This is a glossary of common acronyms and terms used in school governance produced from an older glossary that the DfE used to provide.
As with all resources on Ask A Clerk please share this free glossary with your governance colleagues to help others understand the jargon!
A
Academies – state-funded schools that are independent from the local authority.
Academy Trust Handbook (ATH) – a document that sets out the financial requirements and other controls for all academies. Used to be called the Academies Financial Handbook (AFH).
Admission authority – the body that decides which children can join the school. Local authorities are admission authorities with responsibility for admissions to community and voluntary-controlled schools. In the case of an academy, foundation or voluntary-aided school the governing body is the admission authority.
Age-weighted pupil unit (AWPU) – the rate local authorities set to allocate basic funding per pupil in mainstream schools.
Agreed syllabus – a syllabus of religious education that is not specific to one religion, adopted by an LA for teaching in community and controlled schools.
Analyse school performance (ASP) – an online source of school data provided by the DfE.
Annual general meeting (AGM) – academy trust members are often required to hold an annual general meeting where they receive the accounts and appoint auditors.
Appraisal – the process of assessing how well a member of staff is carrying out his or her job.
Articles of association (AoA) – in academy trusts the articles explain the rights and responsibilities of members and trustees and describe how each person is elected or appointed.
Assistant headteacher (AHT) – a senior leader who sits below the deputy headteacher in the staffing structure.
Associate member – a person who is appointed by the governing body of a maintained school as a member of a committee established by it, but who is not a governor. (Some academies also have individuals on their committees who they call associate members to differentiate them from trustees or local governors.)
Attainment 8 – a score showing the achievement of secondary pupils by adding together their highest scores across eight qualifications.
Authorised absence – where the absence of a pupil has been agreed by the person authorised on their behalf by the proprietor of the school.
B
Ballot – a method of voting, normally secret.
Benchmarking – comparing data with other schools to identify possible areas to improve, for example by identifying areas of high spending compared to similar schools.
C
Capability procedures – procedures governing bodies are required to establish for dealing with staff who are unable to perform their job to an agreed standard.
Capital expenditure – spending on building projects and large items of equipment.
Catchment area – a defined geographical area from which a school takes its pupils.
Casting vote – an additional tie-breaking vote to be used by the chair of a meeting if an equal number of votes are cast for and against a proposal.
Census – all schools must submit census data to the DfE every term. Data collected includes the number of children receiving free school meals.
Chair of governors (COG) – the governor elected to lead the governing board. If two governors lead the board together they are called co-chairs.
Chair’s action – the ability of the chair of governors to take decisions alone in emergencies if a delay would be likely to cause harm. In maintained schools the chair of governors has this right by law; academy chairs of trustees can be given a similar right but do not have it automatically. Also known as chair’s power to act.
Chief executive officer (CEO) – in a multi-academy trust the CEO is the highest paid member of staff and the most senior leader.
Chief financial officer (CFO) – in academies the CFO is in charge of financial management. May be called the finance director.
Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) – the NHS service that helps children and young people with mental health problems.
Child protection online management system (CPOMS) – software that helps schools monitor the safeguarding of children.
Circle model – a method of governing where the board does not run any committees, taking all decisions at the full governing board level.
Clerk to the governing body – a person appointed to carry out administrative duties for the governing body such as preparing an agenda and minuting meetings who also advises on legal and procedural matters. Sometimes known as the governance professional.
Code of conduct – many governing bodies ask governors to sign a code of conduct which describes how they expect governors to behave in areas such as confidentiality and attendance at meetings.
Collaboration – where two or more governing bodies may arrange for any of their functions to be discharged jointly by holding joint meetings and/or having joint committees.
Committee – a smaller group of governors formed from the main governing board who have delegated powers. (Some schools use the term sub-committee but the meaning is the same.)
Co-opted governor – a general category of governor for anyone who has the skills to serve on the governing body.
Community school – a state school in England and Wales that is wholly owned and maintained by the LA.
Contingency fund – money set aside for unexpected costs.
Continual professional development (CPD) – a process relevant to all staff, involving increasing staff skills, knowledge and understanding.
Core subjects – English, maths and science are the subjects that must be studied by all pupils at every key stage.
Current expenditure – spending on the day-to-day running of schools, including staff costs, heating and lighting, consumables and so on; sometimes called recurrent expenditure.
D
Data protection officer (DPO) – the person in charge of ensuring personal data is handled securely and in accordance with the general data protection regulation.
Dedicated schools grant (DSG) – the ring-fenced specific grant paid by the DfE to local authorities in support of the schools budget.
Delegation – a process where one body or person gives another body or person authority to take decisions on a particular matter.
Department for Education (DfE) – the central government department with responsibility for education.
Deputy headteacher (DHT) – the senior leader who sits below the headteacher in the staffing structure.
Designated safeguarding lead (DSL) – the senior staff member in charge of keeping children safe from harm.
Designated teacher – a qualified teacher, headteacher or acting headteacher who is appointed by the school governing body to promote the educational achievement of looked after children on the school’s roll.
Diocese – the area over which a bishop has jurisdiction.
Director – in some academy trusts the people on the main governing board are known as directors instead of trustees or governors.
Disadvantaged – pupils who are considered disadvantaged include those who receive free school meals, looked after children and and those who have been adopted after being in care.
Disapplication – the term used where parts or all of the national curriculum requirements are lifted or modified in relation to a pupil in specified cases or circumstances.
Disclosure and barring service (DBS) – the body that checks whether someone has a criminal record and/or is banned from working with children or adults.
E
Early career teacher (ECT) – the new name for a newly-qualified teacher (NQT).
Early years foundation stage (EYFS) – a statutory framework for the provision of learning, development and care for children between birth and the academic year in which they turn five.
Early years foundation stage profile (EYFSP) – each child’s level of development is assessed against the early learning goals at the end of the academic year in which they turn five.
Early years single funding formula (EYSFF) – the single local funding formula that each local authority is required to develop and implement to fund the free entitlement for three and four-year-olds in maintained nursery schools and classes, and private, voluntary and independent early years providers.
Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) – the government agency that funds education and training.
Education, health and care plan (EHCP) – these plans identify the educational, health and social needs of children and set out the additional support necessary to meet those needs. They used to be called statements of special needs.
Education welfare officer (EWO) – also known as education social workers or attendance advisers, these officers are employed by LAs to resolve problems of children and young people regularly missing school.
Emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) – problems with managing emotions, relationships and behaviour.
Emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) – a teaching assistant trained to help children with emotional and social issues.
Empty multi-academy trust – an academy trust that currently only runs one academy but plans to take on more academies in future.
English as an additional language (EAL) – where a person’s first language is not English.
Exclusion – officially banning a pupil from school, either temporarily or permanently, on disciplinary grounds. A permanent exclusion used to be known as being expelled.
Executive headteacher – the senior leader who is in charge of multiple schools or multiple phases of a school.
Ex officio governor – someone who is automatically a governor or able to attend meetings of a governing body by virtue of the office they hold, for example a headteacher, parish priest or vicar, ie: the position of governor comes with the job.
Extraordinary meeting – an extra meeting that is held at short notice, outside of the planned schedule of meetings. May be written as EFGB, for extraordinary full governing body.
F
Federation of governing bodies – the arrangement whereby several schools join together under a single governing body. The schools remain separate schools but are governed by one body.
Fischer Family Trust (FFT) – a non-profit body that provides schools with data.
Formula funding – the method by which funds for school budgets are calculated. The most important factor is the number of pupils.
Foundation governor – a person appointed to be a member of a school’s governing body, otherwise than by the LA, to ensure that the school preserves its particular religious character, or that it is conducted in accordance with the terms of a trust deed.
Foundation school – a type of state school which has more freedom than community schools in how it is managed and with its admissions procedures. At foundation schools, the governing body is the employer and the admission authority. The school’s land and buildings are owned by either the governing body or a charitable foundation. Funding comes from the LA, which also pays for any building work.
Foundation stage – the curriculum for pre-school age children.
Free school – all-ability state-funded schools set up in response to what local people want in order to improve education for children in their community. Free schools have the same legal status as academies.
Free school meals (FSM) – all children receive free school meals in reception, year 1 and year 2. Beyond that free meals are given to children whose parents are on low incomes and qualify for some benefits. Children receiving FSM, plus those who were eligible for FSM in the past six years, qualify as pupil premium children.
Full governing body (FGB) – the entire governing body of a school. Also known as the whole governing body (WGB). The term is used to differentiate meetings of the full board from committee meetings.
G
General annual grant (GAG) – most funding for academies comes from this government grant.
General data protection regulation (GDPR) – the regulation that describes how personal data must be handled.
Get information about schools (GIAS) – the DfE online database of all school governors and trustees. Used to be called Edubase.
H
Headteacher (HT) – the most senior teacher who leads the school.
Her majesty’s inspector (HMI) – an inspector from OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills).
Home–school agreement – all state schools used to be required to have written home–school agreements, drawn up in consultation with parents. They were non-binding statements explaining the school’s aims and values, the responsibilities of both school and parents and what the school expects of its pupils.
I
Information communication technology (ICT) – the study of computing and technology.
Independent school – any school that provides full-time education which is not maintained by an LA and is not a non-maintained special school. As these are schools that are not funded by the state, they obtain most of their finances from fees paid by parents and income from investments. Some of the larger independent schools are known as public schools, while most boarding schools are independent.
Information commissioner – the independent office holder set up to oversee and enforce the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.
In-service education and training (INSET) – the professional training and development of staff working in schools, generally taken as short courses or day conferences, hence the term INSET day.
Instrument of government – a legal document detailing the composition of a governing body of a maintained school.
Interim executive board (IEB) – a board that replaces the existing governors when a school is failing.
K
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) – statutory guidance from the DfE which tells schools how to keep children safe from harm.
Key stages – the four stages of pupils’ progress in acquiring knowledge and skills as set out in the national curriculum. Pupils are tested at the end of each stage:
- key Stage 1, where the majority of pupils are aged 5 to 7;
- key Stage 2, where the majority of pupils are aged 7 to 11;
- key Stage 3, where the majority of children are aged 11 to 14; and
- key Stage 4, where the majority of pupils are aged 14 to 16.
There are statutory assessment arrangements at the end of Key Stages 1, 2, and 3.
L
Lay member – a member appointed to a panel hearing appeals against non-admission or exclusion, being a person without personal experience in managing or providing education in any school (other than as a governor or on a voluntary basis).
Learning support assistant (LSA) – a teaching assistant who often works with SEN children.
Learning walk – visiting classrooms to collect evidence on teaching and learning, progress and any areas to improve (but not to make judgements).
Link governor – a governor allocated a specific area to monitor and take an interest in, for example health and safety or special educational needs.
Local authority (LA) – the local government department for a region. Formerly the local education authority (LEA).
Local authority designated officer (LADO) – an employee of the LA who co-ordinates the response to allegations that an adult has harmed a child.
Local authority governor – a maintained school governor nominated by the LA and appointed by the governing body. Academies with older articles of association may also have LA governors.
Local governor – each multi-academy trust has a main board of trustees but it may also have committees called local governing bodies at each of its academies. The individuals serving on these committees are often called local governors.
Local governing body (LGB) – a committee of the main board of trustees in a multi-academy trust based at one of its academies. May be called a local governing committee (LGC), academy committee (AC) or academy council.
Local government pension scheme (LGPS) – the pension scheme for employees of local government.
Looked after child (LAC) – a child who, as defined in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, is cared for by the LA or is provided with accommodation by an LA for more than 24 hours under a voluntary agreement with his or her parents, or who is the subject of a care order.
M
Main pay scale (MPS) – under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document more experienced qualified teachers are paid on the upper pay scale and less experienced teachers on the main pay scale.
Maintained nursery school (MNS) – a school providing education for children aged from three to five, maintained by the LA.
Maintained school – a school for which an LA has financial and administrative responsibility.
Management information system (MIS) – an electronic system for recording all school business, such as attendance and other census information.
Members – in an academy trust the members sit above the trustees in the governance structure. They are the “guardians” of the trust and have powers to change the articles of association and appoint some trustees. They also hold the trustees to account, for example at annual general meetings. (Not to be confused with associate members.)
Multi-academy trust (MAT) – two or more academies run by a single board of trustees.
Multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) – a safeguarding team staffed by professionals from different agencies (eg: education, social care, police) that triages concerns about children and serves as a single point of contact for referrals.
N
National curriculum – the national curriculum covers 12 subjects and is divided into four key stages according to age. Maintained schools must follow the national curriculum; academies do not have to follow it but must teach a broad and balanced curriculum including English, maths, science and religious education.
National curriculum tests (commonly referred to as SATs) – statutory national tasks or tests set by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) and taken by pupils at the end of key stages 1 and 2.
National Governance Association (NGA) – the national charity that supports governors and trustees.
National leader of governance (NLG) – someone with considerable experience as a governor or clerk who provides DfE-funded support and advice to school governing boards.
Newly qualified teacher (NQT) – the new name for NQTs is early career teacher.
Nolan principles – a set of agreed standards and behaviours which people in public life should follow, including school governors. Named after Lord Nolan.
Number on roll (NOR) – the number of children registered to attend a school.
Nursery classes – a class in any school comprising children aged three and those who have their fourth birthday during the school year, and any other children whom it is appropriate to educate within that age group. This is usually the year before children attend reception class.
O
Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED) – brings together the regulation and inspection of childcare and children’s social care and the inspection of LA children’s services and schools.
Open enrolment – all schools must admit pupils up to their published admission number which is calculated according to the physical capacity of the school to accommodate pupils.
Ordinary resolution – a decision of academy trust members that needs at least 51% of members to vote in favour to be passed.
Overall absence – all recorded absences from school whatever the reason, whether authorised or not.
P
Parent – any person having parental responsibility for a child or who has care of a child, including an LA. Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines ‘parent’ as:
- all natural parents, whether they are married or not;
- any person who, although not a natural parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person;
- any person who, although not a natural parent, has care of a child or young person (having care of a child or young person means that a person with whom the child lives and who looks after the child, irrespective of what their relationship is with the child, is considered to be a parent in education law).
Parent governor – a parent who is usually elected by other parents of children at a school to serve on the governing body. If not enough parents stand for election parent governors can be appointed by the governing board instead.
Parental responsibility – all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that a parent of a child has by law.
Partnership governor – a type of governor found in foundation schools that no longer have foundations attached.
Parent council – a body of parents which represents parents and provides a forum for them to put forward their views to the headteacher and the governing body of their children’s school.
Parent teacher association (PTA) – an organisation of parents which supports the school through fundraising and social events.
Penalty notice – fines that may be imposed on parents if a pupil has too many unauthorised absences.
Peripatetic teacher – one who gives specialist instruction in a number of schools, for example in music.
Permanent exclusion (PEX) – permanently banning a pupil from a school (used to be known as being expelled).
Persistent absence – when a pupil enrolment’s overall absence equates to 10 per cent or more of their possible sessions.
Personal education plan (PEP) – a record of what needs to happen so that looked after children can fulfil their potential, reflecting any existing educational plans.
Phonics – a method of teaching reading and spelling that trains pupils to associate sounds in the spoken language (phonemes) and their corresponding letters or letter combinations (graphemes).
Phonics screening check – a statutory screening check for pupils at the end of Year 1 to assess their ability to decode and read words using phonics.
Preparation, planning and assessment time (PPA) – guaranteed timetabled time available to teachers and headteachers to enable them to raise standards through individual or collaborative professional activity, as contained in the STPCD.
Prevent duty – the responsibility school staff and governors have to stop children being drawn into terrorism.
Privacy notice – an oral or written statement that an organisation should make available to individuals whose personal information it plans to collect or have collected.
Progress 8– a measure of the progress pupils pupils make in eight subjects from the end of KS2 (the end of primary school) to the end of KS4.
Published admission number (PAN) – the fixed number of children which a school must admit if sufficient applications are received, as published by the admission authority for the school.
Pupil premium (PP) – targeted funding (in addition to the dedicated schools grant) paid mainly to schools, specifically aimed at the most deprived pupils to enable them to receive the support they need to reach their potential and to help schools reduce educational inequalities. Premium funding is also provided in respect of children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months and children of parents serving in the armed forces.
Pupil referral unit (PRU) – an establishment maintained by an LA which is specially organised to provide education for children who are excluded, sick or otherwise unable to attend mainstream school, and is not a community or special school.
Pupil reports – headteachers of maintained schools must provide an annual written report on pupils’ educational achievements for every registered pupil at their school.
Q
Qualified teacher status (QTS) – the professional status required to teach in state-maintained schools.
Quorum – the number of governors who must be present to validate the proceedings of a governors’ meeting (to allow governor to make decisions, in other words). If enough governors are present the meeting is quorate; if not it is inquorate.
R
Rag rating – labelling items as Red, Amber or Green (RAG) to show they need attention urgently (red), not urgently (amber) or are already in good shape (green).
Reception classes – an entry class to primary schools for children who have their fifth birthday during the school year and for children who are younger or older than five with whom it is appropriate to educate them.
Regional schools commissioner (RSC) – acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, each RSC has powers to intervene in failing schools and academies, decide on academy transfers, approve academy sponsors and approve new free schools.
Requires improvement (RI) – a rating given to a school by OFSTED after an inspection. The rating scale from lowest to highest is Inadequate (which may result in a school entering Special Measures), RI, Good and then Outstanding.
Resolution – a proposal made formally that requires a vote to be agreed. Academy boards can pass written resolutions outside of meetings.
S
Safeguarding – keeping children safe from physical and emotional harm.
Scheme for financing schools – a document which sets out the financial relationship between the LA and its maintained schools.
Scheme of delegation (SoD) – academies must produce this document which shows the level to which powers have been delegated.
School business manager (SBM) – a staff member responsible for areas such as the budget, health and safety and human resources.
School development plan (SDP) –the key document setting out the priorities and strategies for a school’s development over a rolling period. Some schools call this the school improvement plan (SIP).
Schools financial value standard (SFVS) – a self-assessment form, to be completed annually by maintained schools, consisting of questions that governors need to formally discuss with their headteacher and senior staff. The SFVS assists schools in managing their finances and give assurance that they have secure financial management in place.
Schools forum – a body which must be established by each LA which represents the governing bodies and headteachers of schools maintained by the LA, academies, early years private providers and other interests. Its purpose is to advise the LA on and in some cases decide matters relating to the schools’ budget.
School improvement partner (SIP) – in most cases, someone with current or recent headship experience, who acts as a conduit between central government, the LA and the school, helping to set targets and priorities and identify support needed.
School information and management system (SIMs) – a software package that contains details of pupils and resources.
School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) – contains the statutory requirements for teachers’ pay and conditions within maintained schools in England. Many academies follow this document too.
Self-evaluation form (SEF) – the school’s own judgements on how well it is doing, often based on areas that OFSTED inspect such as leadership and management, quality of education and behaviour and attitudes.
Senior designated person – a senior member of the school’s management team who is designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues, providing advice and support to staff and liaising with the LA and other agencies involved in safeguarding children.
Senior leadership team (SLT) – the group of senior staff who lead the school such as the headteacher, deputy head, assistant head and business manager.
Service level agreement (SLA) – a contract between a provider and a customer that explains the terms of the provider’s responsibility to the customer.
Significant improvement – a school requiring significant improvement is one that, although it does not require special measures, is performing significantly less well than it might be expected to perform.
Single academy trust (SAT) – an academy trust that runs only one academy.
Single central record (SCR) – all schools must have an SCR which records personal details of staff, ID checks and recruitment vetting checks including DBS and barred list checks.
Skills audit – asking each governor to list their relevant skills so the board can find out what skills they should advertise for or what training they should offer.
Special educational needs (SEN) – learning difficulties for which a child needs special educational help.
Special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) – the teacher designated as having responsibility for co-ordinating provision for pupils with SEN. Known as the SENDCO in some schools, for special education needs and disability co-ordinator.
Special educational needs and disability (SEND) – learning difficulties plus disabilities.
Special measures – if a school is rated Inadequate by OFSTED it may go into special measures, which means it will receive external support and regular further inspections. The governing body may be replaced by an interim executive board.
Special resolution – a decision of academy trust members that requires 75% of members to agree to it to be passed.
Speech and language therapy (SALT) – helping children with communication, voice and swallowing problems.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG) – one section of the standard assessment tests for primary children.
Sponsor – an organisation or person who has received approval from the DfE to support an underperforming academy or group of academies. For example this might be a university, a business, a charity or a religious group. Sponsors set up the academy trust, appoint the school leaders, select the governing board and monitor the academy’s performance.
Staff governors – an employee of the school who is also a governor. Maintained schools have one staff governor who is elected by their colleagues. Some academies have staff trustees or staff local governors.
Standard assessment tests (SATs) – national tests for primary age children, measuring educational achievement in years 2 and 6.
Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) – a local body advising an LA on matters connected with religious education and collective worship in schools. Faith groups and teachers are represented.
Standing orders – some governing boards establish standing orders to describe procedures which are not already set by other documents; for example, a full procedure for electing a chair of governors.
Statutory guidance – a document published by the government which schools must follow.
Statutory inspection of Anglican/Methodist schools (SIAMS) – an inspection of C of E and Anglican schools which specifically looks at whether their Christian vision is effective. SIAMs inspections are in addition to OFSTED inspections, not a replacement for OFSTED.
Support staff – members of school staff who provide services in a school other than teaching, such as classroom assistants, cleaners and admin staff.
Suspension – a process where a member of staff is told to stop working at the school temporarily, usually while a problem involving him or her is being investigated. Governors can also be suspended in maintained schools and some academies.
T
Teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) – an extra payment for teaching staff who take on additional responsibility.
Teaching assistant (TA) – a member of staff who supports teachers either in whole-class settings, via small groups of children or one-to-one support.
Terms of reference (TOR) – a document which describes the delegated powers, membership and duties of a committee or individual.
Trustee – usually a named individual (although can be a corporate body) who sits on the board of an academy trust. Equivalent to a governor in a maintained school.
U
Unauthorised absence – this occurs when the school has not given permission for the absence of a pupil. Where the reason for it cannot be established at registration, the absence shall be recorded as unauthorised.
Unique reference number (URN) – each school has a six-digit identifying number assigned to it by the government.
Upper pay scale (UPS) – under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document more experienced qualified teachers are paid on the upper pay scale and less experienced teachers on the main pay scale.
V
Virement – transferring money from one budget code to another.
Voluntary-aided school – a school set up and owned by a voluntary body, usually a church body, largely financed by an LA. The governing body employs the staff and controls pupil admissions and religious education. The school’s land and buildings (apart from playing fields, which are normally vested in the LA) will normally be owned by a charitable foundation.
Voluntary-controlled school – a school set up by a voluntary body, often a church body (generally Church of England). These schools are totally funded by an LA, which employs the staff. Normally the school’s land and buildings (apart from the playing fields, which are normally vested in the LA) will be owned by a charitable foundation.
W
Warning notice – a notice by which an LA may notify the governing body of any of its concerns relating to school performance, a breakdown in leadership and management, or pupil or staff safety. This is sometimes referred to as a “formal warning”.