Glossary Of Terms - School Admissions
Use the following glossary of terms to help you understand the School Admissions process:
- Admission authority; the body which decides on school admission arrangements. For Community and VC schools it is the Local Authority for Foundation and VA schools it is the governing body.
- C; Community schools/colleges.
- Catchment area; the historic area from within which pupils have attended a specific school. Pupils living within a school's catchment area receive priority over those from outside the catchment area if the school is oversubscribed.
- CE; Church of England.
- Curriculum; the subject areas, activities and experiences delivered by the school to promote pupil development and prepare them for adult life.
- Denominational; relates to a religious sect or group. Denominations within the Christian faith are, for example, the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.
- DfES; Department for Education & Skills.
- EAT; Education Awards Team.
- EP; Educational Psychologist.
- EWO; Education Welfare Officer
- Exclusion; when a child is not allowed to enter a school for either a fixed period of time or permanently
- FAT; Formal Assessment Team - special educational needs
- F; Foundation schools.
- FSM; Free school meals.
- IEP; Individual Education Plan.
- LAC; Looked After Child (In the Care of a Local Authority).
- LA; Local Authority.
- OfSTED; Office for Standards in Education
- Ordinarily resident; where a child spends the majority of their time during term time
- PAN; Published Admission Number - the maximum number of pupils the school can admit into a year group.
- Parent; parents include all of those people who have day to day care for a child.
- Pastoral; the care and welfare of a child.
- PCW; Pastoral Care Worker.
- PTA; Parent Teachers Association.
- RC; Roman Catholic.
- SASS; School Advice & Support Service.
- SEN; Special Educational Needs.
- SENCO; Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator.
- SENISS; Special Educational Needs Inclusion Support Service.
- Special Schools; These provide education for some children with specific special educational needs who require support not readily available in mainstream schools.
- VA; Voluntary Aided schools.
- VC; Voluntary Controlled schools.
Directgov