This page will offer a non exhaustive list of some of the most common abbreviations that you may encounter in your role.
ASC/ASD | Autism Spectrum Condition/Disorder | |
APT | Authority Proforma Tool | A tool used by the LA to calculate budget allocations and report these to the DfE |
AWPU | Age Weighted Pupil Unit | The Basic Entitlement funding each pupil in a mainstream school receives |
CCC | Cambridgeshire County Council | |
CFR | Consistent Financial Reporting | A return collected ny the DfE categorising income and spend consistently across England and Wales. Informs DfE benchmarking reports. |
CIPFA | Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy | |
CPF | Cambridgeshire Pension Fund | |
DFC | Devolved Formula Capital | Capital allocations to schools sine the DfE formula. |
DfE | Department for Education | The government department that has responsibility for education. |
DSG | Dedicated Schools Grant | The allocation given to LA's for education funding. Comprised of Schools Block, High Needs Block, Early Years Block and Central School Services Block. |
EAL | English as an Additional Language | A formula factor that identifies children whose first language is not English to allocate funding. |
ERB | Enhanced Resource Base | A specialist facility at a school designed to support children with additional needs |
ESFA | Education and Skills Funding Agency | This organisation was disbanded on 31/03/2025 and its duties were absorbed by the DfE |
FMS6 | SIMS Financial Management System | Finance Lesger software used by schools. |
FSM | Free School Meals | A factor in formula funding driven by pupils in receipt of FSM. |
FSM6 | Free School Meals Ever 6 | A factor in formula funding driven by pupils in receipt of FSM for at least 1 day in the last 6 years. |
FTE | Full Time Equivalent | A metric that equates an employee’s workload to that of a full-time worked. |
HMRC | His Majesty's Revenue and Customs | |
HLTA | Higher Level Teaching Assistant | |
ICFP | Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning | |
IDACI | Index of Deprivation Affecting Children Index | A factor in formula funding based on the deprivation attached to the address of pupils. |
IEB | Interim Executive Board | The emergency measure available to the LA to replace a Governing Body. |
ISB | Individual Budget Share | The formula funding allocation of a school |
LA | Local Authority | |
LEA | Local Education Authority | |
LGPS | Local Government Pension Scheme | Pensiuon scheme for non teaching staff. |
MFG | Minimum Funding Guarantee | A formula funding factor to ensure that schools get a prescribed mimimum amount when compared to the previous year budget allocation. |
MPPFL | Minimum Per Pupil Funding Level | A formula funding factor to ensure that school recieve a prescribed mimumum amount of funding per pupil. |
NFF | National Funding Formula | The DfE directed formula for calculating and allocating school budgets. |
NJC | National Joint Council | The negotiating committee representing non teaching staff for pay and conditions. |
NoR | Number on Roll | |
NQT | Newly Qualified Teacher | |
PAN | Pupil Admission Number | |
PRU | Pupil Referal Unit | |
PTA | Parent Teacher Association | |
PVI | Private, Voluntary and Independent (Nursery Provision) | |
QTS | Qualified Teacher Status | |
SCP | Spinal Column Point | Pay points on the pay scales. |
S251 | Section 251 | The overarching legislation that governs funding for children's and education services. |
SBSG | School Budget Support Grant | The grant to assist with increased pay costs in 2025 |
SEN | Special Educational Needs | |
SDP | School Development Plan | |
SFA | School Financial Advisor | |
SFVS | Schools Financial Value Standard | An annual self asssessment return completed by schools. |
SLA | Service Level Agreement | |
TLR | Teaching & Learning Responsibility | A pay supplement to recognise additional responsibility. |
UPS | Upper Pay Scale | |
UQT | Unqualified Teacher | |
VA | Voluntary Aided | Faith schools with close links to Diocese which impact finance decision making (such as DFC). |
VAT | Value Added Tax | |
VC | Voluntary Controlled | Faith schools with close links to the Diocese but have less impact on finance decision making. |