversee the provisions put in place for children with SEN. May also be known as the INCo or Inclusion Co-ordinator.
SENCoP - Special Educational Needs Code of Practice: also known as the Code of Practice or CoP. A document produced by the Government to explain how Schools and Local Authorities should carry out their obligations to meet the needs of Children with Special Educational Needs.
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulties.
SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-related targets.
SMT - Senior Management Team: The Headteacher and senior members of the teaching staff.
T
TA - Teaching Assistant: a member of the support staff in school. A TA may support a specific child with SEN, work in a classroom to support a whole class, or work with groups of children to support a particular area of the curriculum.
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