Type of institution

AC
Academy, publicly funded independent school offering free education to pupils of all abilities, established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups working in partnership with central Government and local education partners.
CTC
City Technology College or City College for the Technology of the Arts, independent all-ability, non fee-paying school offering pupils the opportunity to study a curriculum geared, with the help of private sector sponsors, towards the world of work.
CY
Community school maintained by the local authority (LA). The LA is the admission authority - it has main responsibility for deciding arrangements for admitting pupils.
CYS
Community special school, maintained by the LA, which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs.
FD
Foundation school, maintained by the LA. Some may have a foundation (generally religious) which appoints some - but not most - of the governing body. The governing body is the admission authority.
FDS
Foundation special school, maintained by the LA, which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs.
MODFC
College funded by the Ministry of Defence.
IND
Registered independent school, normally charging fees.
INDSS
Independent school, approved under the Education Act 1996 to take pupils who have statements of special educational needs.
NMSS
Non-maintained special school, approved by the Secretary of State under the Education Act 1996, which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs.
VA
Voluntary aided school, maintained by the LA, with a foundation (generally religious) that appoints most of the governing body. The governing body is the admission authority.
VC
Voluntary controlled school, maintained by the LA, with a foundation (generally religious) that appoints some - but not most - of the governing body. The LA is the admissions authority.

Further education institutions are shown by their college type e.g. Agriculture and Horticulture College, Tertiary College etc. These categories further define the type of college.


Admissions Basis

COMP
Comprehensive - takes all pupils, usually regardless of their ability, aptitude, or whether they have been selected for a place at a selective school, includes schools operating pupil banding admission arrangements.
MOD
Modern - takes pupils regardless of their ability or aptitude and who have not been selected for a place at a local selective school.
N/A (not applicable)
FE sector college - takes students regardless of ability or aptitude.
NON SEL
Non-selective - independent school which takes pupils usually regardless of their ability or aptitude.
SEL
Selective - admits pupils wholly or mainly with reference to ability. These schools are formally designated as grammar schools.

NB: Some schools have dual admission arrangements which are partly selective and partly comprehensive. They are not separately identified in the tables.


Specialist School Types (designated under the Specialist Schools programme)

A
Arts
B&E
Business & Enterprise
E
Engineering
H
Humanities
L
Languages
M&C
Mathematics & Computing
Mu
Music
Sc
Science
Sp
Sports
T
Technology
SEN
Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Inclusion. Special schools can choose to specialise in one of the four areas of the SEN code of practice.
SEN BES
Special Educational Needs (SEN) Specialism Behavior, Emotional and Social Development
SEN C&I
SEN Specialism Communication and Interaction
SEN C&L
SEN Specialism - Cognition and Learning
SEN S&P
SEN Specialism Sensory and/or Physical Needs
AL
Applied Learning (only available in combination with one of the other specialisms)

In addition to the specialist school types listed above, following a successful re-designation specialist schools, if they meet a range of criteria are invited to take on an additional specialism and become part of the High Performing Specialist Schools Programme. The specialisms schools are invited to follow are:

LEPP
Leading Edge Partnership Programme
LPS
Leadership Partner School
RAP
Raising Achievement Partnership
RATL
Raising Achievement Transform Learning
TS
Training School
YST
YST School Consultant Programme
AL
Applied Learning
L
Languages
M&C
Mathematics & Computing

Please note that schools may have up to four specialisms (e.g. main specialism, second specialism, leading edge partnership programme, training school status). Specialist School status does not apply to independent schools.


Other Abbreviations

LA
Local authority
LSC
Learning and Skills Council
GCSE
General certificate of secondary education
AS
Advanced Subsidiary - a qualification available in general and applied subjects
NQF level 3
National Qualifications Framework level 3 qualification
BTEC
Business and Technology Education Council
R
The school or college has not confirmed that it has checked the examination results or background information
Member of sixth-form centre/consortium
Member of sixth-form centre/consortium
N/A
Not available/Not applicable
School also appears in the secondary GCSE (and equivalent) achievement and attainment tables
School also appears in the secondary GCSE (and equivalent) achievement and attainment tables
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Value added measure has been suppressed because coverage is less than 50%
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Data suppressed as the school or college has the school has 10 or fewer students in a particular denominator for the indicator. Results are not shown because of the risk of an individual student’s results being identified.
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School or college has 16-18 year old students but no examination entries
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School or college has no 16-18 year old students