Schools in Scotland - summary statistics: 2020

Chapter 6: Glossary

Additional support needs (ASN):

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) Scotland Act 2004 (as amended) states that a child or young person has an additional support need where they need additional support in order to benefit from school education.

Centrally employed teachers:

Teachers who were recorded as working across a local authority rather than an individual school or early learning and childcare centre.

Child Plans:

Single or multi agency plans based on an assessment guided by the Getting it Right for Every Child National Practice Model. More information about the Getting it Right for Every Child National Practice Model can be found here: www.gov.scot/Publications/2012/11/7143.

Children and Young People Act:

This act came into force in 2014. More information about the act can be found here: https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/62233.aspx

Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP):

This statutory education plan is prepared by local authorities to identify, and ensure provision of, services for children and young people with complex or multiple additional support needs.

Early Learning and Childcare (ELC):

Three and four year olds and eligible two year olds are entitled to 600 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC). As part of the phasing for the expansion of funded ELC to 1,140 hours by August 2020, some children may be receiving more than 600 hours of funded ELC. ELC is secured by local authorities through their own provision, or through partner providers in the private, independent or third sector.

English as an Additional Language (EAL):

Refers to pupils for whom English is a second or additional language.

Excepted pupils:

These pupils do not count towards class size for the purpose of class size limits. A list of the reasons that a pupil may be defined as excepted can be found in the background note.

Full-time equivalent (FTE):

The total number of hours worked by all teachers divided by the number of hours in a standard full-time working week.

Grant-aided Schools (GAS):

Schools that are supported financially directly by the Scottish Government and follow the Curriculum for Excellence but are independent from Local Authorities. Grant-aided schools are not equivalent to schools termed ‘academies’ in some parts of the UK.

Grant-aided special schools (GASS):

These schools provide for young people with a wide range of ASN. There are seven GASS in Scotland.

General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS):

The independent professional body responsible for keeping a register of teachers in public education in Scotland and advising the Scottish Ministers on teacher education. All teachers in public education must be registered with the GTCS.

Individualised Education Programme (IEP):

Individualised Education Programmes are written plans setting targets that a child with additional support needs is expected to achieve.

Independent schools:

Privately owned and self-financing schools (also known as private or fee-paying schools).

Least Deprived (LD):

Pupils whose home address is in the 20% of least deprived data zones as defined by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (http://www.gov.scot/simd).

Local authority early learning and childcare (ELC) centres:

ELC centres which are run and financed by the local authority.

Local authority schools:

Schools which are run and financed by the local authority.

Most Deprived (MD):

Pupils whose home address is in the 20% of most deprived data zones as defined by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (http://www.gov.scot/simd).

Partnership agreement – (relating to ELC entitlement):

This is the agreement between local authorities and partner providers through which they deliver the early learning and childcare entitlement.

Partnership ELC centres:

This is partner provider settings in the private, third or independent sectors which could include private or third sector nurseries, playgroups, family centres and school based nurseries. Child-minders are not currently included in the census, although they can and do also work as partner providers with local authorities.

Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR):

The average number of pupils per teacher.

Publicly funded schools:

Includes local authority and grant-aided schools.

Registration (for funded ELC):

A funded place received by a child at an ELC centre. Children are counted once for each centre they are registered with, so the same child may be counted multiple times if they attend more than one centre.

SIMD – Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation:

The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation identifies small area concentrations of multiple deprivation across Scotland. More information can be found here: http://www.gov.scot/simd.

Teacher Induction Scheme probationer:

GTCS provides a guaranteed one-year training post in a local authority to every eligible student graduating with a teaching qualification from one of Scotland's universities.