ABBREVIATIONS AND THEIR MEANINGS

TYPES OF SCHOOL

AC

Academy, independent schools offering free education to pupils of all abilities, established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups working in partnership with central Government and local education partners.

CTC

City Technology College or City College for the Technology of the Arts, independent all-ability, non fee-paying schools offering pupils the opportunity to study a curriculum geared, with the help of private sector sponsors, towards the world of work.

CY

Community School, maintained by the Local Education Authority (LEA). The LEA is the admissions authority - it has main responsibility for deciding arrangements for admitting pupils.

CYS

Community Special School, maintained by the LEA, which is organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN).

FD

Foundation School, maintained by the LEA. It may have a foundation (generally religious) that appoints some - but not most - of the governing body. The governing body is the admissions authority.

FDS

Foundation Special School, maintained by the LEA, which is organised to make special educational provision for pupils with SEN.

VA

Voluntary Aided school, maintained by the LEA, with a foundation (generally religious) that appoints most of the governing body. The governing body is the admissions authority.

VC

Voluntary Controlled school, maintained by the LEA, with a foundation (generally religious) which appoints some - but not most - of the governing body. The LEA is the admissions authority.

ADMISSION POLICY

COMP

Comprehensive - takes all pupils, regardless of their ability, aptitude, or whether they have been selected for a place at a selective school.

MOD

Modern - takes pupils regardless of their ability or aptitude and who have not been selected for a place at a selective school.

SEL

Selective - takes pupils depending on their ability or aptitude and also known as a grammar school.

Some schools have dual admission arrangements that are partly selective but mainly comprehensive. They are not separately identified in the tables.

SPECIALIST SCHOOLS (as designated under the specialist school programme)

A

Arts

B

Business and enterprise

E

Engineering

L

Language

M

Mathematics and computing

S

Sports

Sc

Science

T

Technology

From 2003, it has been possible for schools to offer mixed specialisms under the specialist school programme. These schools are marked in the performance tables with both specialisms, for example T, H.

OTHERS

LEA

Local Education Authority

E

The school has not confirmed that it has checked the test results

B

The school had not confirmed that it has checked the background information

The school has been awarded the Charter Mark

The school has pupils aged 15. Relevant results are in the secondary school GCSE/GNVQ performance tables

The school has pupils aged 16 to 18. Relevant results are in the post-16 performance tables

+

KS3 test results are unavailable for reasons beyond the school's control.

#

Value added measure has been suppressed because coverage is less than 50%

N/A

Not available/not applicable

Q

This data item is under query and will be replaced after investigation.