| 02-02 | Shorthand name for 'Qualifying to Teach' - the Standards for QTS which were introduced in 2002 (Since replaced by the Revised Standards, 2007) |
| 4/98 | The 1998 circular setting out the Standards for QTS |
| A LEVEL | Advanced Level |
| A2 Level | Advanced Second Level |
| AAG | Apprenticeship Approval Group |
| AAU | Academic Audit Unit |
| ABC | Anti-social Behaviour Contract |
| ABE | Adult Basic Education |
| ABRC | Advisory Board for Research Councils |
| ACAC | Curriculum and Assessment Authority (1994 - 1997) (now ACCAC) |
| ACACE | Advisory Council for Adult Continuing Education |
| ACCAC | Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales |
| ACE | Advisory Centre for Education/ Adult Continuing Education |
| ACPC | Area Child Protection Committee |
| ACS | Average Class Size |
| ACU | Association of Commonwealth Universities |
| ADCCE | Advanced Diploma in Children's Care and Education |
| ADD | Attention Deficit Disorder |
| ADHD | Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder |
| AE | Adult Education / Advanced Extension |
| AEA | Advanced Extension Award |
| AEB | Associated Examining Board (part of AQA) |
| AFE | Advanced Further Education |
| AGCAS | Graduate Careers Advisory Service |
| AGIT | Action for Governors Information and Training |
| AGWP | Advisory group for Widening Participation |
| AHA | Area Health Authority |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence |
| ALA | Associate of the Library Association |
| ALAOME | Association of LEA Advisory Officers for Multicultural Education |
| ALBSU | Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit |
| ALO | Area Liaison Officer |
| ALT | Association for Learning Technology |
| AMA | Association of Metropolitan Authorities |
| AOT | Adults other than Teacher |
| APC | Association of Principals of Colleges |
| APD | Advanced Professional Development |
| APEL | Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning |
| APL | Accreditation of Prior Learning |
| APU | Assessment of Performance Unit |
| AQA | Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (formed by a merger of AEB, SEG and NEAB) ia an awarding body |
| ARS | Audience Response Systems |
| AS Level | Advanced Subsidiary Level |
| ASB | Aggregated Schools Budget / Actual Schools Budget |
| ASBO | Anti-Social Behaviour Order |
| ASCL | Association of School and College Leaders |
| ASD | Autistic Spectrum Disorder |
| ASE | Association for Science Education |
| AST | Advanced Skills Teacher |
| ATL | Association of Teachers and Lecturers |
| ATM | Asynchronous Transfer Mode |
| ATS | Articled Teacher Scheme |
| AUA | Association of University Administrators |
| AUT | Association of University Teachers |
| AVCE | Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education, commonly known as vocational A' levels |
| B.Ed. | Bachelor of Education |
| BA | Bachelor of Arts |
| BA | British Academy |
| BA/QTS | Bachelor of Arts degree with QTS |
| BAAS | British Association for the Advancement of Science |
| BAECE | British Association of Early Childhood Education |
| BBS | Building a Better Schools |
| BC | British Council |
| BCA | Basic Credit Approval |
| BCS | British Computer Society |
| BCSE | British Council for School Environments |
| BECTA | British Educational Communication and Technology Agency |
| BEd | Bachelor of Education |
| BERA | British Education Research Association |
| BERR | Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform |
| BESD | Behaviour(al), Emotional and Social Difficulties |
| BEST | Behaviour and Education Support Teams / Building Excellent Schools Together |
| BIP | Behaviour Improvement Programme |
| BME | Black and Minority Ethnic |
| BPRS | Best Practice Research Scholarships |
| BSc | Bachelor of Science |
| BSc/QTS | Bachelor of Science degree with QTS |
| BSF | Building Schools for the Future |
| BSG | Better Schools Group |
| BTEC | Business and Technology Education Council is an award conferring council now run by Edexcel |
| BUBL | BUlletin Board for Libraries - but is now known as the BUBL Information Service |
| BUFDG | British Universities Finance Directors Group |
| BUTEA | British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association |
| BVPI | Best Value Performance Indicator |
| C & F | Children and Families |
| CAB | Citizens Advice Bureau |
| CAD | Computer Assisted Design |
| CAF | Common Assessment Framework |
| CAI | Computer Assisted Instruction |
| CAIT | Child Abuse Investigation Team |
| CAL | Computer Assisted Learning |
| CALL | Computer Assisted Language Learning |
| CALM | Computer Assisted Learning in Mathematics |
| CAM | Computer Assisted Manufacture |
| CAME | Cognitive Acceleration in Mathematics Education |
| CASE | Cognitive Acceleration in Science Education / Campaign for the Advancement of State Education |
| CASE | Council for the Advancement and Support of Education |
| CATE | Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (preceded the TTA) |
| CATS | Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme |
| CATSIG | Computer and Teaching Special Interest Group |
| CBI | Computer-based Instruction |
| CBIS | Computer-based Information Systems |
| CBL | Computer Based Learning |
| CBLA | Computer-based Learning and Assessment |
| CBT | Competency Based Teaching / Training |
| CC | Children's Centre |
| CCEA | Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment is the Northern Irish regulatory body that has a similar role to QCA in England but which is also an awarding body whose qualifications may also be taken in England |
| CCT | Compulsory Competitive Tendering |
| CDC | Curriculum Development Centre / Council for Disabled Children |
| CE | Continuing Education |
| CEG | Computer Education Group (now part of Naace) |
| CEI | Computer Enriched Instruction / Committee on Electronic Information (See JISC) |
| CEO | Chief Education Officer |
| CEOP | Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre |
| CET | Continuing Education and Training |
| CfBT | Centre for British Teachers |
| CFE | College of Further Education |
| CGLI | City and Guilds of London Institute |
| CHC | Community Health Council |
| CHEST | Combined Higher Education Software Team |
| CICHE | Committee for International Cooperation in Higher Education |
| CIF | Common Inspection Framework (for post-16 Education and Training) |
| CILT | National Centre for Languages |
| CIPC | Children in Public Care |
| CLA | Copyright Licensing Agency |
| CLAIT | Computer Literacy And Information Technology is a vocationaly related qualification and is an introductory course for people with littele or no computer experience |
| CLC | City Learning Centre |
| CLPE | Centre for Language in Primary Education |
| CMC | Computer Mediated Communication |
| CMI | Computer Managed Instruction |
| CMT | Computer Managed Teaching |
| CNAA | Council for National Academic Awards (now defunct) |
| CNI | Coalition for Networked Information |
| CNVQ | Certificated National Vocational Qualification |
| CoEA | Certificate of Educational Achievement |
| COLEG | Colleges Open Learning Exchange Group |
| COMETT | Community Action Programme for Education and Training for Technology |
| Connexions | A support service for young people providing integrated advice, guidance and access to personal and social development opportunities |
| CoP | Code of Practice |
| CoVE | Centre of Vocational Excellence |
| CPD | Continuing Professional Development |
| CPMIS | Computerised Personnel Management Information System |
| CPR | Child Protection Register |
| CPS | Common Pay Spine |
| CPU | Child Protection Unit |
| CRAC | Careers Research Advisory Centre |
| CRB | Criminal Records Bureau |
| CSCFC | Conference of Scottish Centrally Funded Colleges |
| CSCS | Centre for the Study of Comprehensive Schools |
| CSCW | Computer Supported Cooperative Work |
| CSP | Children`s Service Plan |
| CST | Curriculum Support Teacher |
| CSU | Careers Services Unit (Higher Education) |
| CTC | City Technology College |
| CTI | Computers in Teaching Initiative (now defunct) |
| CUC | Committee of University Chairmen |
| CUREE | Centre for Use of Research and Evidence in Education |
| CURL | Consortium of University Research Libraries |
| CVCP | Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (now Universities UK) |
| CVE | Continuing Vocational Education |
| CVU | Council for Validating Universities |
| CWDC | Children's Workforce Development Council |
| CWIS | Campus Wide Information System |
| CYPP | Children and Young People's Plan |
| DCSF | Department for Children, Schools and Families (2007 - present) |
| DCLG | Department for Communities and Local Government |
| DDA | Disability Discrimination Act (1995) |
| DE | Department of Education (Northern Ireland) (1999 - present) |
| DEAL | Department of Education, Arts & Libraries |
| DEED | Department of Environment and Economic Development |
| DELNI | Department for Employment and Learning (Northern Ireland) (2001 - present) |
| DENI | Department of Education Northern Ireland (now DE) (1973- 1999) |
| DES | Department of Education and Science (1964 - 1992) |
| DFE | Department for Education (1992 - 1995) |
| DfEE | Department for Education and Employment (1995 - 2001) |
| DfES | Department for Education and Skills (2001 - 2007) now DCSF |
| DHFETE | Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment (1999 -2001) (now DELNI) |
| DiDA | Edexcel awards the Diploma in Digital Applications for IT Users and the double award Certificate or CIDA and the single Award or AIDA |
| Diploma gateway | Consortia of schools, colleges, higher education institutions and employers must pass through a “gateway process” to be allowed to offer the award of Diploma in IT |
| DIUS | Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (since 2007) |
| DPA | Data Protection Act |
| DPC | Data Protection Commission |
| DOS | Disk Operating System |
| DRB | Designated Recommending Body (responsible for awarding QTS) |
| DRRG | Database Resources Research Group |
| DSA | Disabled Student Allowance |
| DSc | Doctor of Science |
| DTLR | Department for Transport, Local Government and Regions |
| DTP | Desk Top Publishing |
| Dublin Core | Dublin Metadata Core Element Set |
| DV | Digital Video |
| DVD | Digital Versatile Disk |
| DWP | Department for Work and Pensions (2001 - present) |
| E2L | English as a second language |
| EAB | Education Assessments Board |
| EAL | English as an Additional Language |
| EARL | Electronic Access to Resources in Libraries |
| EAZ | Education Action Zone |
| EBD | Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties |
| EBSD | Emotional Behavioural and Social Difficulties |
| ECCTIS | Educational Counselling and Credit Transfer Information |
| ECDL | European Computer Driving Licence is an award of the British Computer Society also called BCS Level 1/2 Certificate for IT Users |
| ECM | Every Child Matters |
| Ed Psych | Education Psychologist |
| EDI | Electronic Data Interchange |
| EDP | Education Development Plan |
| EEC | Early Excellence Centre |
| EFL | English as a Foreign Language |
| EHE | Enterprise in Higher Education |
| EiC | Excellence in Cities |
| EIP | Early Intervention Programme / Education Improvement Plan |
| EIU | Economic and Industrial Understanding |
| ELG | Early Learning Goal |
| ELS | Early Literacy Support |
| ELTHE | Evaluation of Learning Technology in Higher Education |
| ELWa | Education and Learning Wales (The Higher Education Funding Council) |
| EMASHE | Establishing Multimedia Authoring Skills in Higher Education |
| EMIE | Formerly the Education Management Information Exchange, now known as EMIE at NFER |
| EMS | Education Management System |
| EO | Equal Opportunities |
| EOC | Equal Opportunities Commission |
| EOTAS | Education Otherwise Than At School |
| EP | Education Psychologist |
| EPO | Emergency Protection Order |
| EQALL | Equal Opportunities, Access and Lifelong Learning |
| ERA | Education Reform Act (1998) |
| ERASMUS | European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students |
| ESD | Education for Sustainable Development |
| ESF | European Social Fund |
| ESG | Education Support Grant |
| ESL | English as a Second Language |
| ESOL | English for Speakers of Other Languages |
| ESP | Education Strategic Plan (Wales) |
| ESPRIT | European Strategic Programme for Research in Information Technology |
| ESRC | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Estyn | Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales |
| ET | Educational Technology |
| ETI | Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland) |
| ETP | Engineering and Technology Programme |
| ETS | Excellent Teacher Scheme |
| EWO | Education Welfare Officer |
| EYDP | Early Years Development Plan |
| EYE | Early Years Education |
| EYFS | Early Years Foundation Stage |
| EYP | Early Years Professional |
| EYPS | Early Years Professional Status |
| FAETC | Further and Adult Education Teacher's Certificate |
| FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions |
| FAS | Funding Agency for Schools (1988 - 1999) |
| FAST | Forum for Access Studies |
| FE | Further Education |
| FEC | Further Education College |
| FEDA | Further Education Development Agency |
| FEFC | Further Education Funding Council (for England) (1992- 2001) |
| FEFCE | Further Education Funding Council for England |
| FEFCW | Further Education Funding Council for Wales (1992 - 2001) (Most responsibilities now undertaken by the National Council for Education and Training) |
| FENTO | Further Education National Training Organisation |
| FERL | Further Education Resources for Learning |
| FESC | Further Education Staff College |
| FESDF | Further Education Staff Development Forum |
| FEU | Further Education Unit |
| FHEA | Further and Higher Education Act (1992) |
| FoI | Freedom of Information (Act)
|
| FS | Foundation Stage |
| FSP | Foundation Stage Profile |
| FSU | Foundation Stage Unit |
| FT | Full-Time / Financial Times |
| FTE | Full-time Equivalent |
| FTET | Full Time Education and Training |
| Functional skills | The three functional skills of English, mathematics and ICT will be mandatory parts of the 14-19 Diplomas |
| G & T | Gifted and Talented |
| GCE | General Certificate of Education |
| GCSE | General Certificate of Secondary Education |
| GEST | Grants for Education Support and Training |
| GIS | Geographic Information Systems |
| GM | Grant-Maintained |
| GMI | Grant-Maintained Integrated Schools |
| GMS | Grant Maintained Status / School |
| GNVQ | General National Vocational Qualification |
| GRE | Grant Related Expenditure |
| GRIST | Grant Related In Service Training |
| GRTP | Graduate and Registered Teaching Programmes |
| GTC | General Teaching Council |
| GTCe | General Teaching Council for England |
| GTCNI | General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland |
| GTCS | General Teaching Council for Scotland |
| GTCW | General Teaching Council for Wales |
| GTP | Graduate Teacher Programme |
| GUI | Graphical User Interface |
| H & S | Health and Safety |
| HA | Health Authority |
| HCI | Human Computer Interface |
| HE | Higher Education |
| HEADLAMP | Headteachers` Leadership and Management Programme |
| HEC | Higher Education Corporation |
| HEDS | Higher Education Digitisation Service |
| HEERA | Higher Education External Relations Association |
| HEFC | Higher Education Funding Councils |
| HEFCE | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
| HEFCW | Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
| HEI | Higher Education Institution |
| HENSA | Higher Education National Software Archive for Microcomputers |
| HERA | Higher Education Role Analysis |
| HERO | Higher Education Research Organisation |
| HESA | Higher Education Statistics Agency |
| HESES | Higher Education Students Early Statistics |
| HHEW | Heads of Higher Education Wales |
| HI | Hearing Impaired |
| HITECC | Higher Education Introductory Technology and Engineering Conversion Courses |
| HLTA | Higher Level Teaching Assistant |
| HMCI | Her Majesty's Chief Inspector |
| HMI | Her Majesty's Inspectorate also Her Majesty's Inspector |
| HMSO | Her Majesty's Stationery Office (now SO) |
| HNC | Higher National Certificate |
| HND | Higher National Diploma |
| HoD | Head of Department |
| HoY | Head of Year |
| HOLIS | HESA Online Information Service |
| HPC | High Performace Computing |
| HSA | Home School Agreement |
| HSE | Health and Safety Executive |
| HSLO | Home School Liaison Officer |
| HTLA | Higher Level Teaching Assistants |
| HTML | HyperText Markup Language |
| HTS | Home Teaching Service |
| IAASE | Independent Appeals Authority for School Examinations |
| IAS | Inspection and Advisory Service |
| ICAI | Intelligent Computer Assisted Instruction |
| ICAS | Independent Counselling and Advisory Services Ltd |
| ICBL | Institute for Computer Based Learning |
| ICG | Institute of Careers Guidance |
| ICISA | Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association |
| ICT | Information and Communication Technology - a subject of the National Curriculum for England and Wales |
| ICTRN | ICT Research Network (managed by BECTa) |
| ICTSN | ICT Support Network (managed by BECTa) |
| IEP | Individual Education Plan |
| IETF | Internet Engineering Task Force |
| IFP | Increased Flexibility Programme supports learning off-site for National Vocational Qualifications, Applied GCSEs and Advanced Vocational Certificates of Education |
| IIP | Investor in People |
| ILA | Individual Learning Account |
| ILL | Inter-Library Loans |
| ILS | Integrated Learning Systems |
| ILT | Institute for Learning and Teaching (in Higher Education) / Information and Learning Technology |
| ILTHE | Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education |
| IMM | Interactive Multimedia |
| Intute | A free online service for education and research (Formerly RDN) |
| INSED | In-Service Education & Development |
| INSET | In-Service Education and Training |
| IP | Internet Protocol |
| IPR | Intellectual Property Rights |
| IQ | Intelligence Quotient |
| IRC | Interdisciplinary Research Centre |
| ISBN | International Standard Book Number |
| ISCG | Institution for School & College Governors |
| ISDN | International Subscriber Digital Network / Integrated Services Digital Network |
| ISLE | Intensely Supported Learning Environment |
| ISP | Internet Service Provider |
| IT | Information Technology - a subject of focus of the 14-19 curriculum reforms in England |
| ITAC | Information Technology Across the Curriculum |
| ITE | Initial Teacher Education |
| ITS | Intelligent Tutoring System |
| ITSM | Information Technology Supporting Management |
| ITT | Initial Teacher Training - the provision by higher education institutes, recommending bodies or school-centred ITTs to train and make the recommendation that qualified teacher status is awarded to individuals |
| ITTE | Association for IT in Teacher Education |
| ITTI | Information Technology Training Initiative |
| IUCC | Inter University Committee on Computing |
| JANET | Joint Academic Network |
| JCC | Joint Consultative Committee |
| JEB | Joint Examining Board |
| JISC | Joint Information Systems Committee (of HE funding councils) |
| JREI | Joint Research Equipment Initiative |
| JSTOR | Journal STORage system |
| Key Skills | Six transferable skills common to all subjects - communication, numeracy, ICT, improving own learning and performance, problem solving and working with others. They are being phased out after 2010. |
| KS | Key Stage |
| KS1 | Key Stage 1 |
| KS2 | Key Stage 2 |
| KS3 | Key Stage 3 |
| KS4 | Key Stage 4 |
| L3 | Lifelong Learning |
| LA | The Library Association |
| LAC | Looked After Children |
| LAN | Local Area Network |
| LCCI | London Chamber of Commerce and Industry |
| LEA | Local Education Authority |
| LECT | League for Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers |
| Level 1,2,3 | Undergraduate levels (L1 = Year 1, Level 2 = Year 2, L3 = Year 3) |
| LGA | Local Government Association |
| LGIS | Local Government Information Service |
| LGR | Local Government Reorganisation |
| LIC | Library and Information Commission |
| LLL | Lifelong Learning |
| LLUK | Lifelong Learning UK |
| LME | Local Management of Education |
| LMNS | Local Management of Nursery Schools |
| LMRS | Learning Media Resource Service |
| LMS | Local Management of Schools |
| LMSS | Local Management of Special Schools |
| LOF | Lesson Observation Form |
| LS | Leadership (Pay) Scale or Spine |
| LSA | Learning Support Assistant |
| LSC | Learning & Skills Council |
| LSN | Learning and Skills Network |
| LSP | Learning Schools Programme |
| LSS | Learning Support Service |
| LTS | Licensed Teacher Scheme |
| LTSN | Learning and Teaching Support Network |
| MA | Master of Arts / Modern Appreticeships |
| MAN | Metropolitan Area Network |
| MAC | Management and Administrative Computing (Initiative) |
| MAPE | Micros and Primary Education (now part of Naace) |
| MBA | Master of Business Administration |
| MCQ | Multiple Choice Question |
| MEd | Master of Education |
| MERCS | Multicultural Education Resource Centre Services |
| MEU | Microelectronics in Education Unit (Cymru) |
| MIS | Management Information System |
| MISE | Management Information Systems in Education |
| MLD | Moderate Learning Difficulties |
| MLE | Managed Learning Environment |
| MPHIL | Master of Philosophy |
| MSc | Master of Science |
| MSI | Multi-Sensory Impaired / Impairment |
| Naace | National association for education professionals involved in advancing education through ICT (est. 2004 on merger of CEG, MAPE & NAACE) |
| NAACE | National Association for Advisers in Computer Education (now part of Naace) |
| NAAS | New Academic Appointments Scheme |
| NACCCE | National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education |
| NACETT | National Advisory Council for Education and Training Targets |
| NADA | Norwich Area Development Agency |
| NAFE | Non-Advanced Further Education |
| NAfW | National Assembly for Wales |
| NAHT | National Association of Headteachers |
| NAI | Non-Accidental Injury |
| NAIAEC | National Association of Inspectors, Advisers and Educational Consultants |
| NAMSS | National Association for Managers of Student Services |
| NAS/ UWT | National Association of Schoolmasters/ Union of Women Teachers |
| NASEN | National Association for Special Educational Needs |
| NASUWT | National Association of School Masters/Union of Women Teachers |
| NATED | National Assembly Training and Education Department |
| NATFHE | National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education |
| NATs | National Assessment Tests and Tasks |
| NC | National Curriculum |
| NCC | National Curriculum Council (superseded by QCA) |
| NCET | National Council for Educational Technology (Now BECTa) |
| NCIHE | National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (Dearing Committee) |
| NCPTA | National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations |
| NCSL | National College for School Leadership |
| NCT | Non-contact Time / National Curriculum Tests |
| NCVQ | National Council for Vocational Qualifications |
| NCY | National Curriculum Year |
| NDAQ | National Database of Accredited Qualifications (was openQUALS) is a database of all accredited qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland |
| NDS | New Deal for Schools |
| NEAB | Northern Examination Assessment Board (Now part of AQA) |
| NEAC | National Education Assessment Centre |
| NEET | 16-17 year olds Not in Employment, Education or Training |
| NEOST | National Employers' Organisation for School Teachers |
| NESTA | National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts |
| NFER | National Foundation for Educational Research |
| NGC | National Governors Council |
| NGfL | National Grid for Learning |
| NIACE | National Institute of Adult Continuing Education - (England and Wales) is a non-governmental organisation working for adult learners |
| NIC | Northern Ireland Curriculum |
| NICAS | National Interaction Computing Award Scheme |
| NICHE | National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (now defunct) |
| NIHEC | Northern Ireland Higher Education Council |
| NILTA | National Information and Learning Technologies Association |
| NISS | National Information Services and Systems |
| NITEC | National Information Technology in Education Centre |
| NITEC | Northern Ireland Teacher Education Committee |
| NJC | National Joint Council |
| NLN | New Learning Network |
| NLS | National Literacy Strategy (Now replaced by the Primary National Strategy PNS) |
| NNEB | National Nursery Examination Board |
| NNS | National Numeracy Strategy (Now replaced by the Primary National Strategy PNS) |
| NOF | New Opportunities Fund |
| NPQH | National Professional Qualification for Headteachers |
| NPQSL | National Professional Qualification for Subject Leaders |
| NPRA | National Profile and Record of Achievement |
| NPS | National Pay Spine |
| NQF | National Qualifications Framework provides a comparison between the different awards |
| NQT | Newly Qualified Teacher |
| NRA | National Record of Achievement |
| NRT | National Remodelling Team |
| NTET | National Target for Education and Training |
| NTO | National Training Organisation |
| NUS | National Union of Students |
| NUSS | National Union of School Students |
| NUT | National Union of Teachers |
| NVQ | National Vocational Qualification is a 'competence-based' qualification where students learn practical, work-related tasks designed to help them develop the skills and knowledge to do a job effectively |
| OCEAC | Oxford and Cambridge Examination and Assessment Council (now part of OCR) |
| OCR | Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (formed by a merger of the OCEAC, MEG, and RSA Examining Board) / Optical Character Reader / Recognition / Ofsted Childcare Register |
| OFSET | Office for Standards in Education and Training |
| OFSTED | Office for Standards in Education |
| OHMCI | Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector |
| OHP | Over Head Projector |
| OHT | Over Head Transparency |
| OL | Open Learning |
| OLC | Open Learning Centre |
| OLF | Open Learning Foundation |
| OMR | Optical Mark Reader / Recognition |
| ONC | Ordinary National Certificate |
| OND | Ordinary National Diploma |
| OOSH | Out Of School Hours |
| OOSHT | Out Of School Hours Teaching |
| OST | Office of Science and Technology |
| OTT | Overseas Trained Teacher |
| OU | Open University |
| PA | Parents' Association |
| PADS | Performing Arts Data Service |
| PANDA | Performance and Assessment Report |
| PAT | Personal Academic Tutor / Professional Association of Teachers |
| PC | Personal Computer |
| PCAS | Polytechnics Central Admissions System (now defunct) |
| PCFC | Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (now defunct) |
| PDT | Professional Development Tutor |
| PEP | Personal Education Plan |
| PGCE | Post Graduate Certificate in Education or Professional certificate in Education with qualified teacher status |
| PGR | Postgraduate Research |
| PGT | Postgraduate Taught |
| PH | Physically Handicapped |
| PHAB | Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy |
| PHSE | Personal, Health and Social Education |
| PHSCE | Personal, Health, Social and Citizenship Education |
| PHU | Physically Handicapped Unit |
| PI | Performance Indicator |
| PILS | Performance Indicator Lower Schools |
| PIMS | Performance Indicator Middle Schools |
| PIPS | Performance Indicator Primary Schools |
| PITCC | Primary Information Technology Certificate of Competence |
| PLTS | Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills - 6 areas of learning including: independent enquiry, creative thinking, reflective learning, team working, self-management and effective participation |
| PM | Performance Management |
| PMFL | Primary Modern Foreign Language - reflects the recent emphasis on learning a foreign language in primary schools |
| PMLD | Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties |
| PNS | Primary National Strategy (incorporates the former National Literacy Strategy (NLS) and National Numeracy Strategy (NNS)) |
| PoCA | Protection of Children Act |
| PRU | Pupil Referral Unit |
| PS | Partially Sighted |
| PSE | Personal and Social Education |
| PT | Part-Time |
| PTA | Parent Teacher Association |
| PTR | Pupil Teacher Ratio |
| QA | Quality Assessment |
| QA | Quality Assurance |
| QAA | Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education |
| QAC | Quality Assessment Committee |
| QCA | Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (1997 - present) |
| QE | Quality enhancement |
| QIA | Quality Improvement Agency |
| QR | Quality Related Research |
| QTS | Qualified Teacher Status |
| QtT | Qualifying to Teach (describes the current Standards for QTS) |
| RAC | Regional Advisory Council |
| RAE | Research Assessment Exercise |
| RDN | Research and Development Network (see Intute) |
| REACH | Record of Achievement |
| RgI | Registered Inspector (OFSTED) |
| RiP | Research in Practice |
| RoA | Record of Achievement |
| RSA | Royal Society of Arts Examinations (now part of OCEAC) |
| RSI | Repetitive Strain Injury |
| RSS | Really Simple Syndication - a simple way to share new web content with a wide audience |
| RTC | Residential Training Centre |
| RTP | Registered Teacher Programme |
| SACRE | Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education |
| SALP | Special Adult Learning Programmes |
| SAQ | Self Assessment Question |
| SARD | Social Analysis and Research Division (of DfEE) |
| SAT | Standard Assessment Task |
| SATRO | Science and Technology Regional Organisation |
| SATs | Standard Assessment Tasks & Tests |
| SBT | School-based training |
| SCAA | School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (1993 - 1997) (now QCA) |
| SCAVA | Standing Conference of Authorised Validating Agencies |
| SCDC | School Curriculum Development Council |
| SCITT | School-Centred Initial Teacher Training |
| SCONUL | Standing Council of National and University Libraries |
| SCOP | Standing Conference of Principals |
| SCOPVEG | Scottish Vocational Education Council |
| SCRE | Scottish Council for Research in Education |
| SCSI | Small Computer System Interface |
| SCUE | Standing Conference on University Entrance |
| SD | Sustainable Development |
| SE | School Experience |
| SE | Special Education |
| SEAC | School Examinations and Assessment Council (superseded by QCA) |
| SEAL | Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning |
| SEC | Secondary Examinations Council |
| SED | Self Evaluation Document |
| SEDA | Staff and Educational Development Association |
| SEF | Self Evaluation Form |
| SEG | Special Education Group |
| SEN | Special Educational Needs |
| SENCO | Special Educational Needs Coordinator |
| SENDA | Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 |
| SENIOS | Special Educational Needs in Ordinary Schools |
| SENT | Special Educational Needs Tribunal |
| SENTC | Special Educational Needs Training Consortium |
| SF | Standards Fund |
| SHA | Secondary Heads' Association - from 1 January 2006 became the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) |
| SHEFC | Scottish Higher Education Funding Council |
| SICD | Sensory Impairment and Communication Difficulties |
| SIDP | School Improvement Development Plan |
| SIMA | Support Initiative for Multimedia Applications |
| SIMS | Schools Information Management System |
| SISG | School Improvement Strategy Group |
| SISO | School Improvement Support Officer |
| SKILL | National Bureau for Students with Disabilities |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement / School Library Association |
| SLC | Students Loan Company |
| SLD | Severe Learning Difficulties |
| SMS | SIMS Management Services |
| SMSC | Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural |
| SMT | Senior Management Team |
| SO | Stationery Office (new name for privatised HMSO) |
| SOED | Scottish Office Education Department |
| SOSIG | Social Sciences Information Gateway (now Intute) |
| SQA | Scottish Qualifications Authority |
| SSA | Special Support Assistant |
| SSR | Staff Student Ratio |
| STA | Specialist Teacher Assistant |
| STAR | Specialist Teacher Assistant Record |
| STRB | School Teachers Review Body |
| SuperJANET | Super Joint Academic Network |
| TAAC | Training for All Across the Curriculum |
| TASC | Teaching As a Career Unit (superseded by TTA) |
| TCA | Tertiary Colleges Association |
| TCP/IP | Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol |
| TDA | Training and Development Agency for Schools that governs and supports initial and in-service teacher training (Formerly TTA) |
| TEC | Training and Enterprise Council (1991 - 2001) |
| TEEM | Teachers Evaluating Educational Multimedia |
| TEFL | Teaching English as a Foreign Language |
| TES | Times Educational Supplement |
| TESL | Teaching English as a Second Language |
| TFP | Technology Foresight Programme |
| TGAT | Task Group on Assessment and Testing (now defunct) |
| TGS | Training Grant Scheme |
| THES | Times Higher Education Supplement |
| TILT | Teaching with Independent Learning Technologies |
| TLR | Teaching and Learning Responsibility payment |
| TLS | Times Literary Supplement |
| TLSN | Teaching and Learning Technology Support Network |
| TLTP | Teaching and Learning Technology Project |
| TQM | Total Quality Management |
| TRE | Teachers' Resource Exchange |
| TTA | Teacher Training Agency - became Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) in 2005 |
| TSI | Technology Schools Initiative |
| UACE | Universities Association for Continuing Education |
| UCAC | National Association of Teachers for Wales |
| UCAS | Universities and Colleges Admissions Service |
| UCCA | University Central Council on Admissions (now defunct) |
| UCEA | Universities and Colleges Employers' Association |
| UCET | Universities Council for the Education of Teachers |
| UCHG | Universities and Colleges Hardware Group |
| UCNG | Universities and Colleges Network Group |
| UCoSDA | Universities and Colleges Staff Development Agency |
| UDG | User Development Group |
| UFC | Universities Funding Council (now defunct) |
| UfI | University for Industry |
| UKCOSA | UK Council for Overseas Student Affairs |
| UKERNA | UK Education and Research Networking Association |
| URL | Universal Resource Locator |
| USB | Universal Serial Bus |
| USI | Union of Students in Ireland |
| USS | Universities Superannuation Scheme |
| VGCSE | Vocational General Certificate of Secondary Education |
| VLE | Virtual Learning Environment |
| VQ | Vocational Qualification |
| VRQ | Vocationally Related Qualification |
| VSC | Virtual Staff College |
| VTC | Virtual Teachers' Centre |
| WAB | Wales Advisory Board for Local Authority Higher Education (now defunct) |
| WAGM | Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| WE | Work Experience |
| Web 2.0 | The next generation of World Wide Web technology which includes social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies |
| WebCT | A commercial VLE |
| WJEC | Welsh Joint Education Committee is an awarding body whose qualifications may also be taken in England |
| WOED | Welsh Office Education Development |
| WRFE | Work Related Further Education |
| WUS | World University Service |
| WWW | World Wide Web |
| YTS | Youth Training Scheme |