Search

Glossary of Terms

As you will soon discover, the teaching profession is full of acronyms and terminology that can sometimes make navigation challenging and confusing!

To guide you on your journey into teaching, here are some key terms explained.   ​
Picture
Appropriate Body (AB)
An organisation responsible for the quality assurance and verification process of NQT Induction. ​
See here for information about the TSSW Appropriate Body service for NQTs  
Bachelor of Education (BEd)
BEd degrees are a popular route for prospective primary school teachers.
Continuing Professional Development (​CPD)
Effective continuing professional development for teachers is essential to becoming a confident and competent as a teacher and ultimately providing high-quality teaching. 
​See here for information about the TSSW CPD offer for 2020-2021.
Early Career Framework (ECF)
The Early Career Framework is a two-year Department for Education support package of professional development for new teachers at the start of their career. Early roll-out is from September 2020 and nationally from September 2021.
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)​
​The May 2018 GDPR legislation is important in the context of protecting children’s data and information about consent. ​
Higher Education Institution (HEI)
Higher education is tertiary education in a university of college that leads to the award of an academic degree. Also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, Higher Education is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completion of secondary education.
Initial Teacher Training (ITT)
Initial Teacher Training is the pre-service course to train to be a teacher, with a number of different training routes available. ​
Local Authority (LA)
​An organisation officially responsible for all the public services and facilities in a particular area.
State Schools receive funding through their Local Authority or directly from the Government depending on the type of school.
Multi Academy Trust (MAT)
A group of primary/secondary State Schools in England funded by Central Government, but run as independent schools in partnership with each other.
​National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
NPQs are a range of professional qualifications for school leaders to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs)
Following the completion of their teacher training course, Newly Qualified Teachers gain Qualified Teacher Status.
​They then need to complete the statutory 12-months induction programme of development, support and professional dialogue with monitoring and an assessment of performance against the relevant Teacher Standards. ​
Planning, Preparation and Assessment (PPA)
PPA time was introduced in 2005 to help ease teachers’ workload to plan and prepare lessons and work on assessments for the children they teach. The aim of PPA time is to reduce the number of hours that teachers need to put into planning lessons and marking during evenings and at the weekend.
PPA is 10 per cent of teachers' teaching time during the normal working week. ​
​Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
The PGCE is a one or two-year Higher Education course that provides training for Graduates to become teachers.
​In England, this can be either on a traditional university-led teacher training course or school-led teacher training.
Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
​QTS is a professional qualification awarded on the completion of a teacher training course, which proves they have met all of the Teachers’ Standards and criteria.
QTS is required in England to teach in a State School that is under Local Authority control and in Special Schools.
​QTS is most commonly gained alongside or as part of a PGCE qualification, but it can also be awarded on its own.
Recently Qualified Teacher (RQT)
A Recently Qualified Teacher is a teacher who has passed their NQT status by completing their 12-month induction and has been teaching as a QTS for two to five years.
School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)
School-Centred Initial Teacher Training programmes are run by schools or groups of schools that work in close partnership with universities. Trainee teachers can gain a PGCE alongside working towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
School Direct (SD)
School Direct is an employment-based route for high quality Graduates, typically with at least three years' experience of transferable work history.  
Students who train to be a teacher on a School Direct training programme are employed as an unqualified teacher whilst they learn on the job.
​Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
​Children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities that require special educational provision.
The Departments for Education and Health provide a Code of Practice (January 2015) for statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated regulations.
Specialist Leader of Education (SLE)
A Specialist Leader of Education are outstanding Middle and Senior Leaders who have the skills to support individuals or teams in similar positions in other schools.
SLEs understand what outstanding leadership practice in their area of expertise looks like and are skilled in helping other leaders to achieve it.
Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
The Senior Leadership Team is the team of individuals at the highest level of management within a school who have day-to-day management responsibility.
SLT includes the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher and depending on the size of the school, Assistant Headteachers and other senior teachers with key responsibilities, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-Ordinator (SENDCo) and the School Business Manager. ​
Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR)
Classroom teachers who take on additional leadership and management responsibilities could be awarded a Teaching and Learning Responsibility payment.
There are no nationally prescribed levels or values of TLR payment.
Each Governing Body can decide the overall number of posts of responsibility carrying TLR payments in the school. ​
Teaching Schools Alliance (TSA)
Teaching Schools are outstanding schools led by strong leaders with a proven track record of school improvement that work with other schools to provide high-quality training, development and support to new and experienced school staff.

TSSW is partnered with the following six Teaching School Alliances: 
© COPYRIGHT 2018 TEACHING SCHOOLS SOUTH WEST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED  |  Website design by brightblueC