Council and democracy

F to G - Acronyms and Glossary (Children, Schools & Families)

Scroll down to find the acronym you require. Those acronyms which appear in Italics have been superseded and are reference only.

Acronym	Meaning
FAQ	Frequently Asked Questions
FAS	Funding Agency for Schools - re: GM schools – now no longer in operation
FE	Forms of entry (The number of classes or forms per school year)
FE	Further Education
FEFC	Further Education Funding Council
FHE	Further and Higher Education
Final statement	A Statement of Special Educational Needs that has been completed by the LEA. (See also Statement of Special Educational Needs).
FIT	Focussed Intervention Team
First school	A school for pupils aged 4/5 years to 9 years old. This three tier system (first, middle and upper schools) exists in Berkhamsted, Buntingford and Royston.
FLA	Foreign Language Assistant
FLS	Further Literacy Support
FME	Forensic Medical Examiner
Foundation School	Some Foundation Schools were formerly known as Grant maintained. The county Council funds them, but the governing body of each school decides admission. Admission arrangements are different from one school to another
Foundation Stage	Begins when children reach the age of three. Many children attend an early education setting soon after their third birthday. The foundation stage continues until the end of the reception year and is consistent with the National Curriculum.
FPS	Family Placement Service
FPT	Family Placement Team
FRSA	Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
FSM	Free School Meals
FSS	Financial Services for Schools Group – part of the School Funding Unit
FSS	Family Support Services
FTE	Full time equivalent – staffing
FTET	Full time education and training
GCE	General Certificate of Education – qualification now levels within GCSE – also A and AS levels
GCSE	General Certificate of Secondary Education – qualification
GEP	Group Education Plan
GM	Grant Maintained Schools – now either Foundation, VA or Community – a school which opted out of LEA control.
GMS	Grant Maintained Schools/Status – now either Foundation,VA or Community–See GM
GEST	Grants for Education Support and Training – now TSF
GIS	Geographic Information Systems – used for measuring home to school transport distances
GNVQ	General National Vocational Qualifications – qualification
GRG	Governors Reference Group
GRTP	Graduate and Registered Teacher Programme
GSB	General Schools Budget
GSCC	General Social Care Council
GTC	General Teaching Council
GTP	Graduate Teacher Programme