Parent resources

A1: AS-level (an alternative term) A2: The second half of an A-level AAA: Amateur Athletic Association AEA: Advanced Extension Award Aegis: Association for the Education & Guardianship of International Students (http://www.aegisuk.net">www.aegisuk.net; tel 01453 755 160) AGBIS: Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools, the co-ordinating organisation for representatives of governing boards, many of them members of HMC, GSA or SHMIS. (AGBIS, Renshaw Barns, Upper Woodford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6FA. Tel 01722 782 900, website www.agbis.org.uk AHIS: Association of Heads of Independent Schools A-level: Advanced level examination, taken in the sixth form Alumni/ae: Latin term for old boys/girls of a school AQA: Assessment & Qualifications Alliance, one of the exam boards. (AQA, Stag Hill House, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XJ. Tel 01483 506 506; website www.aqa.org.uk) ARELS: Association of Recognised English Language Schools Artsmark: awarded to schools in England which show a commitment to the full range of arts  (music, dance, drama and art & design). It is a national scheme managed by the Arts Council of England, with three levels – Artsmark, Artsmark Silver and Artsmark Gold (website www.artscouncil.org.uk) ASA: Amateur Swimming Association ASCL: Association of School & College Leaders (previously the Secondary Heads Association) is a professional association for a number of Heads, deputies, bursars etc with whole-school responsibilities. It has some 14,000 members. It provides a rare forum for Heads of state and independent schools to discuss educational matters common to both sectors. (ASCL, 130 Regent Road, Leicester LE1 7PG. Tel 0116 299 1122; website www.ascl.org.uk) AS-level: Advanced Subsidiary level, taken in the first half of the sixth form BAC: British Accreditation Council, 44 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4LL; tel 020 7447 2585; web www.the-bac.org BAGA: British Amateur Gymnastics Association BAYS: British Association of Young Scientists BCU: British Canoe Union BDA: British Dyslexia Association (Unit 8 Bracknell Beeches, Old Bracknell Lane, Bracknell, RG12 7BW. Tel 0845 251 9002, website  www.bdadyslexia.org.uk) BHS: British Horse Society BSA: Boarding Schools Association provides training for staff in boarding schools, a liaison point with the DCSF, and information for parents considering boarding education. (BSA, Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0BS. Tel 020 7798 1580; website http://www.boarding.org.uk">www.boarding.org.uk) BTF: British Triathlon Association CAD: Computer-aided design CCEA: Council for the Curriculum, Examination & Assessment, Northern Ireland – the exam board for NI Council for the Curriculum Examinations & Assessment. (CCEA, 29 Clarendon Road, Clarendon Dock, Belfast BT1 3BG. Tel 02890 261 200; website www.ccea.org.uk) CCF: Combined Cadet Force CDET: Council for Dance Education & Training CDT: Craft Design Technology CE: Common Entrance exam CIE: Cambridge University International Examinations, one of the exam boards for eg IGCSE. (CIE, 1 Hills Road, Cambridge CB1 2EU. Tel 01223 553 311; website www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk) CIFE: Conference for Independent Further Education is the professional body for independent sixth form and tutorial colleges. (CIFE, 1 Knightsbridge Green, London SW1X 7NW. Tel 020 8767 8666; website www.cife.org.uk) CinW: Church in Wales CIS: Council of International Schools, a worldwide group of international schools, linked with ECIS. (CIS, 21a Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire GU32 3EL. Tel 01730 263 131; website www.cois.org) CISC: Catholic Independent Schools Conference (CISC, Wrigglebank, Mill Lane, Chetnole, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6PB. Website www.cisc.eteach.com) Clait: Computer literacy & information technology COBIS: Council of British International Schools, is a non-profit foundation of schools in Europe teaching the English curriculum, with suitable schools worldwide as affiliate members. (COBIS, Oxford Brookes University, Harcourt Hill Campus, Oxford OX2 9AT. Tel 01865 488 564; website www.cobis.org.uk) CofE: Church of England Common Entrance: a series of entrance exams, administered by the Independent Schools Examination Board (see ISEB) Core skills In Scotland: the skills in communication, numeracy, problem solving, information technology and working with others are known as core skills and are integrated throughout the school curriculum. They are broadly equivalent to the key skills found in England and Wales CREST: Creativity in Science & Technology CReSTeD: Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils CSA: Choir Schools Association. (CSA, Windrush, Church Road, Market Weston, Diss, Norfolk

IP22 2NX. Tel 01359 221 333; website www.choirschools.org.uk) CSV: Community Service Volunteers will arrange community work in the UK for anybody aged 16–35. Work is full time, somewhere in the UK but away from home, and is for periods of 4–12 months; volunteers get food, accommodation and a small weekly allowance. (CSV Head Office, 237 Pentonville Road, London N1 9NJ. Tel 020 7278 6601; website www.csv.org.uk) cv: Curriculum vitae (resumé) DADAs: Dance & Drama Awards DCSF: Department for Children, Schools & Families is the government department in England concerned with education and schools (www.dcsf.gov.uk) DENI: Department for Education in Northern Ireland. The DENI Inspectorate is responsible for school inspections in the province and you can find school inspection reports on the  website (http://www.deni.gov.uk">www.deni.gov.uk; tel: 028 9127 9279) DofE: Duke of Edinburgh’s Award DT: Design technology*