Type of institution

AC
Academy, Academy, publicly funded independent schools 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 schools 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 admissions 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 admissions authority.
FDS
Foundation special school, maintained by the LA, which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs.
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.
INDSPEC
Independent school catering wholly or mainly for children with statutory 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 admission authority.

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 pupils banding admission arrangements.
MOD
Modern - takes pupils regardless of their ability or aptitude, including those who have not been selected for a place at a local selective school.
SEL
Selective - admits pupils wholly or mainly with reference to ability. These schools are formally designated as grammar schools.
N/A
FE sector college - takes pupils regardless of ability or aptitude.

We will not be publishing the admissions basis for independent schools.

Specialist School Types (designated under the Specialist Schools programme)

NA
Not a specialist school; or Does not have a combined specialism; or does not have a second specialism
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 BES
Special Educational Needs (SEN) Specialism Behaviour, 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, there are now other specialisms that schools take on as a second specialism option. These are:

LePP
Leading Edge
RATL
Raising Achievement Transforming Learning
Ts
Training School
YST
YST School Consultant Programme

Also note that schools may have more than two specialisms (e.g. main specialism, second specialism, leading edge, training school status). Specialist School status does not apply to independent schools.

OTHER ABBREVIATIONS

LA
Local Authority
GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
FS
Functional skills at Levels 1 and 2
NVQ
National Vocational Qualifications at Levels 1 and 2
VRQ
Vocationally Related Qualifications at Levels 1 and 2
Entry Level
Achievement below Level 1
AS
Advanced Subsidiary - Level 3 qualification
R
The school has not confirmed that it has checked the examination results
B
The school has not confirmed that it has checked the background information
Member of sixth form centre/consortium
Greater than 0.00% but fewer than 0.05% of half days missed due to absence
The school has pupils aged 16-18. Relevant results are in the 2005 Post-16 Tables
#
Contextual Value added measure has been suppressed because coverage is less than 50%
<
School has 10 or fewer pupils 2008 results for it indicator. Results are not shown because of the risk of an individual pupil's results being identified
NIR
No information received
X
School closed at the end of school year 2007/2008
N/A
Not available/not applicable
NE
Not Entered
NP
Not Published
+
Valid absence data were not returned
@
Absence return not required

Specialist schools are marked in the Achievement and Attainment Tables with the specialisms, for example Sp, T. Where schools have a combined specialism and or high performing specialist schools options these are also shown in the Tables.