UK Education A to Z

A

• Absence on medical grounds
  When a child is absent from school on medical grounds it is important that they are able to keep up with their studies, as far as their medical condition allows.
• Academies
  City Academies-re publicly funded independent secondary schools with sponsors from the private or voluntary sectors or from churches or other faith groups.
• Access to scripts
  From summer 2000 GCSE, A and AS cadidates have had access to marked scripts.
• Accredited ICT service suppliers
  The creation of a new accreditation mark for the provision of ICT services to educational institutions introduces a number of changes from the accreditation process developed for NGfL Managed Services.
• Activities for young people
  The Activities for young people programme for 16 year olds, also known as the uproject, came about through the need for intervention at specific transition stages in learning.
• Admission appeals
  Governing body admission authorities must establish independent appeal panels so that parents can appeal against any decision not to offer their child a place at the school, (even if they have been offered a place at another school).
• Advertising in schools
  Acceptance of advertising, by display of posters, distribution of leaflets or any other direct method, by a school is at the discretion of the head teacher and the board of governors.
• Alternative provision
  Local Authorities (LAs) must offer suitable education at school, or otherwise than at mainstream school, for pupils of compulsory school age who are otherwise out of school and/or not gaining qualifications (under section 19, Education Act 1996).
• Annual parents’ meetings
  The Education Bill 2005 has removed the requirement for governing bodies to produce a Governors’ Annual Report. The Governors’ Annual Report has been replaced with the School Profile.
• Annual report to parents
  The Education Bill 2005 has removed the requirement for governing bodies to produce a Governors’ Annual Report. The Governors’ Annual Report has been replaced with the School Profile.
• Annual schools census
  Every school is required to supply information to the DfES each January through the Annual Schools Census (ASC), formerly known as “Form 7”.
• Anti-bullying policy
  A model policy that schools can use as a template when devising an anti-bullying policy.
• Appointment of staff
  Head teachers have a professional duty to participate in the selection and appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff other than head teachers.
• Area guidelines for schools
  Area guidelines for schools have been revised, simplified and increased. From 1 April 2004, Building Bulletin 82: Area Guidelines for Schools?(and its draft revisions) have been superseded by two new publications.
• Art and Design
  Art and design is a key component of a balanced and rounded education for all children.
• Asbestos
  Airborne asbestos fibres are very hazardous to health. The main area of risk is work on existing buildings.
• Assessment results
  The Data Collection Agency (DCA) is managed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) on behalf of the DfES. The DCA collects data from the Key Stage 2 and 3 national curriculum test and teacher assessment results.
• Assisted places scheme
  The Government are phasing out the assisted places scheme and using the money saved to reduce infant class sizes in the maintained sector.
• Attendance and absence
  Parents have the primary responsibility for ensuring that children of compulsory school age (i.e. 5 to 16 year olds) receive a suitable education, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
• Autumn package
  National 2005 data, previously known as the Autumn Package is available via the Standards website.

B

• Background checks on staff
  It is important that thorough checks are made on anybody who will be working in a school or further education institution (including a sixth form college), both to prevent unsuitable people from gaining access to children and to maintain the integrity of the teaching profession.
• Batch email to schools
  Email alerts to the latest news and publications from the DfES are now available. The emails include brief summaries and contain links to the information source. The publications are available on TeacherNet’s Online Publications for schools service, where full summaries are provided.
• Beacon council scheme
  The Beacon Council Scheme was set up in 1998 as result of the Government’s White Paper ‘Modernising Local Government: In Touch With the People’ by what is now the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It provides a way of identifying centres of excellence in areas of local government, and then sharing these ideas and strategies with other councils to promote better practice.
• Beacon schools
  The Beacon Schools initiative is designed to raise standards through the dissemination of good practice.
• Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP)
  The Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) was set up in July 2002 as part of the Government’s Street crime initiative. It forms a central and targeted element of the National behaviour and attendance strategy.
• Benchmarking
  Benchmarking is the term given to the process of measuring standards of actual performance against those achieved by others with broadly similar characteristics.
• Best value
  Best Value is a key element of the Government’s programme to modernise local government. The aim of Best Value is to ensure local authorities continually improve the ways that they function, having regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Best Value is a statutory requirement for local authorities, including LEAs.
• Bidding for funds
  When preparing a bid for funds, the head teacher or designated member of the senior management team/bursar should research thoroughly the available sources of funding (see Grants for Schools).
• Boarding schools
  Boarding schools admit boarders as well as day pupils.
• Bullying
  Head teachers have a legal duty to draw up procedures to prevent bullying among pupils and to bring these procedures to the attention of staff, parents and pupils.
• Bursars
  The bursar role is a special one in that it is clearly a ‘support staff’ role, as ensuring the most effective use of all school resources is essential to supporting teaching and learning. At the same time bursars also have an important ‘senior management’ role in schools, as they are increasingly establishing themselves as part of school Senior Management Teams/Leadership Groups – involving strategic planning and risk management.
• Business, working with
  How working with businesses can help raise standards in schools.

C

• Careers education and guidance
  Head teachers and governing bodies of all maintained schools (including special schools and pupil referral units) must ensure that their school provides programmes of careers education to all pupils in Years 9 to 11. (Note. This duty will be extended to Years 7 & 8 from September 2004)
• Catering services
  Compulsory nutritional standards for school lunches were introduced on 1 April 2001.
• Centre for Procurement Performance (CPP)
  The CPP is a new unit set up by the Department for Education and Skills to promote better procurement across the education, skills, children and families system.
• Charging for activities
  The LEA or governing body may not charge for anything unless they have drawn up a statement of general policy on charging.
• Child employment
  Properly structured and regulated part-time work can help children’s development and preparation for working life as long as it does not have an adverse impact on their education.
• Child protection
  The Children Act 1989 gives every child the right to protection from abuse and exploitation and the right to have enquires made to safeguard his or her welfare.
• Children in care
  Guidance on the Education of Children and Young People in Public Care, published jointly by DfES and the Department of Health, provides direction for local authorities in their role as corporate parent and aims to bring the educational attainment of young people in their care closer into line with that of their peers.
• Children’s Fund
  The Children’s Fund is aimed at children aged 5-13 and connects Government initiatives that address social exclusion amongst children/young people and their families. The Fund is embedded within a policy context which aims to shift the agenda from remedial action towards prevention, and to build social inclusion.
• Citizenship education
  Citizenship education became a statutory national curriculum subject in secondary schools in September 2002. The Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education framework was introduced into primary schools in 2000.
• City learning centres
  City Learning Centres (CLCs) are a key element of the Excellence in Cities programme
• City technology colleges
  CTCs are independent all-ability, non fee-paying schools for pupils aged 11-18. Their purpose is to offer pupils of all abilities in urban areas across England the opportunity to study successfully a curriculum geared, with the help of private sector sponsors, towards the world of work. .
• Class sizes
  The Government’s policy to reduce infant class sizes is a central part of its drive to raise standards in schools.
• Collective worship
  All maintained schools should provide for collective worship and Religious Education (RE) for their pupils.
• Collective worship policy
  A model policy that schools can use as a template when devising a collective worship policy.
• Common basic data set
  A key part of the Information Management Strategy is to have agreed sets of essential information that are held electronically in all schools and LEAs, and can be transferred in a standard electronic format.
• Common mental health problems
  Common transfer file
  All such schools are expected to have the capability to transfer and receive the defined items of pupil data electronically.
• Communication Aids Project (CAP)
  The Communication Aids Project (CAP) was established by the DfES, with ￡10m funding over the period 2001-04, and an additional ?0m to extend the project to March 2006. The CAP helps pupils to overcome significant communication problems by providing high technology communication aids to children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabilities.
• Community involvement
  The Government is addressing gaps in learning and introducing citizenship education into the National Curriculum.
• Community use of school premises
  Schools can provide a range of extended services and facilities for the benefit of pupils, parents, families and the wider community.
• Compulsory school age
  Parents of children of compulsory schools age (5 to 16) are required to ensure that they receive a suitable education by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
• Connexions service
  Connexions is the Government’s front line support service for all young people aged 13-19. It is now live across 47 partnership areas of England, whose boundaries match local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) boundaries. The service went live in phases across England between April 2001 and April 2003.
• Consistent financial reporting
  Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) standardises, simplifies and streamlines the reporting of school finances in all maintained schools in England. The aim of CFR is to populate a website with a bank of benchmarked data, giving all maintained schools the opportunity to compare their incomes and expenditures with those of similar schools.
• Continuing Professional Development CPD
  CPD includes any activity that increases teachers’ knowledge or understanding, and their effectiveness in schools.
• Copyright
  Copyright is one of several Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Other examples include patents and trademarks. Intellectual Property (IP) is the results of intellectual effort or creativity.
• Creativity in schools
  The revised national curriculum offers teachers more flexibility in the delivery of the curriculum with more opportunities for pupils to explore their creative potential.
• Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)
  The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) aims to help employers make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain types of work, through a service called Disclosure.
• Cycling for the school journey
  The Government is keen to encourage walking and cycling for the school journey, to promote healthy lifestyles and to reduce the dangers of traffic congestion at the start and end of the school day.

D

• Dance and Drama awards (DaDas)
  The Dance and Drama Awards (DaDAs) are scholarships funded by the DfES. There are 525 new awards each year for students who wish to train at 22 private performing arts institutions in England.
• Data processing and sharing: DCSF guidance to the law
  This guidance explains the legal framework that applies to the use of personal data, in particular the circumstances in which bodies may share or disclose the data to third parties. It includes a suggested text for a Fair Processing Notice. You should note the Department’s disclaimer and should seek legal advice from your own legal adviser.
• Design and Technology (D&T) in schools
  Following the recent 14-19: opportunity and excellence consultation, the DfES intends that Design and Technology (D&T) will become an entitlement and not compulsory at Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16) from September 2004.
• Detention
  Head teachers have the right to detain pupils at the end of a school session on disciplinary grounds.
• Disability discrimination
  Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 employers, including LEAs and governing bodies, must not discriminate against disabled people applying for jobs, or against existing disabled staff.
• Disapplying the national curriculum
  Although there is considerable scope for flexibility within the national curriculum framework, there are circumstances in which disapplication of part or even all may be appropriate.
• Drugs education
  Good drugs education should teach young people about the dangers and harmful effects of drugs so that they are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle and achieve their full potential in society. Drug, alcohol and tobacco education is a statutory part of the National Curriculum Science Order at key stages 1 to 4. It is best supported as part of a wider personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship programme.

E

• Early years and childcare
  The former Sure Start and Early Years and Childcare Units of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) have been combined into a single interdepartmental Unit, the Sure Start Unit, accountable for delivery to both the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Work and Pensions.
• Education action forum
  The Action Forum is the Education Action Zone’s managing group.
• Education action zones
  Education Action Zones allow local partnerships to develop new and imaginative approaches to raising standards in disadvantaged urban and rural areas.
• Education Development Plans (EDPs)
  Education Development Plans (EDPs) are key plans produced by each local education authority (LEA) setting out its strategies for improving standards in schools and raising pupil attainment. The plans are produced in accordance with guidance from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and submitted to the Secretary of State for approval.
• Education improvement partnerships
  Education Improvement Partnerships (EIPs) are one of the key eight reforms in the DfES’ Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners. EIPs enable groups of schools to work together to raise standards and take on wider responsibilities for the children and young people in their local community.
• Education maintenance allowance
  The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) will be available nationally across England from September 2004 to eligible young people on courses such as AS/A2, GNVQs, NVQs, GCSEs studying in schools, sixth form colleges and FE colleges.
• Education welfare service
  Under Education Law parents are responsible for ensuring that their registered children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) attend school regularly.
• Educational psychologists
  The role of Educational Psychologists (EPs) in statutory assessment is well known but they also have an important role in early identification and intervention.
• Educational visits
  Information about health and safety on educational visits.
• Emails to schools from the DCSF
  Email alerts to the latest news and publications from the DfES are now available. The emails include brief summaries and contain links to the information source. The publications are available on TeacherNet’s Online Publications for schools service, where full summaries are provided.
• Emergency planning
  Emergency planning establishes procedures for dealing with emergencies confidently should they arise. TeacherNet has devised guidelines which cover planning, types of incidents and online tools to support your school’s emergency plan.
• Environmental regulations
• Ethnic minority pupils
  The Government is wholly committed to promoting equality of opportunity in our schools and closing the educational achievement gap that exists between some groups of minority ethnic pupils and their peers.
• Ethnic monitoring
  Information about pupils’ ethnic group allows for better observation of the performance of different groups, consideration of possible explanations for any disparity in achievement and planning of strategies for action.
• European and international links
  Many opportunities exist for schools and educationalists to interact and exchange information, people and ideas with other countries.
• European legislation
  Articles 149 and 150 of the Treaty establishing the European Community make clear that it is for individual countries to organise their education systems and determine the content of teaching as they see fit at a national level.
• Example policies
  A list of policies provided by the DfES which schools may use as templates when creating or reviewing their policies.
• Excellence clusters
  Excellence Clusters are designed to bring the benefits of Excellence in Cities (EiC) to small pockets of deprivation. Some 397 secondary schools and over 280 primary schools are involved in Excellence Clusters. Like EiC, the clusters focus on some of the most deprived areas of the country, using a structured programme designed to raise standards.
• Excellence in cities
  Excellence in Cities (EiC) is designed to remedy successive failures and to address the educational problems of the major cities where standards have been low.
• Exclusion
  In 1996-97 permanent exclusions were at a peak of 12,700, a threefold increase between the early and mid 1990s. The Social Exclusion Unit published a report on truancy and exclusion and set Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets on truancy, exclusion and provision of suitable educational provision for excluded pupils. These were subsequently adopted in the White Paper.
• Extended services
  Schools can provide a range of extended services and facilities for the benefit of pupils, parents, families and the wider community.

F

• Fair funding
  Fair Funding is the non-statutory term commonly used to describe the system used by LEAs to allocate funding for primary and secondary education, including the allocation of school budget shares.
• Fair Processing Notices (FPN) for pupils and school workforce – background and links to suggested texts and cover notes
  Word versions of a cover note setting out changes in the FPN guidance for 2006-07, as well as a suggested text for local authorities and maintained schools, and one for City Technology Colleges, Academies and Non-maintained Special Schools.
• Financial benchmarking
  Benchmarking is the term given to the process of measuring standards of actual performance against those achieved by others with broadly similar characteristics.
• Financial benchmarking
  Financial benchmarking in schools is about more than just effectively managing the budget. It is about achieving Best value, the Government policy designed to further continuous improvement in locally provided services, including education.
• Fitness to teach
  Teachers and those training to become teachers need a sufficient standard of health and physical fitness to enter or remain in the teaching profession. Teaching is a demanding yet rewarding career and teachers have a duty of care for the pupils in their charge.
• Flexibility in the national curriculum
  Head teachers have considerable scope to develop their own curriculum within and around the national curriculum framework.
• Foreign language assistants
  The FLA scheme offers an invaluable resource for the promotion and support of language teaching and learning and FLAs can contribute greatly to all aspects of a language department’s work by providing authentic native language support.
• Foundation stage profile
  The Foundation Stage Profile is a national scheme to enable teachers to record observations and summarise children’s achievements at the end of the foundation stage. It is used to summarise the achievements of children towards the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) within the foundation stage.
• Freedom of information for schools
  The Freedom of Information (FoI) Act requires all public authorities, including all maintained schools, to set out in an approved ‘publication scheme’ what information they hold and where and how the information can be accessed by an interested individual.
• Fruit in schools
  The National School Fruit Scheme is a Department of Health led initiative, which will entitle 4 to 6 year olds and 3 year olds registered at schools, with a free piece of fruit every day.
• Funding
  Funding schools is a shared responsibility between Central Government and Local Authorities. It is for schools and LEAs, individually and through Schools Forums, to work together to make sure that spending is best targeted, and matches income.

G

• Gap year policy
  For many young people the idea of taking a year out between school and university is an attractive one.
• GCSE examinations
  The governing bodies of schools are required by section 402 of the Education Act 1996 to enter pupils for prescribed public examinations, such as GCSEs, for which they have been prepared by the school.
• General Teaching Council
  The General Teaching Council (GTC), launched in September 2000, is the new independent professional body for teachers.
• Geography
  Geography is a statutory national curriculum subject, studied by all pupils between the ages of 5 and 14.
• Gifted and talented children
  In September?001, an intensive gifted and talented programme was launched in over 1000 secondary schools, 400 primary schools and in post-16 institutions across some 70 LEAs.
• Governor training
  Governor training, advice and support is available from local education authorities, diocesan boards as well as some independent providers.
• Governors’ annual report
  The Education Bill 2005 has removed the requirement for governing bodies to produce a Governors’ Annual Report. The Governors’ Annual Report has been replaced with the School Profile.
• Grammar school ballots
  The Government made clear before the election that they do not support academic selection via the 11-plus exam and do not wish to see it extended.
• Grants for schools
  There are a large number of potential sources of funding which head teachers (or a designated member of the senior management team or bursar) can research depending upon their own needs, interests and existing contacts.
• Gridclub
  GridClub is a safe free online community designed solely for membership of 7 to 11 year old children, with over 500 activities aimed at complementing classroom teaching and learning at KS2.
• Gypsy and traveller children
  Gypsy and Traveller children should be given the same opportunities as all other children to benefit from schools.

H

• Health and safety
  The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places a duty on employers to do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure the health and safety and welfare of their employees and the health and safety of non-employees affected by the undertakings of the employer.
• Health and safety on educational visits
  Information about health and safety on educational visits.
• HIV and AIDS
  Children with HIV or AIDS should be allowed to attend school. HIV infection or AIDS should not be a factor taken into account by local education authorities, governing bodies and head teachers in discharging either their various duties concerning school admissions, transfers and attendance, or their powers of exclusion from school.
• Home to school travel
  The DCSF, in partnership with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DFT) and the Department of Health, is encouraging safe, healthy and sustainable school travel.
• Home-school agreements
  All maintained schools and city technology colleges are required to adopt a home-school agreement.
• Homework
  Learning at home is an essential part of good education.
• Homophobia
  Further information is available on TeacherNet’s Homophobia and sexual orientation in schools pages.

I

• ICT and teacher training
  Training in basic ICT skills is an important stage in the development of teachers’ ICT capability.
• ICT procurement advisory service
  The pilot of the ICT Independent Procurement Advisory Service (IPAS) was announced at BETT 2001 in the Minister’s speech and Becta has been commissioned to manage the service.
• Increased flexibility for 14-16-year-olds programme
  The programme seeks to create enhanced vocational and work related learning opportunities for 14-16 year olds who can benefit most – including provision of the new GCSEs in vocational subjects.
• Independent schools registration
  The standards for independent schools are set out in the Education Act 2002, which provides a regulatory framework for the registration and monitoring of all independent schools.
• Independent/State School Partnership scheme
  The Government is encouraging independent and state schools to work together to raise standards, widen educational opportunities, share best practice and create a climate of social inclusion.
• Individual Education Plan (IEP)
  An Individual Education Plan (IEP) builds on the curriculum that a child with learning difficulties is following and is designed to meet each child’s identified needs.
• Induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs)
  Teachers who obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) after 7 May 1999 must successfully complete an induction period of three school terms (or equivalent) in order to remain eligible for employment as a teacher in maintained schools and non maintained special schools.
• Information Management Strategy (IMS)
  DfES’s Information Management Strategy (IMS) was developed with the help of schools and LEAs to aid leadership teams, teachers and support teams in their efforts to raise standards in the classroom.
• Insurance
  The funding of insurance for maintained schools is currently governed by Regulations under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. LEAs can retain funding centrally for insurance within their Local Schools Budget. They may delegate resources for insurance to all or some schools. Schools can still request to have insurance funding delegated to it on an individual basis.
• Internet safety
  The DfES’s Superhighway Safety website provides guidance on the wide range of measures that schools can adopt to protect their students when they are using computers.
• Investors in people
  Investors in People (IiP) helps schools to manage everything they must do and everything they choose to do.

J

• Joint school and college ventures
  In response to the 14-19 agenda a number schools and colleges have been developing proposals for new ways of cross sector working, some involving jointly run facilities that require capital investment.

K

L

• LA funding
  Information about LA funding is available from TeacherNet’s School funding area.
• LA inspections
  Ofsted is responsible for the management of LA inspections, which take place under section 38 of the Education Act 1997.
• LA intervention
  For specific queries about LA intervention, please contact the LA Intervention Policy Development and Finance team at the Department for Education and Skills, tel: 020 7925 5943.
• Language assistants
  The FLA scheme offers an invaluable resource for the promotion and support of language teaching and learning and FLAs can contribute greatly to all aspects of a language department’s work by providing authentic native language support.
• Languages strategy
  The document Languages for All: Languages for Life. A Strategy for England was published in December 2002. The Strategy contains three overarching objectives whaich are to improve the teaching and learning of languages, to introduce a new voluntary recognition system and to increase the number of people studying languages.
• Leading Edge Partnership (LEP) programme
  The aim of the Leading Edge Partnership (LEP)programme is to identify, extend and disseminate innovation and excellence in order to contribute to system-wide improvement.
• Learning and skills council
  The LSC is a non-departmental public body, established under the Learning and Skills Act 2000. Its function is to plan and fund post-16 learning in England, including school sixth-form provision, FE, work-based training, and adult and community learning.
• Legal guidance on data processing and sharing
  This guidance explains the legal framework that applies to the use of personal data, in particular the circumstances in which bodies may share or disclose the data to third parties. It includes a suggested text for a Fair Processing Notice. You should note the Department’s disclaimer and should seek legal advice from your own legal adviser.
• Length of school day/year
  Schools must open for 380 half-day sessions (190 days) in each school year, beginning with the first term to start after July.
• Lifelong learning
  Lifelong learning is one of the keys to prosperity for individuals, businesses and the nation.
• Literacy
  The National Literacy Strategy has two main aims: to improve the teaching of literacy in the classroom and to improve the management of literacy at school level.

M

• Management Essentials
  The Management Essentials area in TeacherNet’s Online Publications for schools gives a summary of the most important information and documents listed in Spectrum.
• Meals and milk
  The duty to provide free meals to eligible pupils, paid lunches where parents request them, and to comply with national nutritional standards, rests with the Local Education Authority (LEA). Where a school’s budget share includes an amount in respect of meals and other refreshments this duty rests with the school’s governing body.
• Media and PR advice
  When dealing with the media, schools need to adhere to certain rules and guidelines. This will protect them from bad press and false representation, as opposed to good press that will raise their reputation in the community and keep them known as an interested and interesting local school.
• Mental health
  A recent ONS survey showed that very large numbers of children suffer from mental health problems. A positive school experience can make a real difference to the long-term outcomes for children who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing mental health problems.
• Mentoring
  Mentoring initiatives can make a significant contribution to the overall strategies of support available to individuals in education.
• Mobile phones and base stations
  A report into mobile phones and health, in May 2000, recommended that a specific precautionary approach should be adopted until much more detailed and scientifically robust information on any health effects becomes available.
• Model policies
  A list of policies provided by the DfES which schools may use as templates when creating or reviewing their policies.
• Multi-cultural education
  The Government is wholly committed to ensuring that pupils from ethnic or religious minorities have the same opportunity as all others to benefit from what schools can offer them.
• Museums and galleries
  A £2.5 million programme aimed at developing the educational role of museums and art galleries over a period of three years was launched in July 1999.
• Music and dance
  The Government’s Music and Dance Scheme (MDS previously the Music and Ballet Scheme) provides means-tested aided places for over 800 boys and girls with outstanding talent in music or dance.