A Level

A General Certificate of Education (GCE) A Level is a single subject Level 3 qualification typically taken at age 18 after two years of post-16 study. Students typically take A Levels in 3+ subjects. These qualifications are provided by external awarding organisations working within a common regulatory framework. A Levels are graded A* to E, where A* is the highest grade (U is unclassified). A Levels in England have recently undergone significant reform. New qualifications, with reformed content and assessment mainly by exam at the end of the course, were introduced from 2015.

A2

Prior to recent reforms of A Levels, the A2 was the second half of the full A Level qualification.

Academy

An academy is a publicly funded independent school. Academies have individual funding agreements directly with the Secretary of State and enjoy certain freedoms relating to organisation and the curriculum. They may not charge fees. The academies programme includes schools of different phases and types: primary and secondary schools; sponsoredand converter academies; special schools; free schools; university technical colleges (UTCs); studio schools and alternative provision academies.

Academy chain

Academy trust

The Access to Higher Education Diploma is a qualification which prepares people without traditional qualifications for study at university. Courses are available in a range of different subjects, such as nursing, social studies, law, and art and design. They are typically delivered by a further education college as a one-year full-time programme.

Admission authority

An admission authority is the body that sets the admissions arrangements for a school, in accordance with the School Admissions Code. Depending on the school's legal category, the admission authority may be the school governing body, the academy trust or the local authority.

Alternative provider

An alternative provider (AP) is a provider of higher education that is not funded by regular government grants. APs can be for-profit or not-for-profit, and of any corporate form.

Alternative provision (AP)

Alternative provision (AP) is education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education. It includes education arranged for pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour.

Alternative Provision (AP) academy

An Alternative Provision (AP) academy is a unit that provides education for pupils who would otherwise not receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion or because they are otherwise unable to attend mainstream provision. A pupil referral unit offers similar provision but is legally a maintained school.

Applied General qualification

An Applied General qualification is a Level 3 qualification designed to be taken at age 18 after two years of post-16 study. It provides broad study of a vocational area and aims to equip students with transferable knowledge and skills. Applied General Qualifications fulfil entry requirements for a range of higher education courses and, since 2016, have counted towards school / college performance table measures.

AS Level

A General Certificate of Education (GCE) AS Level is a single subject Level 3 qualification typically taken at age 17 after one year of post-16 study. AS Levels are provided by external awarding organisations working within a common regulatory framework. AS Levels and A Levels in England have recently undergone significant reform and new qualifications, with reformed content, have been introduced. AS Levels are now standalone qualifications. (Prior to the reforms, A Levels were modular, with AS Levels contributing 50% of the total marks). AS Levels are graded A to E, where A is the highest grade (U is unclassified).

Assessment without levels

Assessment without levels refers to pupil assessment in Key Stages 1 to 3. It was introduced following the 2014 revision of the national curriculum, which removed the system of eight levels previously used to describe pupil performance in national curriculum subjects.

Attainment 8

Attainment 8 is a secondary school accountability measure based on student attainment at the end of Key Stage 4, aged 16. It shows average student achievement across a suite of eight GCSE subjects: maths and English, three additional EBacc subjects and three further qualifications that can include approved non-GCSE qualifications.

Autumn Statement

The Autumn Statement was a budget statement outlining the state of the economy and proposals for changes to taxation and government spending. It was previously one of two annual budget statements - the Spring Budget and the Autumn Statement - made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Parliament. The Government has moved to a new timetable, with a single major fiscal event each year. From autumn 2017, the Budget Statement will be delivered in the autumn only and will be known as the Budget.

Awarding organisation

An awarding organisation is a body recognised by the qualifications regulator (Ofqual) for the purpose of developing and awarding qualifications recognising learner achievements. Awarding organisations providing general (academic, rather than vocational) qualifications are often known as exam boards. 

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor’s degree is a first cycle higher education qualification atLevel 6 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ).

Centre

A centre, sometimes known as an examination centre, conducts examinations and assessments on behalf of an awarding organisation. In most instances, centres are schools and colleges, although they may also be training providers, adult education centres, offender learning units or employers. 

Children's Centre

A Children’s Centre is, under the Childcare Act 2006, a place or a group of places managed by or on behalf of the local authority with a view to ensuring that early childhood services in the local authority’s area are made available in an integrated way. Some Children’s Centres are based around a nursery school or primary school and offer childcare and early education along with other services. Others provide no childcare or education but operate as family centres, offering opportunities for community participation, and are used by local authorities for targeted prevention services. Fees are charged for childcare and education but providers can access government funding for part-time provision for children from age three (age two for disadvantaged children).

Class (of degree)

The class of a degree refers to the grade awarded to a bachelor’s degree awarded with honours. There are four points on the scale: first class; second class, which is subdivided into upper second and lower second; and third class. A bachelor’s degree may also be awarded without honours in which case it is not classified.

Coasting school

A coasting school is one which becomes eligible for formal external intervention because pupil attainment and progress have fallen below a specified level over three consecutive years. The precise definition of coasting is set by regulations made under the Education and Adoption Act 2016.

Collective worship

An act of collective worship is an act of a reverential or reflective nature that schools are required to provide on a daily basis. In schools with a religious character, collective worship is provided in accordance with the trust deed or religious designation of the school. In schools without a religious character, collective worship should wholly or mainly be of a broadly Christian character, but not denominational. In some schools, collective worship of a Christian character is deemed to be inappropriate for pupils. In such cases, it is possible for the school to apply for a determination for the Christian character requirement to be lifted.

Community school

A community school is a category of maintained school. Community schools are fully funded for both revenue and capital expenditure. The school premises (land nd buildings) are owned by the local authority. The local authority employs the staff and is the admission authority.

Comprehensive school

A comprehensive school is a secondary school which does not select students on the basis of academic ability. Most secondary schools are comprehensive schools.

Converter academy

A converter academy is a school which has voluntarily converted to academy status since 2010. Converter academies were usually high performing schools at the time of conversion.

Curriculum

Day nursery

A day nursery is a centre-based setting which provides all-day care for babies and children up to the age of five. Providers include employers, private companies, voluntary organisations and the local authority. Day nurseries usually charge fees but can access government funding for part-time provision for children from age three (age two for disadvantaged children).

Degree Awarding Powers (DAP)

Degree-awarding powers (DAP) are the powers held by a university or other body legally approved to award UK degrees. There are different types of DAP:

1. foundation degree awarding powers (FDAP)
2. taught degree awarding powers (TDAP), which allow institutions to award bachelor’s degrees and taught master’s degrees
3. research degree awarding powers (RDAP), which allow institutions to award research master’s degrees and doctorates.

Devolved administration (DA)

Devolved administration (DA) is a term used to refer to the executive formed by one of the devolved legislatures within the UK: the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Parliament or the Northern Ireland Assembly.  In all cases, the UK Parliament remains sovereign, and retains the power to amend the devolution Acts or to legislate on any matters that have been devolved. That said, the UK Government will not normally introduce legislation on a devolved matter without the consent of the devolved legislature. England has no devolved legislature or administration.

Directed time

Directed time is the time when, in accordance with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), a teacher must be available to carry out duties, including attending staff and parent meetings, under the direction of the headteacher. It amounts to a maximum of 1265 hours in a school year.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a service provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to help employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children.

Doctorate

A doctorate is a third-cycle higher education qualification at Level 8 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ). The degree of Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated to PhD (or DPhil in some universities), is awarded for the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, or application of existing knowledge in a new way, at the forefront of an academic discipline, usually through original research. The New Route PhD or integrated PhD combines research with a structured programme of training in research methods and transferable professional skills. 

Early years foundation stage (EYFS)

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) is the phase of education and care spanning the period from birth to age five. It covers education and care in different types of provider in the voluntary and private sectors as well as the publicly funded schools sector (maintained schools and academies). The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework is the common regulatory framework which sets out the standards which all early years providers in public, private and voluntary settings must meet.

Early years pupil premium (EYPP)

The early years pupil premium is an additional funding allocation for early years providers designed to tackle educational inequality through extra funds for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

EBacc

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a secondary school performance measure which allows people to see how many pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 (age 16) achieve a ‘good’ or ‘strong’ GCSE in a number of core academic subjects. It was first introduced in 2010.

Education, health and care (EHC) plan

An education, health and care (EHC) plan is a document which identifies the educational, health and social needs of children and young people up to the age of 25 which cannot be met by mainstream support. Plans are issued to a child or young person by their local authority following an EHC assessment process, which takes place under the terms of the Children and Families Act 2014. EHC plans replaced statements of special educational needs.

Entitlement areas are groupings of school subjects that are not compulsory for pupils, but which schools must make available. Maintained schoolsmust ensure that pupils in Key Stage 4 (age 14 to 16) are able to study a subject in each of four entitlement areas:

• the arts (comprising art and design, music, dance, drama and media arts)
• design and technology
• the humanities (comprising geography and history)
• modern foreign languages. 

Entry Level

Entry Level is one of the levels of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). Regulated qualifications are grouped into Levels on the RQF, from Entry Level to Level 8, based on their difficulty. Entry Level is further subdivided into Entry 1, 2 and 3 to support learners who have basic skills needs. Examples of qualifications at Entry Level are: Entry Level Award, Certificate and Diploma; Entry Level Functional Skills.

Exclusion

Exclusion is the banning of a pupil from a school on disciplinary grounds. An exclusion can be for a fixed term (sometimes known as 'suspension') or, less commonly, it can be permanent (sometimes known as expulsion).

Executive headteacher

An executive headteacher is a leader who directly leads two or more schools in a federation or other partnership arrangement. In a large group of schools, for example a large multi-academy trust, an executive headteacher may report to a chief executive officer (CEO).

Faith school

Faith school is a common term for a school that is designated as having a religious character. The great majority of faith schools are associated with either the Church of England or the Roman Catholic church, but there are also a small number of Jewish, Muslim and Sikh schools. The religious character may be reflected in the religious education curriculum, admission criteria and staffing policies, provided this does not conflict with other legislation.

Federation

A federation is an arrangement in which maintained schools collaborate formally. Schools in federations continue to be individual schools, keeping their existing legal category and character, but are governed by a single governing body. The ability to establish federations was introduced under section 24 of the Education Act 2002.

Floor standard

The floor standard represents the minimum standard for student achievement and progress that the Government expects schools to meet. Schools that fall below the floor standard may be subject to external intervention.

Foundation degree

A foundation degree is a short-cycle higher education qualification at Level 5 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ). Foundation degrees are designed with a particular area of work in mind, and are developed with the help of employers from that sector. They aim to equip students with the relevant knowledge and skills for business and cover a wide range of subjects, from engineering to e-commerce and health and social care. They are predominantly delivered through partnerships of further and higher education institutions.

Foundation school

A foundation school is a type of maintained school within the framework established by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. It is fully funded by government through the local authority for both revenue (recurrent) and capital expenditure. The governing body is the admission authority and employs the staff. Trust schools are a form of foundation school.

Free school

A free school is an academy established as new provision i.e. not established by the conversion of an existing maintained school.

Free school meals (FSM)

Free School Meals (FSM) are a statutory benefit available to children from families who receive other qualifying state benefits. Eligibility for free school meals is used as a proxy measure of deprivation. 

Further education (FE)

Further education (FE) is education for people over the age of full-time compulsory education (16 years) which does not take place in a secondary school. It is often vocational but also includes general (academic) programmes.

Further education college

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

A General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is a single subject qualification typically taken at age 16 after two years of study in Key Stage 4. GCSEs are provided by external awarding organisations working within a common regulatory framework. Students typically take GCSEs in 8+ subjects. GCSEs are graded 9 to 1, where 9 is the highest grade. Higher grade GCSEs are Level 2 qualifications on the RQF, and lower grades are Level 1. GCSEs in England have recently undergone significant reform. New qualifications, with reformed content, were introduced from 2015.

Governing board

Governing board is the term used to refer to the accountable body for a publicly funded school. The form this takes as a legal entity varies. In the case of a maintained school, it is the school governing body, while in an academy, it is the board of trustees (see academy trust). 

Governing body

A governing body is a corporate body set up by law to govern a maintained school. It is made up of parent and staff governors, local authority governors and, according to the legal category of school, foundation / trust governors or partnership governors. It has three core functions: setting the school's vision, ethos and strategic direction; holding the headteacher to account; and overseeing financial performance. The governing body operates at a strategic level, leaving the headteacher to be responsible and accountable for the day-to-day operation of the school. The term governing body is also used to refer to the accountable body for other education providers, which may take various constitutional forms.

Graduate

A graduate is a person who holds a bachelor's or higher degree. Graduation is the formal conferment of this award. The term is not generally used to describe successful completion of lower levels of education.

Grammar school

A grammar school is a school which selects all or almost all pupils on academic criteria. Only schools which already had selective arrangements in place prior to 1998 are permitted to select pupils on the basis of high academic ability.

Guided learning hours (GLH)

Guided learning hours (GLH) is an expression of the size of a regulated qualification. Guided learning is defined as time when staff are present to give specific guidance towards a learning aim being studied. This can include lectures, tutorials and supervised study. Ofqual (the regulator) requires that the qualifications it regulates are assigned a value for GLH. GLH can be combined with an estimate of the time a learner will spend in preparation, study and assessment to provide Total Qualification Time (TQT).

Higher degree

A higher degree is a degree above bachelor's level such as a master's degree or doctorate.

Higher education (HE)

Higher education (HE) is defined by the Education Reform Act 1988 as education provided by means of a course of a standard higher than the standard of courses leading to the GCE A Level or Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) National Diploma or Certificate. This definition embraces Levels 4 to 8 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ), including short-cycle qualifications below the level of a bachelor’s degree. Higher education can be provided in different types of institution: in higher education institutions directly funded by government through the Office for Students (OfS); in further education institutions; and by alternative providers.

Higher education institution (HEI)

Higher education institution (HEI) is a term from the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Under the Act (as amended by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017), it means any provider which is one or more of the following: a UK university; a higher education corporation; an institution designated as eligible to receive support from funds administered by the Office for Students (OfS), aside from a further education college.

Higher National Diploma (HND)

A Higher National Diploma (HND) is a vocational higher education qualification designed to teach the skills required in a particular area of work. HNDs are at Level 5 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) and typically take two years of full-time study to complete.

Home education

Home education, sometimes referred to as 'elective home education', is the term used to describe education provided by parents who choose to educate their child at home instead of sending him / her to school.

Honours degree

An honours degree is a bachelor's degree awarded with honours. Most bachelor’s degrees are awarded with honours. A bachelor’s degree awarded without honours is known as a pass degree or ordinary degree.

Independent school

An independent school is a school which is not a maintained school, at which full-time education is provided for five or more pupils of compulsory school age (whether or not such education is already provided for pupils over or under that age). Independent schools other than academies do not receive any public funding. Independent schools that do not receive public funding are commonly known as ‘private schools’. They may also be known as ‘public schools’.

Induction

ISCED

The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) was developed by UNESCO to facilitate comparisons of education statistics and indicators across countries on the basis of uniform and internationally agreed definitions. It was revised in 1997 and 2011. ISCED is the organising framework used for Eurydice system descriptions and comparative studies. To see how this framework applies to education in England, see the overview.

Key stage

A key stage is one of the four stages or blocks of years into which the national curriculum is divided. The four key stages are defined according to the age of the majority of the pupils in a teaching group. They are:

• Key Stage 1 for ages 5-7
• Key Stage 2 for ages 7-11
• Key Stage 3 for ages 11-14
• Key Stage 4 for ages 14-16.

Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA)

A Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) was a legal document issued by the local authority that set out the support and learning provision required by a young person aged 16 to 25 with learning difficulties and / or disabilities. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, LDAs were replaced by Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.

Lecturer

A lecturer is a member of the academic staff at a higher education institution. A lecturer holds teaching and administrative responsibilities and undertakes his or her own research.

Level

Level 1

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 1 on the RQF are: GCSE (grades D-G, or 1-4/5); BTEC Award, Certificate and Diploma.

Level 2

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 2 on the RQF are: GCSE(grades A*-C, or 4/5-9); BTEC Award, Certificate and Diploma Level 2; Functional Skills Level 2.

Level 3

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 3 on the RQF are: AS and A Level; BTEC Award, Certificate and Diploma Level 3.

Level 4

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 4 on the RQF are: Level 4 Certificate of Higher Education; BTEC Professional Award, Certificate and Diploma Level 4.

Level 5

General and vocational qualifications are grouped intoLevels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 5 on the RQF are: HND; foundation degree.

Level 6

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but the size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 6 on the RQF are: bachelor’s degree; Level 6 Award, Certificate and Diploma.

Level 7

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 7 on the RQF are: master’s degree; Level 7 Award, Certificate and Diploma.

Level 8

General and vocational qualifications are grouped into Levels, from Entry Level to Level 8. Qualifications at the same level are similar in terms of their difficulty, but their size and content can vary. Examples of qualifications at Level 8 on the RQF are: doctorate; Level 8 Award, Certificate and Diploma.

Linear qualification

A linear qualification is one which is designed to be assessed at the end of the programme. Linear qualifications can be contrasted with modular qualifications, in which learning is broken down into units or modules designed to be assessed separately.

Local authority (LA)

In the context of education legislation, a local authority is the tier of local government with responsibility for education for children and young people from 0 to 19. Formerly, the function of the local authority in respect of education was described by the term 'local education authority' (LEA).

Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)

A Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a voluntary partnership between a local authority and businesses, established to determine local economic priorities and lead economic growth in its area. There are 38 LEPs in England. They were first established in 2010 by the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Local governing body (LGB)

A local governing body (LGB) is a school-based body within a multi-academy trust (MAT). An LGB may govern one school or more than one. LGBs may also exist with no delegated governance functions i.e. as advisory bodies.

Looked after child (LAC)

A looked after child (LAC), under the terms of the Children Act 1989, is a child who is in the care of the local authority. Looked after children include children who are accommodated by the local authority under a voluntary agreement with their parents; children who are the subject of a care order; and children who are the subject of an emergency order for their protection.

Maintained school

A maintained school is a school funded via the local authority using grants from central government. Maintained schools include several different legal categories of school including community schools, voluntary aided schools, voluntary controlled schools and foundation schools. Until recently, the great majority of publicly funded schools in England were maintained schools but, since 2010, maintained schools exist alongside a growing proportion of academies.

Master's degree

A master’s degree is a second cycle higher education qualification at Level 7 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ). Master’s degrees, such as MSc and MA, are awarded after completion of taught courses or programmes of research, or a combination of both.

Middle school

Modular qualification

Multi-academy trust (MAT)

A multi-academy trust (MAT) is an academy trust in which the board of trustees is accountable for a number of academies. The MAT may delegate some governance functions to a local governing body.

National curriculum

The national curriculum sets out programmes of study for subjects that must be taught to all pupils aged five to 16. It is not intended to be the whole school curriculum but is a statutory requirement within the whole school curriculum for maintained schools (though not for academies).

National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) existed alongside the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) until October 2015, when they were replaced by the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

A National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) is a work-based qualification developed using agreed sector-wide standards.

Newly qualified teacher (NQT)

A newly qualified teacher (NQT) is a teacher who has Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) but who has not yet completed the statutory induction period.

Non-association independent school

A non-association independent school is an independent school that does not belong to an independent school association. Whilst independent schools which belong to an association are inspected by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, non-association independent schools are not.

Non-departmental public body (NDPB)

A non-departmental public body (NDPB) is an organisation (or body) which plays a role in the processes of national government, but is removed from Ministers as it does not form part of a government department.

Nursery school

A maintained nursery school (usually referred to simply as a nursery school) is a publicly funded standalone school catering for children aged from two or three to five. The term nursery school is also used by independent early years education providers. Independent nursery schools charge fees but can access government funding for part-time provision for children from age three (two for disadvantaged children).

Phonics screening check

The phonics screening check is a statutory assessment for all children reaching the end of Year 1 (age 6) in maintained primary schools. The check tests pupils’ phonic decoding skills – or how well they know and understand English sounds, how these sounds correspond to the alphabet, and how they interact with each other to form spoken words. It enables teachers to identify pupils who need extra help with their reading skills. It was introduced in 2012.

Playgroup

See pre-school.

Post-1992 university

A post-1992 university is a university that gained university status as a result of the provisions of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.

Postgraduate

A postgraduate is a student following a postgraduate programme. A postgraduate programme is a higher education programme which normally requires a bachelor's degree as a condition of entry. Postgraduate programmes include not only programmes leading to a higher degree such as a master’s degree or a doctorate, but also advanced short courses which often form parts of continuing professional development programmes and which lead to a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma.

Pre-1992 university

A pre-1992 university is a higher education institution which had university status before the provisions of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 came into force.

Pre-school

A pre-school is an early years education setting run by a community / voluntary group, parents themselves, or privately. Pre-schools charge fees but can access government funding for part-time provision for children from age three (two for disadvantaged children). Similar settings may be known as playgroups or nurseries.

Primary school

A primary school is a school catering for children who are approaching or have reached the compulsory school starting age of 5, up to the age of 11. Primary schools provide Key Stages 1 and 2 of the national curriculum (ISCED 1) and a reception class (ISCED 0). Many primary schools also provide a nursery class for younger children. 

Private school

See independent school.

Privy Council

Professor

A professor is a member of the academic staff at a higher education institution. The title of ‘professor’ may be awarded to a member of staff who has made an outstanding contribution to original research over a significant period of time, and is widely and internationally recognised as a distinguished authority in their field.

Programme of study

In the context of the national curriculum, a programme of study sets out the subject content (matter, skills and processes) for those subjects that should be taught to all pupils, organised on the basis of key stages. It does not prescribe teaching time.

Progress 8

Progress 8 is a secondary school accountability measure that aims to encourage schools to teach a broad curriculum and reward schools that teach all pupils well. It compares students’ scores at the end of Key Stage 4 (age 16) across a suite of eight GCSE (Attainment 8) subjects with the achievements of students with the same prior attainment at the end of primary education (age 11). Progress 8 scores have been included in the school and college performance tables since 2016.

Protected characteristic

A protected characteristic is a category protected under the Equality Act 2010. The following are the protected characteristics to which the Act applies: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation. The Act seeks to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.

Public school

See independent school.

Publicly funded school

A publicly funded school, sometimes referred to as a ‘state school’, is legally either a maintained school or an academy. Publicly funded schools receive full funding for all students and may not charge fees.

Pupil Premium

The pupil premium is an additional funding allocation designed to tackle educational inequality by providing schools with extra funds for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. It was first introduced in 2011.

Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)

A pupil referral unit (PRU) is a unit that provides education for pupils who would otherwise not receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion or because they are otherwise unable to attend mainstream provision. Pupil referral units are maintained by the local authority and are legally defined as schools. An alternative provision academy offers similar provision but is legally an academy.

Qualification

A qualification is an award made to a learner attesting to validated attainment. Qualifications may be either general (academic) or vocational.

Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF)

The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) was a credit transfer system which recognised qualifications and units by awarding credits. It existed alongside the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) until October 2015, when they were replaced by the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is a professional accreditation based on standards set by the Secretary of State, which define the minimum level of practice expected of teachers. QTS is mandatory for appointment as a qualified teacher in a maintained school and, although no longer mandatory for appointment in an academy, the great majority of teachers continue to have this accreditation. Most initial teacher training programmes leading to QTS also lead to an academic qualification such as the PGCE or Bachelor of Education (BEd)

Reader

A reader is a member of the academic staff at a higher education institution. The title of ‘reader’ may be awarded as a mark of personal distinction to a senior member of staff who has made a distinguished contribution to the advancement of their discipline, by way of original research and/or innovative application.

Reception class

A reception class (ISCED 0) is the first class in a primary school, catering for children aged four to five. Most children are admitted to primary school in the September after their fourth birthday and spend a full year in reception class. However, children may be admitted at different points in the school year depending on age and parental preference, as education is compulsory from the start of the school term following a child's fifth birthday, not from the start of the academic year.

Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC)

A Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) works with school leaders to take action in underperforming schools. The eight RSCs operate across eight regions of England and are accountable to the National Schools Commissioner. When the role was introduced in September 2014, RSCs were responsible for intervening in underperforming academies and building capacity in the academy system.  Since then, the role has expanded to cover addressing underperformance in maintained schoolsand, under the Education and Adoption Act 2016, tackling coasting schools. 

Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)

The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) describes all regulated qualifications in England and Northern Ireland. In use since October 2015, the RQF retains the same system for grouping qualifications according to their level of difficulty (running from Entry Level to Level 8) as its predecessors, the QCF and NQF. Within each level, qualifications can vary in terms of their purpose and size. Unlike the QCF, the RQF does not require qualifications to be combined of units which are credit-bearing.

Research council

A research council is one of the seven subject-specific councils funded by the UK Government to support research in their own establishments and to fund research projects in universities on a UK-wide basis. The research councils were brought under a single strategic research body, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), under the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.

School and college performance tables

School and college performance tables are published annually by government with the aim of providing a reliable and accessible source of comparative information on student progress and attainment at three key points: Key Stage 2 attainment (age 11, end of primary education); GCSE and equivalent results (Key Stage 4, age 16); A Level and equivalent Level 3 results. The data is published at school / college level. Data that could identify individual students is suppressed.

Secondary school

A secondary school is a school catering for children and young people who are aged 11 to 16 or 18/19. Secondary schools provide Key Stages 3 and 4 of the national curriculum and often also provide education for students aged 16 to 18/19 years in units known as ‘sixth forms’.

Secretary of State

A Secretary of State is a government Minister appointed by the Prime Minister who is responsible for the political leadership of a government department. In the context of schools legislation, the Secretary of State (SoS) refers to the Minister responsible for the department with responsibility for schools.

SEN support

Special educational needs support (SEN support) is the support given to a child or young person in their pre-school, school or college from within the school or college’s overall budget, up to a nationally prescribed threshold per student per year. If the child or young person’s needs cannot be met through SEN support, then an Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessment is made by the local authority.

SENCO

A special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is the member of staff designated to oversee special educational needs (SEN) provision in a mainstream school or maintained nursery school. Designation of a SENCO is a requirement under the Children and Families Act 2014.

SEND

Special educational needs and disability (SEND) is a term that brings together terms used for children and young people aged 0-25 reflecting that, under the Children and Families Act 2014, the assessment and provision of education, health and care services for children and young people were brought together into a single framework.

Sixth form

Sixth form is a term that may be used to describe full-time education for young people aged 16 to 18/19 when provided in a school or a sixth-form college. The two years of study are also referred to as Year 12 and Year 13.

Special educational needs (SEN)

Special educational needs (SEN) is defined by the Children and Families Act 2014 as a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if s/he: has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.

Special school

A special school provides education for children whose special educational needs (SEN) cannot be met satisfactorily in a mainstream school. Special schools are generally much smaller than mainstream schools and may have pupils ranging in age from nursery age to over 16.

Sponsored academy

A sponsored academy is a school which has converted to academy status with the support of a sponsor. The sponsor could be a charity, philanthropist or another school. Sponsored academies were usually lower performing schools at the time of conversion.

State school

See publicly funded school.

Statement of special educational needs (SEN)

A statement of special educational needs (SEN) is a legal document issued by the local authority that describes a child’s special educational needs and the special education provision needed. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, statements have been replaced by education, health and Care (EHC) plans.

Student support

Student support is the term used to refer to financial support for higher education students' tuition fees and living costs, provided in the form of grants and loans provided by government.

Studio school

A studio school is an academy for 14- to 18/19-year-olds of all abilities, which offers an academic and vocational curriculum and qualifications taught in a practical and project-based way through enterprise projects and real work.

Supply teacher

A supply teacher is a teacher appointed on a temporary contract to cover for an absent teacher. 

Teaching assistant

A teaching assistant works alongside a teacher in the classroom, helping pupils with their learning on an individual or group basis. Job titles and roles vary and can include specialised pupil support roles for pupils with special educational needs or for pupils who are not making expected progress. Higher level teaching assistants undertake an extended role, e.g. they may plan and deliver learning activities under the direction of a teacher.

Tech Bacc

The Technical Baccalaureate (TechBacc) is a school / college performance measure that recognises the achievement of students taking advanced (Level 3) programmes which include a government-approved Tech Level Level 3 maths and extended project qualifications.

Teaching fellow

A teaching fellow is a member of the academic staff at a higher education institution. A teaching fellow may have the same teaching and administrative duties as a lecturer, but does not necessarily undertake research.

Teaching school

A teaching school is designated by government to provide training and support for other schools in its local area, for which it receives a core grant. Each teaching school leads a teaching school alliance, consisting of the teaching school, the schools benefitting from support, together with external partners who deliver some aspects of training and development, such as higher education institutions, local authorities and private sector organisations.

Tech Level

A Technical Level qualification, or Tech Level, is a Level 3 qualification in a specific recognised occupation, such as engineering, computing, accounting or hospitality. Tech Levels are designed to be taken at age 18 after two years of post-16 study. They equip students with specialist knowledge and skills, enabling entry to an apprenticeship, other skilled employment or a technical degree. In some cases, these qualifications provide a ‘licence to practise’ or exemption from professional exams. Tech Levels were announced in 2013 and have counted towards the TechBaccschool / college performance table measure since 2016.

Technical Award

A Technical Award is a broad Level 1 or Level 2 qualification designed to be taken alongside GCSEs by students aged 14 to 16. They equip students with applied knowledge and associated practical skills. Up to three Technical Awards can count towards the Progress 8 school performance measure. Technical Awards were announced in 2014 and will count towards school / college performance table measures from 2017.

Technical Certificate

A Technical Certificate is a Level 2 qualification relating to a specific industry, occupation or occupational group. Technical Certificates are designed to be taken after one year of post-16 study. They equip students with specialist knowledge and skills, enabling entry to an apprenticeship, employment or progression to a Tech Level. In some cases, they provide a ‘licence to practise’ or exemption from professional exams. Technical Certificates were announced in 2014 and will count towards school/college performance table measures from 2017.

Tiering

Tiering is a feature of qualifications designed for a wide ability range. For example, mathematics GCSE has two tiers of entry: higher and foundation. There are different exams for different tiers and these are used to award overlapping ranges of grades. There are some common questions to help ensure that it is no more or less difficult to achieve the same grade on different tiers.

T Level

A T Level is a Level 3 qualification based around one of a number of occupational routes. The first T Levels are due to be introduced from 2020. T Levels are designed to be taken at age 18 after two years of post-16 study. T Level programmes include a technical qualification, an industry placement, and maths, English and digital requirements, as well as other occupation-specific requirements..

Total Qualification Time (TQT)

Total Qualification Time (TQT) is a measure of the notional size of a qualification. It comprises two elements:

1. guided learning hours (GLH)
2. an estimate of the number of hours a learner will spend in preparation, study and assessment.

Ofqual (the regulator) requires that the qualifications it regulates are assigned a value for TQT.

Trust school

See foundation school.

Umbrella trust

An umbrella trust is a vehicle for collaboration created by some academies. While the academies in an umbrella trust remain separate charitable trusts with their own funding agreements with the Secretary of State, they create an additional charitable trust with functions that reflect their mutual interests.

Undergraduate

An undergraduate is a higher education student who has not yet taken a first degree. Undergraduate programmes include bachelor's degrees and foundation degrees.

University

The right to use the title university is regulated by law. An organisation wishing to apply for approval to use the title must have been granted powers to award taught degrees. It must also normally have at least 1000 full-time equivalent higher education students, of whom at least 750 are registered on degree courses (including foundation degree programmes). The number of full-time equivalent higher education students must also exceed 55 per cent of the total number of full-time equivalent students, and the institution must be able to demonstrate that it has regard to the principles of good governance as relevant to the sector.

University college

The right to use the title university college is protected by law. The process for gaining the title is similar to that for gaining university title, but does not require a provider to have as many students.

University Technical College (UTC)

A University Technical College (UTC) is a type of academy for 14 -to 18/19-year-olds which is sponsored by a local university and employers. UTCs specialise in one or two technical curriculum areas (e.g. engineering, science) and teach core GCSEs alongside technical qualifications.

Validation

In the higher education context, a validation relationship occurs when a degree-awarding provider assesses a course delivered by another provider and approves it as being of an appropriate standard and quality to contribute, or lead, to one of the degree-awarding provider’s awards. Students normally have a direct contractual relationship with the provider delivering the course, not the institution that validated it.

Vice-Chancellor

A Vice-Chancellor is the lead academic and administrative officer at a university. The Vice-Chancellor’s main responsibilities include providing leadership, representing the university externally, ensuring that the university has a secure financial base, and carrying out certain ceremonial duties.

Voluntary aided school

A voluntary aided (VA) school is a type of maintained school within the framework established by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Most VA schools are designated as having a religious character. They are owned either by school trustees or by the founding body of the school (such as the Church of England, the Catholic Church, or other faiths). Within the governing body, the Church or Foundation governors form a majority. The governing body employs the staff and is the admission authority. VA schools receive full funding from government  for revenue expenditure, but may be expected to contribute a small proportion of capital costs.

Voluntary controlled school

A voluntary controlled (VC) school is a type of maintained schoolwithin the framework established by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Most VC schools are designated as having a religious character. They are owned either by school trustees or by the founding body of the school (such as the Church of England, the Catholic Church or other faiths). Within the governing body, no one group of governors is in a majority. The local authority (LA) employs the staff and is the admission authority. VC schools receive full funding for revenue (recurrent) and capital expenditure from central government (via the LA).

Article last reviewed October 2019.