Confused by any education words and phrases you have come across? Use this glossary to find out what they mean. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Back to top AS- and A-levels Higher-level school-leaver qualifications providing access to career-based or degree courses. Sixteen to eighteen year-old students take A-levels over two years. AS-levels, usually on four or five subjects, are taken during the first year and A-levels, usually on three subjects, during the second. Click here for further information on UK qualifications. Assisted Places Scheme Abolished in 1997, this Government scheme used to help pupils from less well-off families attend independent schools (also known as private schools). B Back to top Boarding house A building where pupils live and, in some cases, eat. A typical boarding school will have many different boarding houses. Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) The BSA promotes boarding in the UK and aims to develop quality boarding through high standards of pastoral care and boarding facilities. Click here for further information. The British Council A UK organisation with offices in 110 countries. The British Council provides information about UK education and advice about studying in the UK. Click here for further information. Bursar A member of staff whose responsibilities usually include management of a school’s income and expenditure, and dealing with school fees. Bursary Bursaries enable pupils to attend boarding schools who otherwise would not be able to afford the fees. They are sometimes allocated to pupils from specific families (eg missionaries) or from particular places. Click here for further information on fees and funding. C Back to top Combined Cadet Force (CCF) The CCF offers boys and girls the chance to experience some elements of Service life. Common Entrance An exam taken in the final term at preparatory schools to select pupils for entry to many independent (also known as private) senior schools.  D Back to top Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) The UK Government department responsible for improving the focus on all aspects of policy affecting children and young people. Dormitory The room in a boarding house where a number of boarders sleep (often called a ‘dorm’ or just a bedroom). The number of beds varies within and between boarding schools, ranging from three or four up to about eight.  Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme A well-established scheme for students to acquire skills and gain new experiences through various challenges – for example, outward-bound expeditions or community service (where students help young people in the local community). E Back to top Evensong The choral evensong is a Christian service of reflection held in the evening. Exeat Weekends, sometimes including Friday or Monday, when boarders are able to go home during term time. Extracurricular activities Activities taking place outside the formal curriculum, which are designed to encourage non-academic skills and experiences.   F Back to top Flexi-boarding The newest form of boarding, where pupils and their families opt for boarding as and when they need it. Full boarding This is where pupils live at school for most of the term, including weekends. There are usually specific exeats (leave weekends), when full boarders go home or to their guardians in the UK. GBack to top Gap year A year spent between school and higher education, usually combining work experience and travel. GCSEs Fourteen to sixteen year-old students study from eight to twelve GCSEs on a range of art and science subjects. GCSE courses take two years and lead to qualifying exams for A-level or career-based courses. The IGCSE is an international version of the GCSE. Click here for further information on UK qualifications. Governors People responsible for a school’s success as a business and ensuring there is enough money to run the school. Guardian An individual who acts on behalf of a pupil’s parents and takes care of the pupil during term time and holidays. Students whose parents live abroad usually require a guardian. Click here for further information. Guardianship organisation An organisation that helps to arrange UK guardians for students from overseas who are planning to attend a UK boarding school. H Back to top Headmaster/mistress The person in overall charge of the school, often referred to as the ‘Head’. Headteachers usually have many years of teaching experience and other members of staff report to them. Houseparent (also known as housemaster/mistress) A staff member responsible for the supervision and care of boarders in a boarding house. He or she is usually assisted by a member of staff with specific duties, such as a tutor or a matron. I Back to top Independent boarding schools Institutions that are run independently rather than by the state (the UK Government) to provide a general education and accommodation for young people between the ages of 7 and 18. Independent schools are commonly known as private schools. Some schools have pre-preparatory departments, which take non-boarding pupils from age five or even younger in some cases. The majority of boarding schools in the UK are non-profit-making foundations. Independent colleges (tutorial and sixth-form colleges) Independently run institutions that provide educational opportunities, and in some cases accommodation, mainly (though not exclusively) for students aged between sixteen and eighteen. Independent Schools Council (ISC) The ISC is an umbrella organisation set up by seven independent schools associations. It promotes the common interests of its member schools in the political arena and has overall responsibility for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Click here for further information.  Independent Schools Council information and advice service (ISCias) The information and advice service of the ISC, ISCias is a useful enquiry point for parents trying to find an ISC member school or information about the independent sector. Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) The examinations board that administers the Common Entrance exam. Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Carries out inspections of ISC member schools in England every six years. A school must pass an ISI accreditation inspection to qualify for membership of a constituent association of the ISC.  International Baccalaureate (IB) An international course for sixteen to eighteen year-olds, which can be taken as an alternative to A-levels. Students study three subjects at A-level equivalent standard and two at AS-level equivalent standard over two years. Click here for further information on UK qualifications. J Back to top   League tables The term given to a number of different rankings of schools according to the results obtained in public exams. M Back to top Matron The matron looks after the health and hygiene of boarding pupils and may manage the other staff in the boarding house. Each boarding house usually has a matron. Music and Dance Scheme A Government funding programme for pupils who attend nine specialist music, dance and performing arts schools. N Back to top   National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools The agreed minimum standards for good practice in UK boarding schools, covering the full range of welfare, health and policy issues at schools. National Curriculum This applies to all children under 16 in maintained schools in the UK and is geared towards gaining particular skills by certain Key Stages (at ages 7, 11, 14 and 16). It is used as an important guide by independent schools. National Health Service (NHS) Provides free and subsidised medical treatment for people who live in the UK. O Back to top Ofsted The Office for Standards in Education is the Government department responsible for the inspection of schools in the UK. It works closely with Independent Schools Inspectorate.   P Back to top Prep The term commonly used to mean homework. (Also used as an abbreviation of ‘preparatory’.) Preparatory school Pupils aged between seven and thirteen attend preparatory (prep) school. Some schools also have pre-preparatory departments that take non-boarding pupils from age five, or even three. All the preparatory schools on this website are independent (not supported by the state). Click here for further information. Q Back to top   R Back to top   S Back to top Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) Established by the Government in 1996, SATs are a series of national tests and assessments linked to key stages of a child’s learning (when pupils are aged seven and eleven). Scholarship A financial award to a student who shows talent or ability in a particular subject or area. Senior school Pupils aged between eleven and eighteen can attend a senior school. All the senior schools on this website are independent (not supported by the state). Click here for further information. Single-sex school Single-sex schools cater exclusively for boys or girls. Most schools in the UK are co-educational and accept both boys and girls. Click here for further information on single-sex schools. Sixth form The final two years at school in which pupils aged 16 to 18 study for AS- and A-levels or equivalent qualifications. T Back to top   Tutor Each pupil has an individual tutor who takes an active interest in all aspects of their progress. Tutors are on hand to talk through and help to solve any problems pupils may have. U Back to top   V Back to top Vocational A-levels Can be taken alongside one or more A-levels (see above) and are of an equivalent standard. Career-based subjects, such as engineering or catering. Recognised for admission to undergraduate study. Click here for further information on UK qualifications.   X Back to top     Z Back to top     Y Back to top Year groups/national year numbering schemes The main organisational classifications for teaching the National Curriculum. Year groups are organised by age and the expected level of achievement. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the groups are arranged from Year 1 (age 5+) to Year 13 (age 17+, the second year of sixth form). In Scotland, the groups run from P1 (age 5+) to P7 (age 11+), and then from S1 (age 12+) to S6 (age 17+). Young Enterprise Scheme A popular activity, organised on a national basis, in which older pupils set up businesses and sell their products or services to make profit for their companies.   W Back to top   Weekly boarding This is full boarding during the week, with pupils going home at the weekend.Weekly boarding   This is full boarding during the week, with pupils going home at the weekend.     K Back to top L Back to top