| This list includes abbreviations and acronyms commonly used
throughout this report, as well as further information about some of the
terms used. |
| A2 |
From September 2000, the second stage of GCE A level programme. Cannot
be taken as a stand alone qualification, tied to the AS level |
| ACCAC |
Awdurdod Cymwysterau Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru/ Qualifications, Curriculum
and Assessment Authority for Wales – is the body responsible in Wales
for regulating external qualifications and keeping under review all aspects
of the curriculum for compulsory school age pupils in maintained schools |
| ACME |
Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education |
| AEA |
Advanced Extension Award introduced for first examination in 2002 as
part of C2K reforms |
| AoN |
Application of Number, the numeracy qualification from the key skills
suite, available at levels 1 to 4 in the National Qualifications Framework |
| AQA |
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, one of three Unitary Awarding
Bodies in England |
| AS Level |
Introduced for first teaching from September 2000, GCE Advanced Subsidiary
Level, can be taken as a stand alone qualification or as the first stage
in an A level course |
| AST |
Advanced Skills Teacher – teachers who are deemed
‘excellent’ in a range of skills’ in which they train colleagues |
| BA |
Bachelor of Arts, first degree |
| BEd |
Bachelor of Education, first degree |
| BSc |
Bachelor of Science, first degree |
| C2K |
Curriculum 2000 – Qualifying for Success reforms introduced for
first teaching in September 2000 |
| CCEA |
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment is the body
responsible in Northern Ireland for advising Government on what should be
taught in schools, monitoring standards of qualifications and examinations
and awarding qualifications |
| CPD |
Continuing Professional Development |
| DfES |
Department for Education and Skills |
| Edexcel |
London Qualifications Ltd (formerly Edexcel Foundation) one of three
Unitary Awarding Bodies in England |
| ELB |
Education and Library Boards (NI only) |
| FE |
Further Education |
| FSMQ |
Free Standing Mathematics Qualification – suite of Mathematical
Qualifications available at levels 1 to 3 in the National Qualifications
Framework |
| GEST |
Grants for Education, Support and Training (CPD programme in Wales) |
| GCE |
General Certificate of Education, comprising AS and A2, is a key
qualification at level 3 of the NQF and primarily taken post-16 |
| GCSE |
General Certificate of Secondary Education a key qualification spanning
levels 1 and 2 of the NQF and primarily taken at the end of Key Stage 4 |
| GNVQ |
General National Vocational Qualification available at levels 1 and 2
of NQF |
| GTC |
General Teaching Council for England |
| GTCNI |
General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland |
| GTCS |
General Teaching Council for Scotland |
| GTCW |
General Teaching Council for Wales |
| GTP |
Graduate Teacher Programme – this programme is designed to allow
schools to employ unqualified teachers who are preparing for QTS assessment,
assess them against the standards for the award of QTS, and devise individual
training plans for them. |
| GTTR |
Graduate Teacher Training Registry |
| HE |
Higher Education |
| HEIs |
Higher Education Institutions – these encompass colleges of higher
education as well as universities. |
| HoDMS |
Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences |
| ICT |
Information and Communication Technology |
| INSET |
In-Service Education of Teachers |
| IT |
Information Technology |
| ITT |
Initial Teacher Training |
| KCL |
King’s College London (University of London) |
| JMC |
Joint Mathematics Council |
| Key Stages |
Introduced through the Education Reform Act 1988. Learning in maintained
and special schools is divided into four periods of learning: key stage 1
covers pupils aged 5 to 7, key stage 2 covers pupils aged 7 to 11, key stage
3 covers pupils aged 11 to 14, key stage 1 covers pupils aged 14 to 16 |
| KS 3 Strategy |
Key Stage 3 Strategy introduced in 2000 is a multi strand approach which
includes mathematics and is designed to support teachers, trainee teachers
and others working to improve mathematics at Key Stage 3. |
| LEA |
Local Education Authority |
| LSC |
Learning and Skills Council |
| LTSN |
Learning and Teaching Support Network |
| MEI |
Mathematics in Education and Industry |
| MMP |
Millennium Mathematics Project based at the Cambridge Centre for Mathematical
Sciences |
| NAMA |
National Association of Mathematics Advisers is a professional association
with the aim of ensuring that inspection, advice and guidance and support
make an effective contribution to mathematics education |
| NINS |
Northern Ireland Numeracy Strategy |
| NNS |
National Numeracy Strategy introduced in September 1999 to support teachers,
trainee teachers and others working to improve numeracy in primary schools |
| NQF |
National Qualifications Framework (see Appendix 4) |
| NQT |
Newly Qualified Teacher |
| OCR |
Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations, one of three Unitary Awarding
Bodies in England |
| OECD |
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| Ofsted |
Office for Standards in Education (formally Office of Her Majesty’s
Chief Inspector of Schools in England). |
| OST |
Office of Science and Technology |
| OTTP |
Overseas Trained Teacher Programme |
| OU |
The Open University |
| PGCE |
Postgraduate Certificate in Education – a one year postgraduate
qualification needed to teach in English state schools |
| PISA |
Programme for International Student Assessment is a collaborative study
among 28 member countries of OECD and 4 others to assess the knowledge and
skills of 15 year olds in literacy, numeracy and science |
| POS |
Programme of study in individual subjects of the National Curriculum
taught during the four key stages |
| postgraduate |
A student on a course which normally requires a first degree as a condition
of entry |
| QCA |
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority – is the body responsible
in England for regulating external qualifications and keeping under review
all aspects of the curriculum for compulsory school age pupils in maintained
schools |
| QTS |
Qualified teacher status required by teachers to work in maintained schools
and special schools in England and Wales |
| RTP |
Registered Teacher Programme – a DfES programme for people that
have completed recognised teacher training overseas, and who have been accepted
onto a UK course leading to a first degree (or equivalent qualification).
Schools employ RTP trainees, working in partnership with HEIs, since participants
must complete a degree at the same time as qualifying as a teacher. This
programme requires maths, English and science standards. |
| SEAs |
Science and Engineering Ambassadors programme – this is sponsored
by DTI and DfES, and encourages scientists and engineers to help in schools |
| SET |
Science, Engineering and Technology – includes mathematics for the
purposes of this report |
| SETNET |
Science Engineering Technology and Mathematics Network that represents
Government, industry, the engineering professional associations, education
and education charities to ensure that there is a flow of well-motivated,
high quality people from schools to specialise in engineering-related subjects |
| SQA |
Scottish Qualifications Authority is the national body in Scotland
responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification
of qualifications other than degrees |
| TPLF |
Teachers’ Professional Learning Framework, produced by the GTC,
it outlines the professional development opportunities that teachers should
be entitled to |
| TTA |
Teacher Training Agency |
| UCAS |
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service |
| UCEA |
Universities and Colleges Employers Association |
| undergraduate |
Student working towards a first degree, higher education certificate
or diploma or equivalent |
| VCE |
Vocational Certificate of Education designed as a vocationally-related
alternative to GCE A level at level 3 of NQF |