We are trying to make life as simple as possible for business,
and there is nothing worse than not understanding jargon.
Please find below a number of familiar phrases that you may
hear or read and a brief explanation of what they mean.

AAV
Annual Assessment Visit

Advanced Level
Advanced Level courses include a huge range of new-style A Levels,
which can be achieved in two halves. Also included are Vocational A Levels and BTEC National Diploma courses, all which offer highly respected routes to higher education.

AEB
The Associated Examining Board is the awarding body for GCSE and GCE A Levels. This has now merged with the Northern Examinations and Assessment Board to become the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)

ALI
Adult Learning Inspectorate

ALIS
Advanced Learning Information System

ALPS
A Level Performance System

AoC
Association of Colleges

Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships offer people the chance of paid employment linked with the opportunity to train for jobs at craft, technician and management level.

AVCE - AVCEs
or Vocational A Levels were designed to give more choice in terms of qualifications available. As the name suggests, they are designed to prepare in more vocational / job areas such as business, construction, engineering, health and social care.

BTEC
British Training and Enterprise Council is an examination board

Basic Skills
Basic skills or Skills for Life are the ability to read, write, speak and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.

Business Link
This is a business support organisation which helps people to get support, advice and information about running a business. Help ranges from business administration, tax, payroll, staff management, sales and marketing, IT services, grants, health & safety, finance etc.

CAD
Computer-Aided Design

CAL
Computer Aided Learning

CLC
Central Learning Community

CoVE
Centres of Vocational Excellence are specialist areas of vocational provision. They address the need for people with vocational skills within the economy and work closely with business and industry to deliver industry-relevant, economically important provision of a high standard.

CPC
Certificate of Professional Competence

CPD
Continuing Professional Development is the opportunity to undertake further professional development, usually made up of a balance of personal, professional development and attendance at nationally accredited courses.

CSE
Certificates of Secondary Education

DfES
This is the Government department which runs education - the Department for Education and Skills.

Distance Learning
Distance learning is study you take without meeting a teacher in a training room. It allows you to study from home or at work, whenever you like. These courses can be term-based with specific start and end dates, or they can be set on a timeline based on the date of your enrolment.

DIUS
Department of Innovative University and Skills

E2E
Entry to Employment

EdExcel
The Educational Excellence Foundation is the awarding body for technical and vocational qualifications from basic education up to the Higher Education level.

Entry Level
Entry level courses are the route for those who require extra help or have specific learning difficulties. Many of these courses follow a general programme to enable students to develop their potential.

ESOL
English for Speakers of Other Languages, sometimes referred to as English as a Second or Other Language.

FE
Further Education is education/ study, whether on a full or part-time basis, up to and including Advanced Level programmes.

FFE
Framework for Excellence.

FoIA
Freedom of Information Act.

Foundation Degree
A foundation degree is a vocational, higher education qualification built with the help of employers, together with universities and colleges.
Foundation Degree students receive the specialist technical knowledge and skills needed at associate professional and higher technician level, as well as increasing their career opportunities and earning level potential. On completion there are opportunities for continued professional development through progression to other professional qualifications or to an honours degree.

Foundation Level
These are beginner courses, which develop communication and study skills and provide you with a well-rounded introduction to your chosen subject. Most people use them as a route to Intermediate level courses.

FT
Full-time.

FTE
Full-time Equivalent.

GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education

HE
Higher Education includes all education above Advanced Level. This could include HNCs, HNDs, Foundation Degrees, Professional Qualifications, as well as Honours Degrees.

HEFCE
Higher Education Funding Council for England.

HEIs
Higher Education Institutes.

HND
Higher National Diplomas are higher education diplomas given for vocational training that prepares the student for a career in a particular area. Most HND diplomats go on to get a job or to study further, leading to a professional qualification or a degree.

HNC
Higher National Certificates are higher education certificates, usually studied on a part-time basis, given for vocational training that supplements the student within a particular area.

IAG
Information, Advice and Guidance.

ICT
Information and Communication Technology.

ILP
Individual Learning Plan

ILR
Individual Learning Record.

ILT
Information Learning Technology.

IOSH
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

IT
Information Technology - includes computing, telecommunications and broadcasting.

JAR
Joint Area Review.

Key Skills
Key skills are a range of essential skills that underpin success in education, employment, life long learning and personal development.

LA
Local Authority.

LCB
Learning Community Board.

LEA
Local Education Authority.

Learndirect
Learndirect is an organisation which works in partnership with the Government to deliver workforce development and lifelong learning. Most of the courses delivered to both public and private providers are online or information through a network of learning centres.

LLDD
Learners with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.

LLN
Lifelong Learning Network.

LSC
The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for funding and planning of education and training for young people and adults in England.

NEBOSH
National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health

NVQ
National Vocational Qualifications are work based qualifications.

OFSTED
The Office for Standards in Education is designed to raise standards in British schools & colleges through regular inspections. These inspections are conducted by teams of Ofstead-accredited (but independent) inspectors, led by a Registered Inspector.

P4P
Partnerships for Progression.

PAR
Programme Area Review.

PT
Part-time.

QAA
Quality Assurance Agency.

SAR
Self-Assessment Report.

SENDA
Special Educational Needs and Disability Act was prepared in 2001 and details the provision on rights for disabled people within education within England, Wales and Scotland.

SfL
Skills for Life.

Skills for Life
Skills for Life or Basic Skills are the ability to read, write, speak and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.

SMT
Senior Management Team.

S2B
Services to Business.

StAR
Strategic Area Review.

T2G
Train to Gain.

TEFL
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (or TESOL - Teaching English as a Second Language).

TUC
Trade Union Congress.

Vocational Learning
This is types of training is aimed at providing a direct experience of the 'real world' of work. Vocational based learning can be undertaken from GCSE level upwards.

WBL
Work Based Learning.