JARGON BUSTER
Definitions of terms relating to special educational needs
Academy
Publicly funded independent school
AR: Annual Review
This is a process of ensuring that a Statement of Special Educational Needs continues to describe the child’s needs and how they should be met through a meeting held once a year.
AST: Advisory Support Teachers
Specialist teachers who advise teachers and parents on a child’s special educational needs and support, especially for hearing and visual impairment.
BESD: Behaviour Emotional and Social Difficulties
The Code of Practice describes BESD as a learning difficulty where children and young people demonstrate features of emotional and behavioural difficulties such as:
CAF: The Common Assessment Framework
Is a way of working with children and young people which is being used all over England.
CAMHS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
A comprehensive specialist service for children and young people.
COP: Code of Practice
A government document that Local Authorities, schools and early years settings follow when identifying children with SEN and meeting their needs.
DDA: Disability Discrimination Act
DFE: Department for Education
A national government department responsible for education and children’s services.
DR: 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.
EES: Early Education Setting
All pre-school education provision such as nursery classes and schools, day nurseries and playgroups.
ELT: Early Intervention Team
The Early Intervention Team is the part of the Inclusion Service, and works with children under 5 years old who may have additional needs.
EYA: Early Years Action
When the Early Years Setting indentifies that a child has special educational needs it takes action and gives help that is additional to or different from the help most other children have.
EYAP: Early Year Action Plus
Seeking advice or support from external specialist services for a child who cannot progress adequately on Early Years Action, drawing up a new or revised programme to that provided at Early Years Action.
EP: Educational Psychologist
He/she plays an important role is assessing a child’s special educational needs and giving advice to schools.
EWO: Educational Welfare Officer
He/she may be involved if there are difficulties with school attendance or issues related to attendance.
EQA: Equalities Act 2010
FE: Further Education
Full or part-time education for people who are over compulsory school age.
IEP: Individual Education Plan
A document that sets targets for a child to achieve. IEPs should be reviewed at least twice a year. The school or early years setting will arrange to monitor what progress a child is making.
IPS: Independent Parental Supporter
Independent parental supporters are trained volunteers and can help parents/carers through the procedures involved in dealing with their child's special educational needs.
IPSEA: Independent Panel for Special Educational Advice
Is a national charity providing free legally based advice to families who have children with special educational needs. All our advice is given by trained volunteers
KS: Key Stages
The different stages of education that a child passes through:
Early Years Foundation Stage – 0-5 (Early years setting, Nursery and Reception).
Key stage one – age 5-7 (Years 1 and 2).
Key stage two – age 7-11 (Years 3,4,5 and 6)
Key stage three – age 11-14 (Years 7,8 and 9)
Key stage four – age 14-16 (Years 10 and 11)
Key stage five – age 16-18 (Sixth form)
‘P’ Level:
Performance levels used to assess a child who is not yet working within the National Curriculum levels of attainment.
Learning Difficulties
Problems or conditions, which make learning harder for the individual than it is for most people.
LSA: Learning Support Assistant
An assistant who provided support at school, for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. An LSA will help the teacher and may work with a particular child or with groups of pupils.
LA: Local Authority
A local government body that is responsible for providing education. For children with special educational needs that Local Authority is responsible for carrying out Statutory Assessments and maintaining Statements.
Maintained School
A state school, this includes primary and secondary schools, community, foundation and voluntary schools, community special and foundation special schools.
NC: National Curriculum
A full and statutory entitlement to learning for all pupils. It sets out what should be taught in each key stage of the education and the attainment targets for learning.
NIL: Note in Lieu
A document which the LA may produce following Statutory Assessment. It describes a child’s special educational needs, explains why a Statement is not needed and sets out what help should be provided to support the child.
OT: Occupational Therapist
A professional trained to give advice on equipment, adaptations and activities to support the learning/ social development of people with physical, emotional or behavioural difficulties.
OFSTED: Office for Standards in Education.
The inspectors responsible for inspecting all schools in England.
PPS: Parent Partnership Service
A confidential service which provides information and support to parents/carers whose children have special educational needs.
PRU: Pupil Referral Unit
Is a centre for children who are not able to attend a mainstream or special school.
PSP: Pastoral Support Plan
A plan drawn up by a school to support a child at serious risk of disaffection or exclusion. If a PSP is being written for a child who has special educational needs it should not replace their Individual Education Plan.
Provision
The extra or different help given to children with special educational needs.
Provision Mapping
A way of identifying the range of provision available to all pupils in a school, which is additional to and different from the school’s differentiated curriculum. It can be used as part of the planning process for a child with additional needs.
SA: School Action
When a class or subject teacher indentifies that a child has special educational needs they take action by giving help that is additional to or different from the help most other children have. The school will usually write an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The programme will be designed by teachers who work with the child and the SENCO.
SA+/SAP: School Action Plus
Seeking advice or support from external specialist services for a child who cannot progress adequately on School Action, and drawing up a new or revised programme to that provided at School Action.
‘SMART’ Targets:
Targets which are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timed. This is what targets for individual children should be like.
SEN: Special Educational Needs
The needs of children who have a learning difficulty, which means that they require special educational provision to be made for them. Children who have a learning difficulty find it harder to learn than a majority of children of the same age, or have a disability which prevents or hinders them from accessing the education provided for other children.
SENCO: Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
The person responsible for the planning of special educational needs within school or early years settings.
SEND: Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal
An independent body that hears appeals against decisions made by the local authority on Statutory Assessments and statements, disability discriminations issues.
Special School
A school which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs.
SpLD: Specific Learning Difficulties
Learning difficulties in specific areas, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.
SAL/SALT: Speech & Language Therapist:
A professional trained to give specialist assessments, advice or treatment for children with communication difficulties
Statement of Special Educational Needs:
A legal document that sets out a child’s needs and the extra help he/she should get.
SA: Statutory Assessment:
A very detailed assessment of a child’s special educational needs. It includes parental, educational, psychological and medical advice and also the advice of any other professional involved with the child. It may lead to a Statement of Educational Needs.
TA: Teaching Assistant
Supports children either in small groups or individually.
TR: Transition Review
The Annual Review of a statement of a young person in Year 9. It should take account of the views of the young person, his/her parents and all the professionals involved with the young person. The plan sets out the steps that need to be taken to move from school to adult life.
Transition Plan:
A plan drawn up after the Year 9 Annual Review of a Statement. The plan sets out the steps that need to be taken to move from school to further education, work and adult life.
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