Parents

Parental rights

Legal rights under the `Parents Charter' (1991) include the right to information about schools and pupil performance and the right to `choose' a school to which to send their child.

Parental responsibilities

Enshrined in homework policies and Home-School contracts.

Parental responsibility has been highlighted by the recent case of mother imprisoned for truanting daughters.

Parent-teacher partnership

A form of cooperative liaison, commonly promoted in primary schools, particularly to support the early stages of literacy but beneficial in enhancing all forms of pupil learning.

Parent-teacher Associations (PTAs)

A voluntary organisation normally set up to support a school with fund-raising activities and through encouraging parent-teacher cooperation.

Community culture

The perceptions, values and social practices in a community which can affect a school considerably through the ways in which education is thought about and valued.

Governors

Instrument of Government

The legal document which specifies the composition of governing bodies and defines the rules and procedures through which they function.

Chair of governors

A governor who is elected annually to chair meetings and represent the governing body between meetings.

Parent governor

A parent who has been elected by other parents of pupils at a school, to serve on the governing body.

Local Education Authority governor

A school governor who has been appointed, and can be removed, by the LEA. Normally these appointments reflect the balance of political representation in the area.

Minor authority governor

A school governor who is a representative of a minor authority, such as a parish council (in voluntary schools only).

Teacher governor

A governor who is a teacher at the school and has been elected by his or her colleagues.

Headteacher governor

A headteacher has a right to attend all meetings of the governing body and is a governor unless he or she opts not to be.

Co-opted governor

A governor of a county or controlled school who are added to the governing body by other governors for a particular reason, such as having relevant expertise, representing an underrepresented part of the community, etc.

Foundation governor

A governor who has been appointed, and can be removed, by the church or other organisation which provides the school.

Clerk of governors

The secretary to the governing body who issues agendas and compiles minutes.

Quorum

The minimum number of governors who must be present for most decisions to be taken as a governing body - usually one third of all governors, rounded up.

Governors' sub-committees

Groups of governors who meet between meetings of the full governing body to work on particular aspects of a schools affairs, such as staffing, curriculum, finance, sites and buildings. They report back to the governing body.

Staff Governor

A governor who is a non-teaching member of staff (although there is a proposal to remove this category of governor).

Pupils

Child culture

The perceptions, values and social practices of children, for instance, developing in the playground or community which can affect friendship and social adjustment to school.

Child perspectives on curriculum

Young primary aged children like to express themselves through play, artistic media and activity.

Child perspectives on teachers

Children often think of whether teachers are `strict' or `soft', whether they are `fair' and whether they are 'kind'. Children also watch carefully for teacher mood so that they can predict what the teacher might do next.

Child perspectives on assessment

Children who are confident often welcome assessment, particularly if a teacher offers praise. Children who feel more vulnerable tend to feel uneasy about it, particularly in public situations.

Children's rights in school

Some primary schools include Pupils' Councils to allow children the opportunity to voice their opinions about school rules and regulations.

Teachers

Initial teacher training (ITT)

The basic training to become a teacher. The established HEI routes are via a BA (Hons) of three or four years or via a PGCE of one year following a degree. Courses are run in `partnership' with schools and have large school-based elements. There are also numerous 'school-based' routes, including the Graduate Teacher Programme, and flexible/modular courses.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

The professional qualification awarded following a course of teacher training which has been recognised by the Teacher Training Agency.

Induction period

The early years of a newly qualified teacher's professional work during which time particular training and support may be available, perhaps through a mentor.

Teachers' conditions of service

Contractual requirements made of teachers, set by the Secretary of State on the advice of the School Teachers' Review Body.

Teacher associations

The trade unions which represent teachers' interests as employees; the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Headteachers are two of these.

Teacher culture

The perception, values and social practices of teachers, for instance developing in the staffroom, which can affect work commitment, classroom practice and school ethos.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCO)

A teacher who has responsibility for managing provision for children with Special Educational Needs within the School.

Induction Tutor

A teacher who has responsibility for managing the professional development and assessment of newly qualified teachers in school.

Advanced Skills Teacher

A teacher who is recognised as an excellent classroom practitioner who works for part of the week in other schools to spread good practice.

Advanced Skills Teacher (ITT)

A teacher who is recognised for their work in school-based initial teacher training and who works in other schools or Higher Education Institutions for part of the week.

Peripatetic teachers
Specialist teachers who visit schools in their area to offer particular forms of expertise.  The most common group are teachers of musical instruments.

Performance Management
The process of assessing how a teacher is performing and attempting to match personal and institutional needs for future development.

In-service education for teachers

The training and professional development activities of teachers working in schools, often in the form of short courses on in-school activities.

Continuing professional development (CPD)
On-going, provision of progressive activities to ensure appropriate staff development throughout a teacher's career.

Early Professional Development (EPD)
EPD is a government initiative that focuses on professional development for teachers in their second and third years of teaching. A main purpose is to secure the retention of new teachers through good quality professional development.

Supply teachers
Qualified teachers who are not in full-time teaching posts who make themselves available for occasional work to cover for absent school staff.

Other school staff

Nursery nurses

Specialists who have qualified in the education and development of pre-school aged children (NNEB), and who sometimes work in primary schools under the direction of a teacher.

Teaching assistants (TA)

Staff who support teachers in their classroom work but who do not have formal teaching qualifications.

Special teaching assistants (STA)

Teaching assistants who work with particular children who have been identified as having Special Educational Needs.

Computer technicians

Some primary schools may employ the services of a computer technician to manage the school computer network.

School administrative and secretarial staff

Staff who support the work of the headteacher and deal with many facets of school administration, from greeting parents, simple first aid, typing letters and maintaining budget records.

School caretakers

Staff who have responsibility for daily maintenance and security of a school.

School cleaners

Cleaners, normally employed by a company who have won a contract to clean a school.

School meal supervisory assistants (SMSAs)

Staff employed to supervise children at dinner times.