Jargon Buster

Associate Assistant Principal

A state funded school which is directly funded by the Department for Education and independent of Local Authority control.

A school that has chosen through Governing Body Resolution and application to the Secretary of State to become an Academy under the Academies Act 2010. They can be a ‘stand alone’ Academy or choose to join a sponsor.

A school that was directed by the Secretary of State to become an Academy under the Academies Act 2010. They can be a ‘stand alone’ Academy or choose to join a sponsor.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

A condition whereby a child has difficulty in maintaining concentration and is unable to stay on task due to hyperactivity.

Assessment for Learning

Using evidence from assessment to check student progress and inform teachers’ planning.

Assessing Pupil Progress

A system for using assessment criteria to assess progress and inform planning.

Ways of judging how well students are progressing.

What students accomplish.

Attitude to Learning

Every student is graded on this in every subject each term.

Behaviour for Learning

A code that sets out the behaviour expected of students.

The Bridge Centre is the informal name of the Inclusion Centre and is the place where the Student Support Team are based.

A Government initiative to promote tolerance and equality. The British Values are:

• Democracy
• Rule of law
• Individul liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

Centre Assessed Grades

In 2020, CAGs were used to replace exams. They were estimated by teachers based on what the students would most likely have achieved if there had been exams.

A defined geographical area from which a school takes its students.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Exam boards and the JCQ refer to schools as ‘centres’ the places where exams take place.

Current Grade

The subject which covers three inter-related areas: social and moral responsibility, community involvement and political literacy.

A guide to schools and Local Authorities (LAs) about the help they can give to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Schools wholly funded by the Local Authority (LA).

English, Mathematics and a Science; those subjects which must be studied by all students.

All the courses and learning opportunities a school offers or a course of study being followed by a child. What is taught, when it is taught and how it is taught.

The Department for Education

The way in which the school’s curriculum and teaching methods are adapted to meet the needs of children of differing abilities.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (and Alternates)

The members of staff responsible for Child Protection. At Attleborough Academy, the DSL is Michala Parks and the Alternate DSLs are Michele Caddamy and Caroline Phoenix.

Dyscalculia affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Sufferers may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts and often have problems learning number facts and procedures.

A learning difficulty of which the chief manifestation is a particular difficulty with reading and spelling. For more information go to the British Dyslexia Association.

Dyspraxia is generally recognised as an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement. Associated with this may be problems of language, perception and thought.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance measure linked to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). It is not a qualification. It measures the percentage of students in a school who achieve 5+ A*- C grades in traditionally academic GCSE subjects (English, Mathematics, Science. History or Geography and a Language).

Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Education, Health and Care Plan

An EHCP is a legal document which sets out a description of your child’s needs (what he or she can and cannot do) and what needs to be done to meet those needs by education, health and social care. Generally, only a very small number of children with especially complex and severe needs which require very high levels of support areissued with an EHCP. They are a more comprehensive replacement for ‘statements’.

Education Funding Agency

The EFA administers education revenue and capital funding for learners between the ages of 3 and 19, or up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

It also supports building and maintenance programmes for schools, academies, free schools and Sixth Form colleges.

EFA is an executive agency of the Department for Education.

The principle of non-discrimination which emphasizes that opportunities in school should be freely available to everyone irrespective of their age, race, sex, religion, political association, ethnic origin, or any other individual or group characteristic unrelated to ability, performance, and qualification. The chance for everyone, no matter what their ability background to participate in school life/curriculum.

The making of a judgement about the success of something e.g. how well did it work?

The organisation who decide on the content for exam courses and set and mark the exam questions.

At Attleborough Academy, subjects are loosely grouped into faculties. The core subjects are led by a Head of Faculty and other subjects are individually led by Subject Leaders.

Further Education

The FE sector in England includes further education colleges, Sixth Form colleges, specialist colleges and adult education institutes. It does not include universities.

Free School Meals

Any student who has been registered for Free School Meals in the last six years.

Functional Skills are practical skills in English, Maths and ICT that help learners gain the most out of work, education and everyday life.

Gifted and Talented

The gifted are those with high ability in one or more academic subject and the talented are those with a high ability in sport, music, visual arts and/or performing arts.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

At Attleborough Academy, we have vertical tutor (form) groups from Year 7 to Year 10. Year 11 stand alone and are split into ‘Gold’ groups in order to prepare for GCSE.

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work - brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great achievement.

House Leaders

Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Head of Faculty

Every student at Attleborough Academy is organised into one of four houses:

• Boudicca
• Cavell
• Kett
• Nelson

Houses are led by Progress Leaders (a teacher) working with House Captains (students).

Information Advice and Guidance

To inform students about their options for further education and training.

Information and Communication Technology

Individual Education Plan

Drawn up by a school’s SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator). It sets targets for a child to achieve and a date for a review of progress.

The process by which schools, Local Education Authorities and others develop their cultures, policies and practices to include and provide for ALL students’ needs no matter what their background or ability is.

In- Service Education and Training

INSET days are set aside to allow teachers to update their skills and knowledge in order to raise student achievement.

Joint Council for Qualifications

The National organisation that oversees examination administration.

Your child’s progress through school is measured in Key Stages. Key Stage 1 covers students aged from 5-7, Key Stage 2 from 7-11, Key Stage 3 from 11–14, Key Stage 4 from 14–16 and Key Stage 5 from 16-18.

Local Authority

A body responsible for providing education for pupils of school age in its area. It also has responsibility for early years, the youth service and adult education.

Looked after Children

The term ‘looked after children’ is defined in law under the Children Act 1989. A child is looked after by a Local Authority if he or she is in their care or is provided with accommodation for more than 24 hours by the authority.

Local Education Authority

This was the part of the Local Council that was responsible for education. The phrase is now obsolete in official use and has been replaced by the Children Services Authority or commonly known as Local Authority.

If a child has a learning difficulty, he or she may find it harder to learn, understand and communicate than it is for other children.

Learning Support Assistant

A non-teaching member of staff who helps to meet the educational needs of children. LSAs support teachers in classes and work with small groups or individual students in extraction.

Leadership Team

The Leadership Team is made up of the Executive Principal, Deputy Principal and Assistant Principal, Associate Assistant Principals, Director of Administration and Director of Student Support.

The Minimum Expected Grade a Key Stage 4 student should be aiming for.

The Minimum Expected Level a Key Stage 3 student should be aiming for.

Moderate Learning Difficulties

The basic framework setting out what children aged 5-16 in state schools should learn.

The Office of Qualifications and Examination Regulations

The Government body that oversees exams/qualifications.

Office for Standards in Education

The body which inspects state funded schools. OFSTED inspectors produce education reports to help improve schools.

Do all students join in? Can they?

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan

Permanent Exclusion

Prepared for Learning

This is our protocol to ensure students are ready for lessons (i.e. have the correct stationary equipment etc).

Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium is additional funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers.

Progress 8 is a measure of the progress children make between the end of primary school and the end of secondary school. It considers English, Maths and six other subjects.

Parents, Teachers and Friends Associate

A fund raising organisation for Attleborough Academy.

To promote the safety and wellbeing of all students and staff at Attleborough Academy. This includes Child Protection.

Social, Emotional Mental Health Difficulties

Special Educational Needs

Learning difficulties, talents or other needs, for which a child requires extra help.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

The teacher in a school who is responsible for arranging the extra help for childrenwith Special Educational Needs.

Sapientia Education Trust

The family of schools that Attleborough Academy belongs to.

Senior Leadership Team

The Academy’s Senior Leadership Team includes the Executive Principal, Deputy Principal and Assistant Principal.

Senior Management Team

The Senior Management Team is made up of members from the Senior Leadership Team, the Leadership Team, the Wider Leadership Team, the SENCO, Heads of Faculty and Progress Directors (Upper and Lower School).

Specific Learning Difficulty

A child has a Specific Learning Difficulty if they have an identified problem with one or more areas of the curriculum, usually reading, writing, spelling and/or number work.

Student Support Mentor

Student Support Mentors form the Student Support Team.

The team of support staff that are student focussed. This includes Attendance, Behaviour, Special Educational Needs, Re-Integration and Vulnerable students.

Members of staff employed by the Academy to provide all support other than teaching.

Teacher Assessed Grades

In 2021, TAGs were used to replace exams. They required teachers to gather, mark and moderate evidence to show what grades students were working at.

The grades given have to be based on evidence only.

The individual goals set for a child. Targets are a way of checking the child’s progress.

Tutor groups made up of students from Year 7 to Year 10.

Virtual Staff Room

Wider Leadership Team

The Wider Leadership Team is made up of members from the Senior Leadership Team, the Leadership Team and the Heads of Faculty for Maths and for Science and the Operations Manager.

A system which allows students approaching the end of secondary education the opportunity to take part in work placements.