SEND Jargon Buster

Jargon Buster

Here’s a list of those acronyms and specialist names that leave us all confused.

Select the first letter of the acronym / word from the alphabet below and scroll through the list

Academies -
Publicly-funded independent schools. They have greater freedom from the Local Authority and around the delivery of the curriculum. They also have the ability to change the lengths of the terms and the school day. They are required to follow the law and guidance on admissions, SEN and exclusions as if they were a maintained school.

AAC-
Alternative and Augmentative Communication Strategies – This refers to the use of objects, symbols, charts, photographs, signing and electronic aids to help a child communicate

Accommodated -
Child looked after by the Local Authority by agreement with the parent. The importance is that the Local Authority does not acquire parental responsibility.

ADD -
Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD -
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Any of a range of behavioural disorders occurring primarily in children, including such symptoms as poor concentration, hyperactivity, and learning difficulties.

Admissions Authority -
The body that decides the rules on how children will get a place at the school and who is offered a place.

Advisory Teacher -
A specialist teacher employed by the Local Authority to give advice to schools.

Agreed Syllabus -
The syllabus of religious education, agreed between the Religious Bodies, the LEA and Teachers’ Representatives for use in schools.

Aided Schools -
Schools set up and owned by a voluntary body, usually a church body. The governing body employs staff, and controls pupils admissions and religious education.

All-Through School -
A school which encompasses both a primary and secondary provision within the same institution.

AN -
Additional Needs

Appeal -
The Education Act gives parents the rights of appeal against certain decisions relation got admission to schools, special educational provision and permanent exclusion from schools.

APS -
Alternative Provision School

AQA -
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
The largest examining board in the UK

AR -
Annual Review

Articled Teacher -
An unqualified person working as a teacher in a school under the guidance of an experienced member of staff who acts as his / her mentor.

AS- Level -
General certificate of Education Advanced Supplementary level. Usually a 1 year course and is equivalent to half an A-Level course.

ASD -
Autistic Spectrum Disorder

ATS -
Advisory Teaching Service

Attainment Target -
The Knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of different abilities and ages are expected to have by the end of each National Curriculum Key Stage.

AWPU -
Age Weighted Pupil Unit
The amount of money that every maintained school receives for each pupil that is on the school roll whether or not they have SEN. The value of the AWPU varies from one local authority to another and according to the age of the pupils.

BSP -
Behaviour Support Plan

CA -
Carers Allowance

CAFA -
The Children and Families Act 2014

Care Order -
An order of the court placing a child in the care of an Authority.

Carer -
For the purpose of the SEN Code of Practice, a carer is a person named by a Local Authority to carer for a child for whom the social care department has a parental responsibility.

Casework Officer -
The LA officer responsible for working and maintaining statements.

CAT -
Cognitive Ability Test
Sometimes CogAT

CCG -
Clinical Commissioning Group
This is an NHS organisation which brings together local GPs and health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services. A CCG plans and arranges the delivery or the health care provision for people in its area.

CDC -
Council for Disabled Children

Children's Centre -
These provide a one stop resource for young families, offering help and advice on everything from childcare to getting back to work.

C&I -
Communication and Interaction

CIC -
Child in Care

CIN -
Child in Need
Under the Children Act 1989, disabled children are described as being ‘in need’. Social Services have the lead responsibility for assessments and for ensuring the provision of services. Other services have a duty to co-operate in supporting disabled children

C&L -
Cognition and Learning

CME -
Child Missing Education

COGAT -
Cognitive Ability Test
Sometimes CAT

Community School -
School set up and funded by a LA.

Complex -
More than one significant problem

Congenital -
Present at birth

COP -
Code of Practice
Referring to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2015. Guidance for LA’s and schools on how to identify, assess, provide for children with SEND.

CP -
Cerebral Palsy
“Cerebral palsy is caused by a problem in the parts of the brain responsible for controlling muscles. The condition can occur if the brain develops abnormally or is damaged before, during or shortly after birth.” NHS

CP -
Child Protection

CQC -
Care Quality Commission
The independent regulator of health and social care in England.

CSDPA -
Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970
This is one of the main Acts of Parliament which entitled disabled people to social care.

CYP -
Children and Young People

CYPS -
Children and Young People Service
Part of the 2gether Trust

DBS -
Disclosure and Baring Service
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) have merged to become the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). CRB checks are now called DBS checks. A DBS check may be needed for:

Certain jobs or voluntary work, eg working with children or in healthcare
Applying to foster or adopt a child

DCD -
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder

DCYPS -
Disabled Children and Young People Service

DDA -
Disability Discrimination Act

DFE -
Department for Education

Diagnosis -
Identification of a disease or condition by looking at the symptoms

Direct Payments -
Payments made in lieu of services being provided. Direct Payments may be available for health care, social care and for the special educational provision in an EHC plan.

Disability -
A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life activity that is ongoing and impairs how you interact with the world.

Disagreement Resolution -
All LAs must provide arrangements to help prevent or resolve disagreements between parents whose children have special educational needs and the LA or school.

Disapplicaition -
Dis-application Removal from a programme of study such as for home schooling.

DLA -
Disability Living Allowance

DOH -
Department of Health

DRC -
Disability Rights Commission

DSA -
Disabled Students Allowance

Dual Registered -
When a pupil is on role of more than one school

EA 1996 -
Education Act 1996

EAL -
English as an Additional Language

EFA -
Education Funding Agency

EHC -
Education, Health and Care

EHC Needs Assessment -
ducation, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment
A very detailed assessment of a child’s special educational needs. It includes advice from parents, Education, Health and Social Care and also the advice of any other professional involved with a child. This can also be called a multi-disciplinary assessment. It may lead to an EHCP.

EHCP -
Education, Health and Care Plan
A legally binding document between parents and the LA. It set out a child’s special educational needs, the extra help he/she will get and who provides it. It gives arrangements for reviewing and monitoring the EHCP.

EHE -
Elective Home Education

ENT -
Ear, Nose and Throat Department/Service

EP -
Educational Psychologist
They play an important role in assessing a child’s special educational needs and giving advice to schools.

EPS -
Educational Psychology Service

EQA -
Equality Act 2010

ES -
Early Support
A set of principles underpinning SEND Reform practice including information resources, learning and specialist tools for parents and practitioners.

Exclusion -
Head-teachers may exclude pupils from school for serious breaches of discipline. Exclusions may be for a fixed period or permanent.

EY -
Early Years

EYFS -
Early Years Foundation Stage

FE -
Further Education
Full or part-time education for people who are over compulsory school age (16 years in England) which does not take place in a school. It can take place in a sixth form College, a FE college or a higher education institution.

FIS -
Family Information Service

Foundation School -
A former Grant Maintained School now funded by a LA

Free School -
Non-profit making, independent, state funded school. They can be either primary or secondary. Free schools have some additional freedoms, eg teachers will not necessarily need to have Qualified Teacher Status.

FSM -
Free School Meals

GCC -
Gloucestershire County Council

GCSE -
General Certificate of Secondary Education
Usually taken at the end of Key Stage 4 (aged 16)

GDD -
Global Developmental Delay

GNVQ -
General National Vocational Qualification

Governing Body -
The governors, with the head-teacher, have overall responsibility for the school. They work for the school unpaid.

GP -
General Practitioner

HE -
Higher Education
Higher education Courses are generally above the standard of GCSE, A level or National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3. They include degree courses, postgraduate courses and higher National Diplomas (HND). Higher education takes place in universities and higher education colleges and in some further education colleges.

HI -
Hearing Impairment

HLTA -
Higher Level Teaching Assistant

HND -
Higher National Diploma

HOKS -
Head of Key Stage

Home Tuition -
Tuition for pupils at home arranged by the Local Authority in special circumstances

HOY -
Head of Year

HQIP -
Health Quality Improvement Partnership

HT -
Head Teacher

HV -
Health Visitor

HWBB -
Health and Well-Being Board

Hypertonia -
A medical term to describe increased muscle tone

Hypotonia -
Medical term to describe decreased muscle tone

IBP -
Individual Behaviour Plan

Internal Exclusion -
Where your child is sent somewhere else within the school with appropriate support, or moved to another class on a temporary basis. This may happen during break periods.

IPSEA -
Independent Parent Special Education Advice

IRP -
Independent Review Panel
When appealing against an upheld exclusion

JA -
Joint Assessment
Having the needs of the person who cares for you assessed at the same time as your own needs, or having an assessment carried out by more than one type of care professional at the same time.

Joint Hypermobility
Some or all of a person’s joints have an unusually large range of movement. People with hypermobility are particularly supple and able to move their limbs into positions others find impossible.

KS1 -
Key Stage 1
Reception, year 1 & 2

KS2 -
Key Stage 2
Years 3, 4, 5 & 6

KS3 -
Key Stage 3
Years 7, 8 & 9

KS4 -
Key Stage 4
Years 10 & 11

KS5 -
Key Stage 5
Years 12 & 13 / Sixth Form

LA -
Local Authority
A local government body that is responsible for providing education. For children who have SEN the LA is responsible for carrying out EHC Needs Assessments and maintaining Statements of SEN and EHC Plans. It also monitors SEN in schools and early years settings and supports schools with specialist advice.

LDA-
Learning Disability Assessment

LDD -
Learning Disabilities / Learning Difficulties

LGO -
Local Government Ombudsman
They look at complaints about councils and some other authorities and organisations, including education admissions appeal panels and adult social care providers (such as care homes and home care providers).

LM -
Learning Mentor

LSA -
Learning Support Assistant
A person who provides support at school for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. An LSW will help the teacher and may work with a particular pupil or group of pupils. (Also known as LSW – Learning Support Worker)

LSC-
Learning Support Centre

LSU -
Learning Support Unit

LSW -
Learning Support Worker
A person who provides support at school for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. An LSW will help the teacher and may work with a particular pupil or group of pupils. (Also known as LSA – Learning Support Assistant)

Maintained School -
A state school. This includes primary and secondary schools; community, foundation and voluntary schools; community special and foundation special schools.

Makaton -
A signing system designed for use by individuals who have a communication difficulty.

Managed Move -
Something the school arrange and should only be done if the parent and LA agree it is in the best interest of the child. You should not feel pressured to removing your child from school under the threat of a permanent exclusion.

Mediation -
Where a trained person helps sort out any conflict.

MLD -
Moderate Learning Difficulties

MSI -
Multi-Sensory Impairment
A combination of visual and hearing difficulties.

NAS -
National Autistic Society

NASEN -
National Association of Special Educational Needs

National Curriculum -
A full and statutory entitlement to learning for all pupils. It sets out what should be taught in each key stage of their education and the attainment targets for learning.

NCB -
National Children’s Bureau

NEET -
Not in Education, Employment or Training

NNPCF -
National network of Parent Carer Forums

Non-Contact Days -
Also known as ‘Inset Days’. Five days a year on which pupils do not attend school. Teachers use these days for training and report writing.

Non-Contact Time -
Non teaching time when teachers prepare lesson plans.

NOR -
Number on Roll
A head count of full-time and part-time pupils excluding nursery units.

NVQ -
National Vocational Qualification

OCD -
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

ODD -
Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Ofsted -
Office for Standards in Education
The inspectors responsible for inspecting all the schools in England.

Open Enrolment -
All schools must admit pupils up to their admission number which is calculated according to the capacity of the school building.

Ophthalmologist -
Medically trained doctor with specialist skills in the diagnoses and treatment of diseases of the eye.

Orthoptist -
Healthcare professional who investigates, diagnoses and treats sight related problems and abnormalities of eye movement and eye position.

Orthotist -
Healthcare professional who assesses individuals for and designs specialist braces, splints and footwear.

OT -
Occupational Therapist
“Occupational therapy is the assessment and treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions using specific activity to prevent disability and promote independent function in all aspects of daily life.” NHS

Out of Area Pupils -
Pupils being taught in a school maintained by one Authority whilst living in another Authority’s area.

Oversubscription Criteria -
The rules about who has priority for a place when a school does not have enough places for all children who apply.

Paediatrician -
A doctor who specialises in the treatment of children.

PAN -
Published Admission Number
The number of children that each school has agreed to admit each year

Parent -
Section 567 of the Education Act 1996 defines a Parent. This includes any person who is not a parent of the child, but has parental responsibility or carers for her/him.

Parental Responsibility -
All the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law the parent of a child has.

PB -
Personal Budget
The amount of funding available to meet the desired outcomes set out in the single plan for an individual child or young person.

PC -
Parent Carer

PCP -
Personal Care Plan

PD -
Physical Disability

PDA -
Pathological Demand Avoidance
“PDA is now considered to be part of the autism spectrum. Individuals with PDA share difficulties with others on the autism spectrum in social aspects of interaction, communication and imagination. However, the central difficulty for people with PDA is the way they are driven to avoid demands and expectations. This is because they have an anxiety based need to be in control.” The National Autistic Society

PEP -
Personal Education Plan

PFA -
Preparing for Adulthood

PGCE -
Post Graduate Certificate in Education

PIP -
Personal Independence Payment
Replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA), “PIP helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64. The rate depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself. You’ll need an assessment to work out the level of help you get. Your rate will be regularly reassessed to make sure you’re getting the right support.” www.gov.uk

PMLD -
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

Portage -
A home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional support needs and their families. “Children requiring support from the Portage service should be demonstrating developmental delay in at least three areas as measured on a standardised scale.” gloucestershire.gov.uk

Post - 16-
Provision for children after the age of 16 (eg school, college or further education).

Practitioner -
Someone who is employed by an agency to work with children and young people with SEND and their families.

PRU -
Pupil Referral Unit
For children who need to be educated out of school, often because they have been excluded.

PSP -
Pastoral Support Plan
A plan drawn up by the school to support children at serious risk of disaffection or exclusion. Some schools may write a PSP for a pupil with SEN that includes appropriate strategies to meet their needs.

Pupil Premium -
Money that the government is investing in education of Children in Care.

PVI -
Private, Voluntary & Independent

QCA -
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

REC -
Race Equality Council

Resourced Provision -
Education takes place mainly in the classroom of a mainstream school, but children are either withdrawn to a resource for specialist input, or teachers from the resource deliver specialist help to the child within the classroom.

Restorative Justice -
Allows your child to put right any harm done by talking through their actions with the person they did it to.

SALT -
Speech and Language Therapist

SATS -
Standard Assessment Tasks

SEAL -
Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (curriculum for pupils)

SEMH -
Social, Emotional & Mental Health

SEN -
Special Educational Needs
Children who have SEN have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. Children who have a learning difficulty find it harder to learn than the majority of children of the same age, or the y have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the education provided for other children.

SEN Code Of Practice:0-25 years -
A guide for early years settings, schools, local Authorities and other statutory agencies about the help that they can give to children who have SEN. LA’s and schools must take into account the Code when considering a child who has SEN.

SEND -
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

SEND Tribunal -
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Tribunal
An independent body that hears appeals made by parents against:

Decisions that the Local Authority makes about EHC Needs Assessments and EHC Plans.
Disability discrimination issues
The Tribunal’s decision is binding on both parties to the appeal.

SENDCO -
Special Educational Needs Disability Co-ordinator
This is the name used for the teacher who has responsibility for the coordination of SEN provision within a school.

SENDIASS -
Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Advice Support Service

SEP -
Special Educational Provision

SLCN -
Speech, Language and Communication Needs

SLD -
Severe Learning Disability

SLT -
Speech and Language Therapist

Smart Targets -
Targets which are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Time limited.

SPD -
Sensory Processing Disorder

Special Measures -
A school may be identified as a failing school by an Ofsted Inspection. Special measures will be required to be carried out to put the school on course to reach acceptable standards. The governing body is involved in this process.

Special School -
A school that is for children who have Statements or SEN or and EHCP and who have difficulties which need specialist help not usually found in mainstream schools.

SPLD -
Specific Learning Difficulty
Learning difficulties in specific areas, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, reading and writing, number work.

Statutory Functions -
Functions conferred or imposed by a statutory instrument (law).

SW -
Support Worker

TA -
Teaching Assistant

TAC -
Team Around the Child

TAF -
Team Around the Family

TR -
Transitional Review
The Annual Review of a statement of SEN or EHCP of a young person in Year 9. A representative from the Youth Support Team is involved. A Transitional Plan is drawn up. Parents and the young person should be involved.

Transition Plan -
A plan drawn up after the Year 9 Annual Review. The plan sets out the steps that need to be taken to move from school to FE, work and adult life. It should take account of the views of the young person, his/her parents and all the professionals involved with the young person. It must involve the Youth Support Team.

Universal Credit -
A replacement of certain benefits in parts of the UK.

UPN -
Unique Pupil Reference Number

VI -
Visual Impairment

Voluntary Aided School -
A school set up and owned by a voluntary body, usually a church body, largely financed through an LEA. The governing body employ the staff, and control pupil admissions and religious education.

Voluntary Controlled School -
A school set up by a voluntary body, usually a church body (generally Church of England). Totally funded through an LA. The LA employs the staff.

WIKIS -
Wikis are simple, accessible, secure and easy to build personal websites. They can be used to create multimedia person-centred plans that use pictures, words, video and sound to capture the voice, skills, aspirations and needs of the individual. Wikis give ownership of the planning process to individuals and families , facilitating genuine collaboration between parents, teachers and professionals.

XXY -
Klinefelter syndrome
About one in 600 newborn boys will have the genetic condition Klinefelter syndrome which means they are born with an extra X chromosome. Females born with an extra X chromosome have what is called Triple X syndrome.

YOT -
Youth Offending Team

YP -
Young Person

YST -
Youth Support Team

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