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Jargon and Abbreviations

Pauline Swindells - June 2006
pauline.swindells@kirklees.gov.uk


You may find that throughout the Education System people use words you have not come across before.

We have tried to put together a "Jargon Buster" to help explain these words in an easier to understand way. New phrases are always coming along, however, so please feel free to telephone and ask us if there is anything we haven't covered.

A
Annual Review The review of a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) which a Local Education Authority (LEA) must make within 12 months of making the Statement or within 12 months of the previous review.
Assessment Assessment is a legal process where agencies, such as Health, Children and Young People's Service and parents give information about the child. The information will be about the child's history, abilities, difficulties and the support she or he needs.
C
Code of Practice This is produced by the Government to guide schools and LEA's in how to help children with SEN. Parents can get copies from the DfES (their telephone number can be found on the Useful Telephone Numbers page).
E
Educational Psychologist (Ed Psych) A person who has trained in psychology to understand more about the way children think, learn and behave and who is also a qualified teacher. They can help find out why some children are having more difficulties than others in school.
Education Social Worker (ESW) The Education Social Worker's work by inviting schools to discuss children whose irregular attendance is causing concern. They then make contact with parents either by telephone, letter or home visit. Education Social Workers will always work with parents and schools to try to bring about improvements in the level of attendance and also the child's well being at school.
G
Grant-Maintained School A school where the parent and governors have voted to take it out of local authority control.
I
Independent Parental Supporter (IPS) A person to whom all parents should have access, if they wish. The IPS must be someone who can support parents, for example by attending meetings, encouraging parental participation and helping the parent understand the SEN framework. Independent means someone who is independent of the decision making process that determines the type and level of support for a child with special educational needs. IPS's will often be someone from a voluntary organisation, a Parent Partnership Service, another parent or a friend.
Individual Education Plan (IEP) Details of the additional help your child will receive, the targets set and the arrangements for reviewing progress. It is a working document for all teaching staff recording key short-term targets and strategies for an individual pupil. IEP's should be discussed with parents and the child and the should be consulted as part of the review process.
Independent School These are schools that are not maintained by a LEA. Some are run by charitable trusts and organisations, particularly those catering for SEN. They usually charge fees. Children with Statements can only go to Independent Schools if they have been approved by the Secretary of State as being suitable.
LEAs usually only place children in independent or non-maintained schools if they have very specialist educational needs which cannot be met within an LEA school.
L
Local Education Authority (LEA) Local Government responsible for making statutory assessments and maintaining statements. They are part of your local council and fund maintained schools.
M
Maintained School A state school, whether under local authority control; grant maintained, voluntary school: maintained or grant-maintained special school.
National Curriculum This is a statutory legal provision of what should be taught and setting attainment targets for learning. All children are entitled to it. It also sets out how performance will be assessed and reported.
N
Non-maintained Special School A non-profit making school which charges fees. Most non-maintained special schools are run by charities or charitable trusts.
S
SEN Co-ordinator (SENCO) Teacher in school or early education setting who has responsibility for co-ordinating special educational needs (SEN) provision within that school.
Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) An independent body established under the 1996 Education Act that hears appeals by parents against LEA decisions on assessments and Statements.
Special School A school which takes a small number of pupils and all those pupils have Statements. The staff of special schools have additional specialised training and skills to meet the learning and social needs of their particular pupils.
Statement of Special Educational Needs A legal document that sets out your child's special educational needs and all the extra help he or she would receive.
Statutory Assessment Statutory Assessment is a formal procedure which involves the collection of information from as many people as possible. Assessment works best when all involved, parents, school staff, health and social services, psychologists and other LEA staff work in partnership to secure the best outcome for the child.
T
Time Limits The whole process, from the LEA proposing to make an assessment, to the sending of the final Statement, should usually take no longer than six months.

The LEA may take longer if other professionals do not submit their report on time or if children and their parents do not keep appointments. If there is to be a delay, this should be explained to the parent or carer.


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