It covers the Ofsted 2025 framework vocabulary, SEND terminology including proposed reforms, curriculum and assessment measures, attendance categories, safeguarding and data protection, and platform vocabulary.
Ofsted and inspection
Report card
The inspection outcome document introduced in November 2025, showing a grade and narrative for each evaluation area. Replaced the single overall effectiveness judgement. See report cards.
Evaluation area
One of the six graded areas on a report card: curriculum and teaching, achievement, inclusion, personal development and wellbeing, attendance and behaviour, and leadership and governance. Early years and post-16 are evaluated additionally where applicable.
The five grades
Exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, urgent improvement. Ofsted has stated these are not comparable to the previous single-word judgements.
Secure fit
The grading approach in which every standard within a grade must be met before that grade is awarded, replacing the previous best fit approach. Consistency matters more than isolated excellence. See the 2025 framework.
Inspection toolkit
Ofsted’s published criteria for each evaluation area and the evidence inspectors gather, oriented around the expected standard.
EIF
Education Inspection Framework. The 2019 EIF introduced the intent, implementation and impact construct; that language does not belong to the 2025 framework.
RISE
Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence teams, which took a larger role in school improvement under the accountability reforms accompanying the inspection changes.
SEND
SEND
Special educational needs and disabilities.
SENCO
Special Educational Needs Coordinator.
EHCP
Education, Health and Care Plan. A statutory plan for children with more complex needs. Under 2026 White Paper proposals EHCPs would become the highest tier of a tiered model, with no changes to EHCP support before September 2030.
ISP
Individual Support Plan. A proposed statutory digital plan for every child with identified SEND, indicated to become a requirement from September 2029. See Individual Support Plans.
SEND Code of Practice
Statutory guidance on SEND duties. An updated Code is proposed as part of the reform programme.
Provision mapping
Recording what support a pupil should receive, and — the part most schools omit — what they actually received.
Curriculum and assessment
National Curriculum
The statutory curriculum for maintained schools in England. A revised version is due in 2027 for first teaching from September 2028. See National Curriculum.
Curriculum and Assessment Review
The independent review chaired by Professor Becky Francis, final report published 5 November 2025 with the government response the same day.
Key stages
The phases of the National Curriculum in England: EYFS, then key stages 1 to 4, with post-16 beyond.
Progress 8 and Attainment 8
Secondary performance measures. Progress 8 measures progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 across eight qualifications; Attainment 8 measures achievement across the same set.
EBacc
English Baccalaureate. A performance measure based on a specified subject combination; the Curriculum and Assessment Review recommended scrapping it.
T Levels and V Levels
Technical qualifications. V Levels are planned new qualifications from 2027.
Pupil premium
Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils, with a published strategy statement expected.
Attendance and behaviour
Persistent absence
Missing 10% or more of sessions.
Severe absence
Missing 50% or more of sessions.
EBSA
Emotionally based school avoidance. Absence driven by anxiety rather than disaffection, requiring a different pathway from standard escalation. See attendance.
Safeguarding and data
KCSIE
Keeping Children Safe in Education. Statutory safeguarding guidance, updated annually. The 2026 edition takes effect 1 September 2026. See KCSIE.
DSL
Designated Safeguarding Lead.
UK GDPR
The UK’s data protection regime. Schools are controllers for pupil data; software suppliers are processors. See UK GDPR.
DPIA
Data Protection Impact Assessment. Normally required before introducing a system processing children’s data at scale. The school’s document, not the supplier’s.
Special category data
Data requiring additional protection under UK GDPR, including health, ethnicity and religion. Schools hold a great deal of it.
Filtering and monitoring
Technical and procedural measures required by KCSIE, subject to an annual review that must now consider AI-generated content.
Structures and platforms
MAT
Multi-academy trust. See multi-academy trusts.
MIS
Management Information System. The operational school record: pupils, timetable, attendance, assessment, reporting. See MIS and school management.
Pedagogy with AI
Using AI to plan, adapt and evidence teaching while the teacher retains judgement and accountability, anchored to a stated model and a named curriculum objective. See Pedagogy with AI.
Learning walk
A short, informal classroom visit, typically developmental rather than evaluative.