Glossary

Understanding the meaning of education words, acronyms and phrases is sometimes tricky especially for new parents and carers. Use the glossary to look up the meaning of these terms. You can also add a suggested term if it is not featured.

Acronym	When the name of something, often an organisation, is abbreviated to the first letters of each key word. For example, the acronym for the Department for Education and Skills is DfES.
ACCAC	Qualifications Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales.
ACCESS	ACCESS courses are designed to give mature students evidence of recent study. They often lead to GCSEs and A levels and are run by Colleges of Further Education. ACCESS to teaching would offer GCSE mathematics, English and science and appropriate A levels for ITT degree entry.
ACE	Advisory Centre for Education.
ACEO	Association of Chief Education Officers.
ACLF	Adult and Community Learning Fund.
ACVT	Advisory Committee for Vocational Training (EU).
AD(H)D	Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder.
Admissions Authority	Schools which handle their own pupil applications are Admission Authorities. They send out information about the school and pupil application forms, giving a deadline for receipt. Local authorities are also admission authorities as they are responsible for admissions to community and voluntary controlled schools.
Advanced Supplementary	Broader-based sixth form studies, the same standard as A levels.
AGCAS	Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services.
AHRB	Arts and Humanities Research Board.
ATL	Association of Teachers and Lecturers.
AoC	Association of Colleges.
APL	Accreditation of Prior Learning.
APS	Alliance of Parents and Schools.
AQA	Assessment and Qualification Alliance.
AST	Advanced Skills Teacher.
Attachment	A file that is included with email.
AS and A levels	AS (advanced subsidiary) and A levels offer flexible ways to learn. You can mix and match AS and A levels with vocational A levels and other qualifications. In Year 12, there’s a large range of AS courses to select from. Then, in Year 13, your teenager can specialise in three or four of those subjects at A level or take more AS courses instead. Final assessment is based on coursework and end-of-course tests.
AVCEs	In many schools and most colleges, you can take vocational A levels or Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education (AVCEs). These courses are designed to develop the knowledge and skills needed for jobs in a broad field of work – such as hospitality and catering, leisure and tourism, or engineering.
AALA	The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority inspects activity centres and other activity providers on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills. If the Licensing Authority is satisfied that the provider complies with nationally accepted standards of good practice they issue a licence.
Apprenticeships	Apprenticeships offer those aged 16 to 24 paid employment combined with the opportunity to train for jobs at craft, technician and management level. They are an exciting way of gaining skills and qualifications that will help to start a career without having to study full-time, and are available now across a wide range of industries. You can find out more about apprenticeships at www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
Attainment target	Each National Curriculum subject has one or more attainment targets. Each target identifies the knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each Key Stage. Attainment targets for each statutory subject include eight level descriptions of increasing difficulty. During and at the end of each Key Stage a student's achievement will be measured by the level they reach.
ADSL	Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. This is a technology created to allow high-speed internet access over ordinary telephones lines that are linked to a digital telephone exchange.
Avatar	A character or icon that represents someone within a chat room. These can be cartoon characters, animals - anything that your child can imagine, really.
BA with QTS	Bachelor of Arts - arts degree-level ITT qualification leading to QTS. One of the main routes into primary teaching.
BECTA	British Educational Communications and Technology Agency.
BEd with QTS	Bachelor of Education - degree-level ITT qualification leading to QTS. One of the main routes into primary teaching.
Behaviour Support Plan	A Statement which sets out local arrangements for schools and other service providers for the education of children with behavioural difficulties.
Book Trust	An independent educational charity established to promote books and reading among readers of all ages and cultures.
Brothers and Sisters	A rule applied by some admission authorities if your school of choice is oversubscribed. They will sometimes treat the application more favourably if your child already has a brother or sister at the school.
Browser	Software package which is used to view internet pages.
Browsing	The act of looking around the internet, or a website, as you would do when walking through a shop.
BSA	Basic Skills Agency.
BSc Bachelor of Science	Science degree-level ITT qualification leading to QTS. One of the main routes into primary teaching.
BTEC National	An A level equivalent qualification, usually the equivalent of two A level courses. Subjects include nursery nursing, business studies and art and design. There are considerable practical elements to the courses with work placements offered.
Basic Skills Agency	The Basic Skills Agency is the national agency for basic skills in England and Wales and is supported and funded by the Government. The agency defines basic skills as: "The ability to read, write, and speak in English (or Welsh), and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function at work and in society in general." They are committed to working with others to make sure that effective opportunities exist to help children, young people and adults strengthen their basic skills.
Banding	Banding is used by some comprehensive schools to ensure that their intake has a spread of pupils of all levels of ability. Children applying for a place are tested in order to identify their level of ability, and then placed into the ability band appropriate to their test results. If there are more applications than places available within a specific band, the places must not be allocated to children in the band who have scored the highest marks.
Booktrust	Founded in 1926, Booktrust is an independent, educational charity to bring books and people together.
Breadth	The National Curriculum handbook for teachers has a section for each subject called ‘breadth of study’. This says that your child is entitled to be taught through a range of important learning experiences. e.g. Between the ages of 5 and 7, in science, your child should – among other things – carry out complete experiments. Between the ages of 7 and 11, in music, your child should use computers to record and alter sounds. These deepen and broaden your child’s experience of the subject.
Bookmark	This is when you save a page or website to a list of favourites. You can find out how to do this from your browser.
Buffering	This happens when you attempt to download large sound or video files. The file may contain too much information to download in one go so it will be sent in chunks. Buffering means your player doesn't have to wait for the entire file to download - it simply plays what it has received.
Catchment Area	Some admission authorities give priority to children who live in an area around the school.
CBEVE	Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges.
CEG	Careers Education Guidance.
CEO	Chief Education Officer.
CET	Continuing Education and Training.
CGLI	City and Guilds of London Institute.
CHI	The Support Society for Children of Higher Intelligence.
Childminders	Childminders look after children under five and school age children after hours and in the holidays. The local authority decides how many children a childminder can care for and they are able to register as part of a network to provide early education.
CIHE	Council for Industry and Higher Education.
CILT	Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research.
COIC	Careers and Occupational Information Centre.
Community school	State schools in England and Wales which are wholly owned and maintained by the local authority. The LA is the admissions authority - it has main responsibility for deciding arrangements for admitting pupils.
Controlled Schools	Schools in Northern Ireland which come under the control of Education and Library Boards.
County Schools	State schools in England and Wales which are wholly owned and maintained by LAs - Local Authorities.
CPI	Child Protection Issue.
CRAC	Careers Research and Advisory Centre.
CSR	Continuous Student Record.
CTC - City Technical College	Independent, all-ability, non-fee-paying schools for pupils aged 11 to 18. There are 14 CTCs and one CCTA - City College for the Technology of the Arts - in urban areas across England. CTCs teach the national curriculum pre-16 with a focus on science, mathematics and technology. They offer a wide range of vocational qualifications and part of their role is to innovate in the development, management and delivery of the curriculum.
City & Guilds	Nationally recognised occupational awards in a variety of work areas – from floristry and ceramics to information technology and journalism and radio. For more information on City & Guilds qualifications, NVQs and key skills, phone 020 7294 2850.
CSCI	Commission for Social Care Inspection (formerly the National Care Standards Commission) is an independent public body set up under the Care Standards Act 2000 to regulate social care and private and voluntary healthcare services throughout England.
Co-educational	The teaching of pupils of both sexes in the same school or college.
Comprehensive schools	A school for pupils of all abilities aged between 11 and 18.
Child Protection Committee	Local authorities, in exercising their social services functions, should ensure that there is an Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) covering their area, which brings together representatives of each of the main agencies and professionals responsible for helping to protect children from abuse and neglect.
CRB	The Criminal Records Bureau is an executive agency of the Home Office, set up to help organisations make safer recruitment decisions. By providing wider access to criminal record information, the CRB will help employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors identify candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially that which involves contact with children or other vulnerable members of society.
Connexions PAs	Connexions Personal Advisors are best placed to provide continuing one-on-one support for young parents who are at risk of disengaging from learning. Support includes advice on further education and careers.
Connexions	Connexions is a Government support service for young people, the goal of which is to ensure success through learning and a smooth transition to adulthood and working life for every young person. Working alongside its partners, Connexions must provide teenagers with (or connect them to) the support they need to benefit fully from formal and informal learning.
Children’s Information Service (CIS)	Each LA should have a CIS giving details on childcare and children’s issues.
Childcare tax credit	Extra financial help for childcare.
Clearing	Students who wish to progress to higher education and have not met the required grades for their first choice institution can sift through a listing of courses that still have vacancies.
CD burning	Quite simply this is the act of copying information on to a CD using a CD burner.
CD-ROM	A CD which plays on your computer and contains visuals as well as sounds. It's like a website but you don't need to connect to a phone line to view it. Many music CDs also include CD-ROM enhancements these days. Check to see if the CD-ROM will work on your computer. The CD-ROM will have the words 'PC compatible' or, if you have an Apple, 'Mac compatible'.
Chat	Exactly what it says on the tin - chat. Except this kind of talking happens online or via mobile phones and uses it's own language, chationary.
Chat room	One of the most popular areas for chat. The chat room is a space where a few people can communicate at the same time on any particular subject. Chat rooms can also be private for one-on-one 'conversation'. Beware, the people chatting are strangers who aren't always who they say they are so chat rooms come with a set of unique dangers.
Child-friendly search engine	A search engine is a way of sifting through the millions of websites online to find relevant sites. Some key words (or meta tags) will bring up unsuitable sites. However, a child-friendly search engine will filter most of these out. You should keep in mind the fact that they're not 100 per cent effective and you may still need to monitor the results of a search.
Cyberspace	This is a term for the internet, which is often viewed as a virtual world.
DfES	Department for Education and Skills.
Database	Collection of data that is organised so that its contents can be easily accessed, managed and updated.
Day Nurseries	These take children under five for the whole working day. Children can attend on a part-time or full-time basis according to their parents' needs. They may be run by local authorities, voluntary organisations, private companies, individuals or employers. There must be at least one adult for every eight children and at least half of the staff must have a qualification recognised by the local authority.
DENI	Department of Education for Northern Ireland.
Directory	This is a subject guide on the internet. In computer file systems, a directory is a named group of related files that are separated by the naming convention from other groups of files.
Disapplied pupils	The National Curriculum assessments have been designed to make sure that as many children as possible can be assessed. There may, however, be a small number of pupils who are not able to take part in some or all of the assessments. Usually this only happens if all or part of the National Curriculum is not suitable for a pupil because they have certain special educational needs.
DLOs	Desirable Learning Outcomes.
Download	The transmission of a file from one computer system to another (often smaller) computer system. From the internet user's point of view, to download a file is to request it from one computer, or from one Web page to another computer, and to receive it.
DPC	Data Protection Commission/Commissioner.
DRC	Disability Rights Commission.
DTI	Department of Trade and Industry.
Degree	A higher education qualification. Taken full-time, part-time or as a sandwich course, most last three years. Applicants generally need a minimum of two A levels, although it varies.
DipHE	Diploma of Higher Education. Lasts two years and can be combined with professional or vocational qualifications. Can often be converted to a degree with further study. Entry requirements are similar to those for a degree.
Denominational school	A school with its own particular beliefs, organisation and practices.
Discipline Committee	The Governing Body must establish a Discipline Committee to review exclusions and consider any representations made by parents.
Disabled Person’s Tax credit	Financial help for people with disabilities who are employed.
Disapplication	Disapplication is an exceptional provision and is to be used at the discretion of the headteacher and governors based on pupils' needs. Schools may disapply particular National Curriculum subjects to enable them to include specified learning programmes in a pupil's curriculum that would not be possible alongside the full National Curriculum.
Diocese	A diocese is the patch to which a bishop’s jurisdiction extends.
Digitisation	This is the method used to convert films and music so they can be stored in a digital format like CD or DVD, or added to the content of a website.
Domain Name System (DNS)	This is the system that locates a user's unique IP address.
EAB	Education Assets Board.
EAL	English as an additional language. Children who speak English as an additional language, rather than as their first language, may need extra help with their reading and writing. They will need lots of opportunities to talk with English-speaking adults and children about their work, thoughts and feelings. Often what they need most is varied, vibrant teaching that involves visual resources, sound, speaking and writing to make it easier for them to learn English.
Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership	The partnership plans education locally for children below compulsory school age, and childcare for children from 0 to 14 years. Each year the partnership (there is one for each local education authority) draws up a plan which explains what local early education and childcare services will be provided and includes a list of all local providers of free early education.
Early Years Development and Childcare Plan	A local plan which sets out how early education and childcare services will be provided.
EAZs - Education Action Zones	Groups of 15 to 25 schools which aim to create new partnerships, raise standards and generate innovation within education. These groups of schools receive £1million a year for three to five years. An EAZ based on a single secondary school and its associated primaries will receive £350,000 a year. These smaller EAZs are only being set up in Excellence in Cities areas.
EBD	Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
EDP	An education development plan (EDP) is a strategic plan produced by the LA setting out how educational standards will be improved in that authority's schools.
Education Welfare Officers	Education welfare officers are employed by LAs to monitor school attendance and help parents meet their responsibilities. They are also known as education social workers.
EECs	Early Excellence Centres.
EiC (Excellence in Cities)	Mainly focused on secondary schools, EiC aims to raise standards in specific city areas through targeted intervention and investment. The main programmes involved are extending opportunities for Gifted and Talented pupils, expansion of the number of specialist schools, establishing City Learning Centres, introducing new smaller Education Action Zones, providing access to Learning Mentors, and establishing Learning Support Units to tackle disruption.
EMA	The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is part of the Government's commitment to help young people have the opportunity to fulfill their educational potential. The EMA offers making weekly payments to young people to encourage participation, retention and achievement in Further Education.
Email	Electronic mail carried on the internet
ERASMUS	European Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students.
ESS	Education Standard Spending.
ETDA	Education and Training Development Agenda.
EUI	European University Institute.
Exclusion	The suspension or expulsion of a pupil from school for disciplinary reasons.
Entry Level Certificates	Entry Level Certificates used to be called 'Entry Level Awards'. These qualifications are designed for learners not yet ready for GCSE, Foundation GNVQ or NVQ level 1. There are Entry Level Certificates in the subjects that pupils will have studied up to the age of 14 and also in broader vocational areas that are more like the GNVQs. Pupils are assessed in tasks, which may be written, spoken or practical.
Excellence Challenge	The Excellence Challenge is a three-year programme running from September 2001 that is committing over £190million to increase the number of young people from poorer backgrounds who apply for and enter higher education. A key purpose is to improve links between universities, colleges and schools.
Excellence Clusters	Excellence Clusters are designed to bring the benefits of the Excellence in Cities programme to smaller pockets of deprivation. Like Excellence in Cities, they focus on some of the most deprived areas of the country, using a structured programme designed to raise standards.
EAZ Action Forum	Each EAZ must have an Action Forum whose main task under the provisions of the 1998 Act is ‘the improvement of standards in the provision of education at each of the participating schools’. This will include drawing up and implementing an action plan and providing the means through which the business of the EAZ is conducted, including the management of its resources.
Examinations Appeals Board	The Examinations Appeals Board (the EAB) is an independent body set up by Ministers in 1999 to help give confidence to candidates, parents, schools and colleges who make use of the examinations system that the grades awarded are fair and accurate.
European Community School Milk Subsidy Scheme	European Community subsidy rules allow LAs and schools to offer nursery and primary school pupils a maximum of 250ml of subsidised milk a day for drinking. The European Community School Milk Subsidy Scheme is run by the Intervention Board and claims should be made through LAs.
Early learning goals	The goals aim to make learning a fun and challenging experience and recognise the value of play. They will enable children to develop key skills such as speaking, listening, concentration, persistence, learning to work with others and early literacy and numeracy. The goals establish expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage, but are not a curriculum in themselves.
Early years education	Children may receive early education in a range of places or settings, such as nursery schools, reception classes in primary schools, pre-schools, playgroups, some day nurseries and with childminders.
Early Excellence Centres	Early Excellence Centres (EECs) aim to deliver high-quality integrated early education, childcare, family support services and training opportunities from the same site to children and their families.
Emoticons	Otherwise known as 'smileys', emoticons are the little faces and symbols which are used in email and chat to represent an emotion. For example, if you type in : ) it means you're happy. Get it? No? Look at it sideways. Can you see a smile and a pair of eyes? That's a smiley.
Family Literacy and Family Numeracy Courses	Offered by most local authorities, these courses let you and your child learn skills together, and separately, in small courses run in co-operation with local schools.
FAS	Funding Agency for Schools.
FE	Further Education.
FECDF	Further Education Competitiveness and Development Fund.
FECF	Further Education Collaboration Fund.
FEDA	Further Education Development Agency.
Federation of Children's Book Groups	A national, voluntary organisation which aims to promote enjoyment and interest in children's books and reading.
Feeder Schools	Some admissions authorities give priority to children from certain primary schools.
FEFC	The Further Education Funding Council is an organisation that provides resources for facilities and courses for post-school learning supplies news, publications, data and job vacancies.
FEFC(W)	Further Education Funding Council for Wales.
FENTO	Further Education National Training Organisation.
FERL	FE Resources for Learning.
File	In data processing, a related collection of records.
Foundation Schools	Type of state school which is run by the local authority but which has more freedom than community schools to manage their school and decide on their own admissions.
FSM	Free School Meals.
FTET	Full-Time Education and Training.
Foundation degree	Covers work-related topics and takes two years of full-time study. Can also be done part-time while working. Option to convert to a full degree with further study.
Foundation stage	The foundation stage happens before the National Curriculum - it is a framework for your child's learning in nursery or reception class. The Foundation Stage Profile is a means of assessing your child’s development in relation to their early learning goals.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)	The name given to the method used for moving files across the internet.
Filtering software	Filtering software is used to prevent access to unsuitable sites. Some programs allow you to only accept mail from known senders, or block emails containing keywords or inappropriate images.
File sharing software	Software enabling you to use other subscribers' computers like a specialist library. This kind of software has been especially popular for music fans who store music on their computer hard drives. File sharing allows this music to be shared by subscribers to particular sites.
Firewall	A piece of software that can protect your computer from being accessed when you're online. This is especially important if you have connections through a cable modem or ADSL phoneline.
Flash	Flash is one of the more popular programs for creating animated web pages. If a site needs a flash plug and you don't have one, you will be asked if you want to download one when the site's loading page appears.
Family code	A way of including children in developing a set of rules for using the internet.
GCE	General Certificate of Education.
GCSE	General Certificate of Secondary Education. GCSEs replaced O levels and CSEs in 1988 and are taken by the majority of pupils for most subjects. It usually takes two years to study for a GCSE. Coursework (work carried out over an extended period) is part of most GCSEs and could include essays, field work reports, art work, making products, or investigations. GCSEs are graded A*-G. The grade your child gets will depend on coursework and exam marks.
GCSE Bitesize	A BBC revision guide which uses TV, books and the internet to help children prepare for GCSE exams.
GEST	Grants for Education, Support and Training.
GM	Grant Maintained (school).
GMSAC	Grant Maintained Schools Advisory Committee.
GMSF	Grant Maintained Schools Foundation.
GNVQ	General National Vocational Qualification - vocational qualifications taken mainly by pupils age 16 and in full-time education. GNVQs are related to a broad area of work, but are designed to provide students with a general education as a preparation for employment or further study. Foundation level GNVQs are equivalent to four GCSEs at lower grades.
Grant Maintained Schools	State schools in England and Wales which are funded by Central Government through the Funding Agency for Schools.
GTC	General Teaching Council.
GTCS	General Teaching Council for Scotland.
GTP	Graduate Teacher Programme - a new scheme which is expected to be launched in 1998, providing on-the-job training for graduates.
GTTR	Graduate Teacher Training Registry - central agency for processing applications for most postgraduate (PGCE) ITT courses.
GCSE Short Courses	A GCSE short course takes half the study time of a full GCSE, so pupils sometimes complete it after one year. GCSE short courses call for pupils to do coursework and exams to the same standards as a full GCSE, but they cover only half the content. GCSE short courses are graded A*- G, and each one counts as half a GCSE.
Governing body	Every school has a governing body. It will include parents elected by other parents at the school; a teacher elected by their colleagues; a governor elected by, and from, support staff (optional in small primary); local authority governors; governors co-opted by other members of the governing body; and the head teacher, unless they choose not to be. They may also include representatives from the Church, charitable trust or business interests.
Grammar schools	Grammar schools select all or almost all of their pupils by reference to high academic ability. The current policy on grammar schools was agreed by the Labour Party Conference in 1995, and states that there will be no new grammar schools and no further selection based on the 11-plus. Selection will only end where there is a local demand for this to happen.
Grant-maintained special schools	State special schools in England and Wales which are funded by Central Government through the Funding Agency for Schools.
Gifted and Talented Children	There are many definitions of 'gifted' and 'talented'. The Department for Education and Skills defines 'gifted' pupils as those who have exceptional abilities in one or more subjects in the statutory school curriculum other than Art and Design, Music and PE. 'Talented' pupils are defined as those who have exceptional abilities in Art and Design, Music, PE or in Sports or Performing Arts such as dance and drama.
HE	Higher Education.
HEA	Health Education Authority.
HEADLAMP	Head Teachers Leadership and Management Programme.
Healthy Schools Initiative	Government scheme to help improve the health of both pupils and teachers. The initiative includes a Wired for Health website, a Healthy Teacher focus to address occupational health issues for staff and cooks' academies in schools to improve knowledge about nutrition.
HEFCE	Higher Education Funding Council for England.
HEFCNI	Higher Education Funding Council for Northern Ireland.
HEFCS	Higher Education Funding Council for Scotland.
HEFCW	Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.
HERD	Higher Education Regional Development Fund.
HERO	Higher Education Reach Out Fund.
HESA	Higher Education Statistics Agency.
HMCI	Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools.
HNC	Higher National Certificate. A qualification that covers a variety of work-related subjects. Lasts two years - three with a year in industry.
HND	Higher National Diploma - a two-year course that equates to two years of a degree course. Offered in many subject areas, mostly with a practical application. HNDs may also have an industrial or commercial placement as part of the course.
Home-School Agreements	All state schools are required to have written home-school agreements, drawn up in consultation with parents. They are non-binding statements explaining the school's aims and values, the responsibilities of both school and parent, and what the school expects of its pupils. Parents will be invited to sign a parental declaration, indicating that they understand and accept the contents of the agreement.
HTML - Hyper Text Markup Language	A computer language used to create internet documents.
HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol	A method by which information is transferred across the World Wide Web.
Hyperlink	A piece of text or image that when clicked on takes you to another part of the same page, new page, or website.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)	The UK Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are responsible for the regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain. Local authorities are responsible to HSC for enforcement in offices, shops, schools and other parts of the services sector.
History	Your internet browser toolbar will have a button marked history. If you click on it you can monitor which sites have been viewed.
Homepage	The first page or front page of a website.
Host	This is the place where a website is stored.
Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML)	This is a language for creating documents on the web. You can see a Web page's HTML code if you select "view source" from the view menu in your web browser.
Hyperlinks	These will usually be represented by underlined or coloured words on a page. If you click on these words you will immediately link to another page or a different website.
HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)	The system used to send you request for web page which then sends pages from the server back to your internet browser.
ICG	Institute of Careers Guidance.
ICT	Information and communications technology includes the use of computers, the internet, and video and sound recording equipment. The subject used to be called IT (information technology').
IEP	Individual Education Programmes are drawn up by the class teacher and/or special needs co-ordinator within a school to provide individual support for children deemed to have needs over and above those of other children within the class either through learning difficulties or because they are considered to be exceptionally bright or gifted children.
ILT	Information and Learning Technology.
Independent Schools	These are schools which are not funded by the state and obtain most of their finances from fees paid by parents and income from investments. Some of the larger independent schools are known as public schools, while most boarding schools are independent. Further information is available from the ISIS - Independent Schools Information Service.
INSET	In-service education and training - all teachers have access to INSET in schools, helping them to refine their teaching and management skills.
Internet	Often called the Net. A worldwide system of computer networks, a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer.
Investing in Young People Scheme	A Government initiative to help young people make the best of their abilities and to ensure that they all have access to, and are encouraged to take up, education or training post-16. This could be in schools, colleges or work-based training.
ISC	The Independent Schools Council (formed in 1974 as the Independent Schools Joint Council) provides a single, unified organisation to speak and act on behalf of the eight independent schools' associations which constitute it. ISC promotes the schools' common interests at the political level by making representations to government ministers, politicians of all parties and civil servants. Its governing council includes representatives of the associations.
ISCED	International Standard Classification of Education which was initially designed by UNESCO in the early 1970s to serve as an instrument suitable for assembling, compiling and presenting statistics of education both within countries and internationally.
ISIS	Independent Schools Information Service.
IT	Information Technology.
ITT	Initial Teacher Training - most people need to take an ITT course in order to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
ITT provider	Provider of initial teacher training - e.g. college/university, consortium of schools.
ISI	Independent Schools Inspectorate is an operationally independent arm of ISC, and fully accountable to it. ISI exists to provide inspection and consultancy to members of ISC associations, and any other groupings determined by the ISI committee, according to standards and criteria set out in the handbook and agreed with the Department for Education and Skills.
Independent Appeal Panel	In all cases the LA is responsible for constituting an independent appeal panel, but the panel itself is independent in law. The decision of the panel is binding and can be challenged only by judicial review (all parties) or by complaining to the Local Government Ombudsman (parents only). Parents may wish to appeal against decisions made on areas such as admissions and exclusions.
Inset Days	In-Service Education and Training. All teachers have access to INSET in schools, helping them to refine their teaching and management skills.
ILM	The Institute of Leadership Management provides management qualifications.
Inclusion	One of the aims of the Government is that, as far as possible, schools should teach all children the National Curriculum, whatever their needs. This includes children with special educational needs and those who are extremely gifted and talented (who need harder challenges to tackle), together with other pupils.
ICQ	This is an internet program that tells you when other users are online and lets you communicate with them immediately. It is also known as instant messaging.
Instant Messager	This is a program (which looks like a small pop up window) that enables the user to identify when their friends, family or people on their IM buddy list are also online. Messages can then be passed instantly without having to go to a chat room or stop surfing different sites. IM is increasingly popular for online chatting.
Internet Protocol (IP)	This is a unique set of numbers that identify your computer when you are surfing. This number is very useful for tracking the history of a chat session.
Internet Relay Chat (IRC)	This is the system that makes it possible for chat rooms to host a number of people at once.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)	This is the company that provides your internet access.
Key Stage	Your child's progress through school is measured in Key Stages, from compulsory school age to the expiry of the school year in which the majority of pupils cease to be of compulsory school age.
Key Skills	Key Skills are a range of essential skills that underpin success in education, employment, lifelong learning and personal development. Key Skills qualifications (levels 1-4) in Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology are available across all post-16 routes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Also available at levels 1-4 are the wider Key Skills units - Working with Others, Improving Own Learning and Performance and Problem Solving.
Local Authority (LA)	The term local authority (or LA) describes a type of council which has responsibility for providing education to pupils of school age in its area. Their overall education remit also includes early years, the youth service and adult education.
League Tables	See Performance Tables.
Learning Card	A card issued to all children over the age of 16 to remind them of their continued access to careers guidance and information.
Learning Direct	A free advice telephone line which offers information on adult education and courses wherever you live and wherever you want to study (0800 100 900).
LECT	League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers.
Licensed or Registered Teacher Scheme	Employment-based training leading to QTS.
Link	See Hyperlink
Literacy Hour	An hour of learning to read and write in school, broken down into various activities.
LMS	Local Management of Schools.
LPSH	Leadership Programme for Serving Heads.
LSAC	Language Sports and Arts Colleges.
Learner support fund	Learner support funds are available to full-time and some part-time students on further and higher education courses. Colleges and universities set their own criteria and manage their own procedures within the national framework and are allocated differing amounts of funds, depending on a variety of criteria.
Local Government Ombudsman	The Local Government Ombudsmen investigate complaints of injustice arising from maladministration by local authorities and certain other bodies. They investigate complaints about most council matters including housing, planning, education, social services, consumer protection, drainage and council tax. The Ombudsmen can investigate complaints about how the council has done something. But they cannot question what a council has done simply because someone does not agree with it.
Learning and Skills Council	The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16 year olds in England.
Local Government Association	The LGA represents the local authorities of England and Wales – a total of just under 500 authorities. The LGA’s priority is to put local councils at the heart of the drive to improve public services and to work with Government to ensure that the policy, legislative and financial context in which they operate supports that objective.
MA	Modern Apprenticeships.
Maintained School	A school that is maintained by the state.
MBS	Music and Ballet Schools Scheme.
MFL	Modern Foreign Languages.
MLD	Moderate Learning Difficulties
Multimedia	More than one concurrent presentation medium, for example on CD-ROM or website. Combination of text, sounds and/or motion video.
MEG	The Midland Examining Group, now part of OCR.
Mainstream schools	Belonging or relating to the mainstream in accordance with what is normal or standard, as opposed to a Special School.
MMR	Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine.
Message Board	An area on a site where questions and comments can be posted for others to answer. Or you can answer other questions or comments. You will then be able to view the entire history of the conversation topic.
Metatags	Words or phrases which are used in the coding of a website's loading page so search engines can locate the site early on a search list.
MoDem	A device that your computer connects to the phone line with so that it can send and receive information. Most computers now have internal modems so you can plug the telephone cord directly into the back of the computer. MoDem is short for MOdulator, DEModulator.
Moderated chat rooms	Chat rooms that employ someone to keep an eye on things. It's also a good idea to stick to public areas in chat rooms.
Moderator	Person who controls a chat room, ensuring all participants abide by the rules of the room. Remember, not all chatrooms are moderated.
MP3s	Sound files that can be played back and stored on a hard drive or an MP3 player.
MPEG	MPEG stands for Motion Picture Experts Group. It is an audio/video file that can be found online. In order to hear or see an MPEG you will need to install a player application or a web browser plug-in.
NAACE	National Association of Advisers for Computers in Education.
NACCCE	National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education.
NACCEG	National Advisory Council for Careers and Educational Guidance.
NACE	The National Association for Able Children in Education.
NACETT	National Advisory Council on Education and Training Targets.
NAGC	The National Association for Gifted Children.
NAGCELL	National Advisory Group on Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning.
NALS	National Audit Learning Survey.
NASEN	National Association of/for Special Educational Needs.
NASUWT	National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers.
NATFHE	National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education.
National Curriculum	The National Curriculum is a blueprint used by schools to ensure that teaching standards are universally consistent. It is a framework given to teachers by Government, so that all school children are taught in a way that is balanced and manageable, but hard enough to challenge them. Schools are free to organise teaching within this time as they think best. They will ultimately create their own plans, term by term and year by year.
National Curriculum Levels	All pupils undergo national tests and teacher assessments at ages 7, 11 and 14. The school will then send you a report telling you what National Curriculum Levels your child has reached in both tests and assessments.
National Numeracy Strategy	A Government initiative which aims to raise standards of numeracy for all children in infant, primary and junior schools. It tries to involve parents as much as possible.
NCET	National Council for Educational Technology.
NCPTA	National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations.
NCS	National Childcare Strategy.
NCVQs	National Council for Vocational Qualifications.
NDS	New Deal for Schools.
NEBP	National Education Business Partnership.
NEOST	National Employers' Organisation for School Teachers.
NFER	National Foundation for Educational Research.
NGfL - National Grid for Learning	Government body responsible for ICT in schools.
NIACE	National Institute of Adult Continuing Education.
NICCEA	Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment. This is the unitary awarding body in Northern Ireland. It offers entry level qualifications and key skills.
NICEC	National Institute of Careers and Education Counselling.
NIHEC	Northern Ireland Higher Education Council.
NISVQ	National Information System for Vocational Qualifications.
NPQH	National Professional Qualification for Headship.
NRA	National Record of Achievement.
NSPCC	National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Nursery Classes in State Primary Schools	These take children from the age of three or four and are open during school term time. They usually offer five half-day sessions a week. There must be one adult for every 13 children and staff are qualified teachers and assistants.
NUT	National Union of Teachers.
NVQ	National Vocational Qualification - work-based qualification.
NYR	National Year of Reading.
National Assembly for Wales	The body responsible for education policy in Wales.
National Literacy Strategy	The National Literacy Strategy has two main aims - to improve the teaching of literacy in the classroom and to improve the management of literacy at school level. The school's literacy co-ordinator also plays a key role in mediating the training material provided by the Strategy and in helping to monitor the effectiveness of planning and teaching.
New Deal for lone parents	New Deal for lone parents is for any lone parent on income support with a dependent child.
National Primary Strategy	This is a key Government programme of guidance and support to primary schools, which uses evidence of what teaching methods work well to help teachers teach really effectively. At first, there were two strategies – the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy – but they have now been brought together as part of the National Primary Strategy, which will carry on supporting good literacy and numeracy teaching, but also help teachers with other subjects and with wider themes like how to teach children in ways that encourage good behaviour.
Navigation	These are the buttons on a web page that enable you to move around a site. A site's quality can often be ascertained by how easy it is to navigate.
Nicknames	A unique name that you will have to create before entering a chatroom or message board. This is the name you will be known as when you are chatting. At ParentsCentre we call these screen names.
OCA	Ofsted Complaints Adjudicator.
OCR	OCR is an awarding body which sets qualifications for entry level numeracy. It is an examination board, formed in 1998 from the merger between the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the Midland Examining Group (MEG) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).
Ofsted - Office for Standards in Education	An official body which regularly inspects all the schools in England which are mainly or wholly state funded. Ofsted inspectors produce education reports which are meant to improve standards of achievement and quality of education, provide public reporting and informed independent advice.
OPCA	Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.
OSCI	Out of School Childcare Initiative.
Oversubscription Criteria	Often referred to as those rules applied by admissions authorities when a school has more applications than places. They must by law be fair and objective and must be published annually in prospectuses and by local authorities in a prospectus explaining admissions at all schools in an area.
Opt-Out	If you receive spam it's sometimes possible to get your email address off the spam list by clicking on an opt-out or unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. Beware, however, that this might remove you from one list, but it will also confirm that your address is in use. Less reputable companies will simply pass on your details or sell them to another spammer.
Online	To be connected to the internet.
PANDA	Performance and Assessment Reports (Ofsted).
PDF - Portable Document Format	A file that has captured all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print or forward to someone else. Created using Adobe Acrobat software - Acrobat Reader is needed to view and use the files.
PE	Physical Education.
Performance Tables	The DfES publishes comparative secondary and 16-18 performance tables each year. The tables report achievements in public examinations and vocational qualifications in secondary schools and FE sector colleges. Primary school performance tables are published by local authorities and report the achievements of pupils at the end of Key Stage 2.
PGCE	Postgraduate Certificate of Education - postgraduate-level ITT qualification.
PIN	Parents Information Network.
Plenary	The time at the end of a lesson in which the teacher finds out what children have learnt and re-emphasises the main points of the lesson.
PMLD	Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties.
Pre-school Playgroups	These generally take children between the ages of three and five and most offer half-day sessions. Usually non-profit-making and managed by volunteers and parents. There must be at least one adult for every eight children and at least half of the adults must be qualified leaders or assistants.
Private Nursery Schools	These take children between the ages of two and five and offer half- or full-day sessions - some stay open in the school holidays. There must be at least one adult for every 13 children and at least half of the staff must be qualified teachers.
Prospectus	A school's prospectus is a brochure containing useful facts and figures, which the governing body must publish each year for parents and prospective parents. Ministers set minimum requirements for content so that parents can easily make comparisons between different schools. Copies will be available at the school for reference or free of charge to parents on request.
PSB	Potential Schools Budget.
PSE	Personal and Social Education.
PSHE	Personal, Social and Health Education.
PTA	Parent Teacher Association. Parent-teacher associations (sometimes called the Friends of... your child's school, or PTA) have no formal powers but act as an informal channel of communication between parents and teachers and often are involved in fundraising and organising social activities. Ask your child's teacher for details about your local PTA.
PTR	Pupil Teacher Ratio.
Pupils with statements of special educational needs (SEN)	These statements describe any learning difficulties which pupils have and specify the extra help or equipment they need. Around three per cent of school pupils nationally have statements. Some pupils with special educational needs are academically able. But schools face challenges in achieving Level 4 at Key Stage 2 for many pupils with SEN. The information on the numbers of pupils with SEN in each school helps you take this into account when looking at the school's results.
Pupils without statements	These are other pupils registered as having special educational needs but whose schools meet the pupils' needs without statements. Some pupils with special educational needs are academically able. But schools face challenges in achieving Level 4 at Key Stage 2 for many pupils with SEN. The information on the numbers of pupils with SEN in each school helps you take this into account when looking at the school's results.
Partially selective schools	Partially selective schools select only a proportion of pupils by ability or aptitude.
Parent Governor Representatives (PGR)	Parent governor representatives are parent governors who have been elected by other parent governors at the local authority's schools. They speak for all parents in their area. They form a national network, so that the individual representative can share with representatives in other areas the experience of working in and with their local authority.
PRU	Pupil Referral Units are a type of school established and maintained by a local authority to provide education for children of compulsory school age who may otherwise not receive suitable education. The focus of the units should be on getting pupils back into a mainstream school, and pupils may include teenage mothers, pupils excluded from school, school phobics and pupils in the assessment phase of a statement.
Pitman qualifications	Qualifications for the office, personal development, IT training, accounting and English.
Password	A combination of letters, numbers and other symbols which you will need to log into a computer system or program. You should keep your passwords as cryptic as possible to keep unauthorised users out of your personal or business files. It is also a good idea to change your passwords at least every six months.
Peer to Peer	Software (often free) which allows you to download files directly from a single computer anywhere in the world which also has the same software installed. Sometimes known as P2P, this is a commonly used way of accessing music, software and movies. Kazaa is one of the most popular along with iMesh and Grokster. There are many more available and they operate mostly like an internet search engine.
Player	When you download music or videos from the internet you need a player to enjoy them. These will either play individual files from your hard drive or link to a URL which hosts the files. Most players have a free version that can be downloaded.
Plug-ins	Some sites need specialised programs for you to be able to access all of the information they contain. You will often be offered a download of an application that enhances your browser capabilities. This is called a plug-in.
Pop-up	Also known as a pop-up window, this is a new window that suddenly appears on your computer screen when you are online. These are sometimes useful, however, they can also be used for advertising. If you don't want them just click on the X in the top right-hand corner of the window (in Windows) or use the Close button to close it.
QAA	Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
QCA	Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is a guardian of standards in education and training that works with others to maintain and develop the school curriculum and associated assessments, and to accredit and monitor qualifications in schools, colleges and at work.
QDC	Qualifications Data Collection Steering Group.
QTS	Qualified Teacher Status - the professional status you need to obtain to teach in state maintained schools in England and Wales. QTS is normally awarded after successful completion of an ITT course.
QUIET	Quality in Education and Training Associates.
Reception Classes in State Primary Schools	These take children at four and five, some starting children off with half-day sessions. There must be at least one adult for every 13 children. Staff are qualified teachers and assistants.
REE	Register of Educational Establishments.
REEF	Race Employment and Education Forum.
RISS	Register of Independent Schools.
RTF - Rich Text Format	A file format that lets you exchange text files between different word processors in different operating systems. For example, you could create a file using Microsoft Word 97 in Windows 95, save it as an RTF file and send it to someone who uses WordPerfect 6.0 on Windows 3.1.
RE	Religious Education.
RSA	The Royal Society of Arts.
Router	A piece of hardware or software that chooses the routes by which information should travel through a network.
SAS	Special Agreement School.
SCAA	School Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
SCITT(School-Centred Initial Teacher Training)	School-based teacher training course leading to QTS.
SCOTVEC	Scottish Vocational Educational Qualification equivalent to BTEC and Advanced GNVQ.
Self-governing Schools	Scottish schools which are equivalent to grant-maintained schools in England.
SEN - Special Educational Needs.	This denotes any child that has been identified as having some form of educational need either as a result of learning difficulty or if they are deemed as particularly bright or gifted. These children receive additional support either from within the school or outside agencies. If you think your child has SEN your first step should be to talk to your child’s class teacher.
SENCO	Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator.
SEO	Society of Education Officers.
SHA	Secondary Heads Association.
SHEFC	Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.
SLC	Student Loans Company.
SLD	Severe Learning Difficulties.
SLDD	Students with Learning Difficulty and/or Disability.
SOEID	Scottish Office Education and Industry Department.
SOLACE	Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers.
Special Schools	State schools in England and Wales which are provided by local authorities for certain children with special educational needs.
Specialist Schools	This type of school includes technology, languages, sports and art colleges operating in England.
Specialist Schools Programme	Additional funding enables secondary schools to develop strengths in a particular subject area, supported by local industry and in partnership with local schools and the wider community to share resources and expertise, while still delivering a National Curriculum-based education.
SQA	Scottish Qualifications Agency.
SRS	A Government initiative to make the environment safer to encourage children to walk or cycle to school, thereby avoiding school car runs. Schools and local authorities work with local community and transport planners to facilitate safer routes to school.
SSD	Social Services Department
SSSS	Secondary Subject Shortage Scheme.
State Nursery Schools	These take children from the age of three or four and are open during school term time and normally offer five half-day sessions a week. There must be at least one adult for every 13 children. Staff are qualified teachers and assistants.
State Schools	Otherwise known as publicly funded schools and attended by over 90 per cent of pupils. Parents do not pay any fees. Scottish state schools are maintained and controlled by the local authority.
STRB	School Teachers Review Body.
Study Support	Voluntary learning activity outside normal lessons which aims to improve children's motivation, build their self-esteem and help them to become more effective learners.
SUPERCLASS	Subject Classification.
SureStart	A new, innovative cross-departmental strategy to improve services for children under four and their families in disadvantaged areas.
SVQs	Scottish Vocational Qualifications.
Springboard 7	The Year 7 mathematics catch-up programme.
Sandwich course	Combines work placements with study at university. Leads to a degree and lasts up to four years.
SureStart Plus Advisors	SureStart Plus Advisors give teenage parents the help they need by drawing up individual support packages covering healthcare, education and jobs, childcare, housing and benefits.
Special Educational Needs Tribunal	The Special Educational Needs Tribunal was set up by the Education Act 1993. It considers parents' appeals against the decisions of local authorities (LAs) about children’s special educational needs if parents cannot reach agreement with the LA. The Tribunal is independent - the Government cannot influence its decision and the tribunal has no connection with any LA.
School Travel Advisory Group (STAG)	The aims of STAG are to reduce car use and improve children’s safety on the journey to and from school throughout the United Kingdom, with a view to reducing car dependency now and in the future, improving children’s immediate and long term health, enriching the curriculum and improving safety and quality of life for everyone.
Statements of Special Educational Needs	A statement specifying the special educational provision a pupil should have and the type of school the child should attend. LAs have a duty to arrange the provision specified and the governing body of a maintained school specified in the statement has a duty to admit the pupil.
SATs	At the end of the National Curriculum Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 your child will sit national tests and tasks (popularly called 'SATs').
Sex and Relationship Education (SRE)	Sex and relationship education is lifelong learning about physical and moral development. It involves teaching about sex, sexuality and sexual health, as well as the importance of stable and loving relationships, and of marriage for family life. It is not about the promotion of any particular sexual orientation or of sexual activity.
School Attendance Order (SAO)	A School Attendance Order (SAO) gives a local authority (LA) powers to help it ensure that children attend school. An LA must serve an SAO on the parent of a child of compulsory school age who fails to prove the child is receiving suitable education, and where the authority believes the child should attend school. Failure to comply with an SAO is an offence, unless the parent can prove the child is receiving suitable education outside school. The Order itself has a specified legal format.
Search engine	A program that can be used to find useful sites. The search engine will list sites by keywords.
Secure connection	A technology that provides privacy for connections on the internet. It is essential that you have a secure connection when giving out personal details so that no one else can intercept them when they are sent.
Software	This is the programming that makes computers and hardware work. There are two different types of software - system software which makes your computer run and application software which are the programs you use (like Microsoft Word, etc.) while working on the computer.
SMS	See Text.
Spam	An email message sent to a large number of people without their consent, usually promoting a product or service. Also known as Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) or junk email.
Spyware	A general term for a program that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote-control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers. The practice is generally frowned upon.
Surfing	A slang term for going online and accessing websites.
TC	Technology Colleges.
Teacher Assessment	A formal assessment made by a teacher when your child is aged 7, 11 and 14. Used alongside the national tests to judge your child's educational progress.
TEC	Training and Enterprise Council.
TES	Times Educational Supplement.
THES	Times Higher Education Supplement.
TPS	Teacher's Pension Scheme.
TQA	Teaching Quality Assessment.
TTA	The Teacher Training Agency (TTA), who are responsible for raising standards in schools in England by attracting able and committed people to teaching and by improving the quality of teacher training.
Teenage Pregnancy Reintegration Officers	Teenage Pregnancy Reintegration Officers work on behalf of the LA and have specialist knowledge about alternative education available for young parents in the area. They can also advise mainstream schools on the best way to accommodate a pregnant pupil or a young mother.
Text (SMS)	Also known as text messaging. This service allows text messages to be sent. It is not secure so personal details should never be sent.
Trojan horses	Viral programs that can enter your computer, access files and then pass on information about data. This is especially a threat when using 'always on' email connections like cable modem or ADSL phone lines. It is recommended that you install firewall software to protect your computer.
UCAS	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service - central agency for processing applications for undergraduate courses including degree level ITT courses (BEd, BA/BSc with QTS).
UCLES	University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.
UFC	Universities Funding Council.
Ufl	University for Industry.
UKCOSA	UK Council for Overseas Student Affairs.
UNESCO	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
URL - Uniform Resource Locator	The addressing system for the World Wide Web.
Unitary awarding bodies	There are five examination boards offering GCSEs, GCE AS/A levels and GNVQs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They are known as unitary awarding bodies.
ULECA	The University of London Examinations and Assessment Council.
VC	Vice Chancellor
VDU	Visual Display Unit.
VET	Vocational and Educational Training.
Voluntary Aided school	Schools in England and Wales which are maintained by the LA, with a foundation (generally religious) which appoints most of the governing body. The governing body is the admissions authority.
Voluntary Controlled school	Schools in England and Wales which are maintained by the LA, with a foundation (generally religious) which appoints some - but not most - of the governing body. The LA is the admissions authority.
Voluntary Grammar Schools	Grant-maintained, integrated schools in Northern Ireland which take both Protestant and Roman Catholic pupils.
Voluntary Maintained Schools	Schools in Northern Ireland which are mainly managed by the Catholic Church.
Vocational GCSEs	Since September 2002, pupils entering year 10 have been able to study Vocational GCSEs, which will replace Foundation, Intermediate and Part One GNVQs. They will be based on the Part One GNVQ, so they will be equivalent to two GCSEs. Although Vocational GCSEs will be new, schools will find the content and learning style familiar because of their similarity to GNVQs. The Government has asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to plan these new qualifications.
Value added measure	A measure which shows how much value each school has added, based on the progress made by individual pupils from one Key Stage to another. Value added measures are intended to allow comparisons between schools with different pupil intakes.
Virtual	This is a common term on the internet. It means a simulation of the real thing and is sometimes shortened to simply 'V'. The internet itself is often seen as a virtual world where you make virtual friends and become a part of virtual communities. Don't forget, though, there is no way of knowing who virtual people really are - they're still strangers in the real world.
Virus (and worms)	An infection in your computer which can potentially destroy all of your files and operating system. Viruses find their way into you computer via email, from a file downloaded via the internet or from a disc. You need to install a virus checker to protect your computer.
Website	A related collection of Web files that includes a beginning file called a homepage. A company or individual tells you how to get to their website by giving you the address of their homepage, from which you can access all the other pages on their sites. Most websites are also linked to several other relevant sites.
WWW - World Wide Web	Technical definition: all the resources and users on the Internet that are using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) computer language. A broader definition, from the organisation WWW Consortium, co-founded by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, is: "The World Wide Web is the universe of network-accessible information, an embodiment of human knowledge."
WFTC	The Working Families Tax Credit gives financial assistance to working parents to help pay for childcare. Parents can receive help for up to 70 per cent of their eligible childcare costs.
Welfare Food Scheme	If you or your family receive Income Support or income-based Jobseekers Allowance, you should get free welfare foods if the family includes any of these: a pregnant woman, a mother who is breast-feeding her baby, a child aged under five. For further advice contact your local Social Security Office or Jobcentre.
WJEC	Welsh Joint Education Committee - the unitary awarding body in Wales. It offers entry level qualifications and key skills.
Walled garden	An online environment only containing child-safe content. They offer a high level of security for younger uses but may be a bit too restrictive for older members of the family.
Webmail/free webmail	This is email that you receive through an account set up on a website. For example, Yahoo (among others) offer their users a free email service which can be accessed through their site.
Webmaster	This is the person that looks after the smooth running of a website.
Webography	Simply a list of websites referenced.
Young Enterprise	Young Enterprise is a national education charity which aims to inspire and equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise.