There are many acronyms used in education and by staff in schools. Hopefully, the list below will help demystify some of them for you.
EAL - English as an Additional Language - Refers to children whose first language(s) is/are not English and who may not yet be speaking English fluently or even at all.
ECT - Early Career Teacher
EYFS - Early Years Foundation Stage - A framework for care and education of children from birth to five years of age.
EBD - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
EWO - Education Welfare Officer - Person employed by the Local Authority to help parents and the LA meet their statutory obligations in relation to school attendance.
ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages or English as a Second or Other Language - If English is not your main language you can take part in a course to help you improve your English. These courses are called ESOL.
FSM - Free School Meals
GTP - Graduate Teacher Programme
INSET - In-Service Education and Training - Training for staff which takes place during the school year.
KS1 - Key Stage 1 - 5-7 years old
KS2 - Key Stage 2 - 7-11 years old
LA - Local Authority
MFL - Modern Foreign Languages
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties
PE - Physical Education
PPA - Planning, Preparation and Assessment Time
PSHE - Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
QTS - Qualified Teacher Status
RE - Religious Education
SATs - Standard Attainment Tests/Tasks - National Curriculum Tests and Tasks which take place at the end of Key Stage 1 and at the end of Key Stage 2.
SEND - Special Educational Needs and Disability - The Code of Practise 2014 states ‘A child has SEND where their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, that is provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age.'
SENDCO - Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulties
SLT - Senior Leadership Team