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- A BRIEF GLOSSARY OF NATIONAL CURRICULUMSPEAK
- Audrey Laski
-
- NB. I wrote this about five years ago, and some of it, especially
- the names of some of the bodies and bits of the assessment
- references, is now out of date, but things like the Key Stages
- remain constant. If you want it revised, it would probably be
- better done by somebody still in the game.
-
-
- ATs Attainment Targets - the range of knowledge, skills and
- understanding to be expected of pupils at particular KSs.
-
- ERA The Education Reform Act of 1988 (known, before it was
- enacted, as GERBIL.)
-
- KSs The Key Stages of compulsory schooling: four groupings of
- years according to the age of the majority of the children
- in a teaching group. Pupils will be assessed towards the
- end of each KS.
-
- KS1 5 - 7 years old.
-
- KS2 7 - 11 years old.
-
- KS3 11 - 14 years old.
-
- KS4 14 - 16 years old.
-
- Levels The 10 levels of attainment which pupils may reach in
- relation to the ATs; at KS1 there are only 3 expected
- levels, but by the time pupils reach the end of KS3, they
- might show attainment at any level between 3 and 8, though
- most would achieve around levels 4 to 7; there will, in
- each subject, be stated criteria for each likely level.
-
- NC The National Curriculum, as laid down in the Education
- Reform Act and expanded in a series of documents requiring
- a fork-lift truck to deliver.
-
- NCC The National Curriculum Council, responsible for
- formulating the details of NC and overseeing all curriculum
- matters.
-
- PC Profile Components: the various major elements into which
- the attainemtn targets for a particular subject may be
- helpfully divided.
-
- SATs Standard Assessment Tasks: the bank of official tests which
- schools must draw from to supplement teacher assessment to
- ascertain pupils' Levels at the end of each KS.
-
- SEAC The Schools Examinations and Assessment Council:
- responsible for approving (or not) all public examinations,
- and the NC SATs.
-
- TGAT The Task Group on Assessment and Testing - the body whch
- was charged with making recommendations on how NC should be
- assessed.
-
-