Glossary
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Asylum Seeker - The word ‘Asylum’ means a safe place where people can escape bad treatment or danger. When we talk about ‘Asylum seekers’ we mean people who are in danger in their own home or country and who go somewhere else looking for a safe place to live. People can seek a safe place either somewhere else in their own country, in a nearby country, or somewhere far away where they feel that they will be protected and able to live a better life. People might look for (or ‘seek’) asylum when there is a war where they live, if they do not have enough food, drink or money to stay alive, or if they think they are in danger because of the government or powerful groups where they live.
Asylum adjudication appeal panel - This is the group of people who decide whether or not asylum seekers are eligible for support. The appeal usually happens when either an asylum seeker has had their support withdrawn or an application for support has been refused.
Abortion - When a baby is removed from a woman's uterus before she gives birth when it is too small to survive. This might happen because the baby is ill, the mother didn't want to get pregnant, or the mother can't carry out a pregnancy.
Academies - These are a type of school, which were introduced in 2000 by the Learning and Skills Act. They are independent schools, but get their money from the Government. They are meant to act as 'beacons' of good education, and to show special attention to improving the achievement of less well-off students.
Adoption and Children Act 2002 - This act came about on 7th November 2002. The Act overhauls the outdated 1976 Adoption Act and updates the whole existing legal framework of adoption.
Admissions Criteria - The rules which are used to decide if you can get into things like schools
AEA - Advanced Extension Award. This is an exam which you can take at the same time as your A-levels which is meant to show universities if you are especially good at something.
Ambassador - A person chosen to represent a nation or particular group
Adjudication - This is the process where someone such as a judge looks at the evidence given by two groups and comes to a decision or judgment to settle the argument.
Advocacy - Partial third party entreaties usually on behalf of one party to the conflict (often the weaker one) to external decision makers and power brokers. Advocacy campaigns raise awareness about particular issues (e.g. landmines) and conditions, and aim to bring about policy changes.
Age of criminal responsibility - the age at which the law says a person must take full responsibility for any crime they have committed, or are accused of committing. The age of criminal responsibility in England is 10 years (it is eight years in Scotland) – one of the lowest ages in Europe.
Affray - In English Law Affray forms part of the Public Order Act 1986 under section 3. A person is guilty of affray if he threatens or uses violence against another person.
Agenda for Peace- Former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's entreaty on the need for more active UN involvement in the management of intra-state conflicts. "Preventive diplomacy seeks to resolve disputes before violence breaks out; peacemaking and peacekeeping are required to halt conflicts and preserve peace once it is obtained. If successful, they strengthen the opportunity for post-conflict peace building, which can prevent the recurrence of violence among nations and peoples" (Boutros-Ghali, 1992:11-12). The Supplement was completed in 1995.
Amnesty- An act of justice where the supreme power in a country gives back innocence to a person who may have been guilty of something.
Amendments - A change. Normally a change to correct a mistake.
Aggression - Being angry and sometimes violent towards another person. Countries can also be called agressive if they show violence towards another country.
Arbitration - This is a way to settle arguments. The two different groups who can't agree tell their side of the story to someone who isn't involed who can make a decision.
Armed Conflict - This is when guns are used in fighting which involves the government of a country.
Arson - Setting things on fire on purpose.
ASEAN - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a political and economic organization of countries located in Southeast Asia.
Backbenchers - This is a member of parliament who does not have a position in government.
Balance of Power -This is a term used in International Relations which aims to avoid conflict by making sure that power is evenly distributed between countries. This means that one country cannot dominate another. The balance of power can be maintained by countries changing their old alliances and creating new ones.
Bargaining - This is a process of negotiation between countries involving give and take in order to reach agreement on certain political issues. Agreements can be reached through compromising on each single issue or by trading allowances on one issue from one side for concessions by them on another.
Ballot box - This is a sealed box at a polling booth in which voters place their ballot paper. The ballot box is designed to keep votes secret and can only be opened once the voting period is over.
Ballot paper - The sheet or card on which voters mark their choice in an election. The ballot paper will have names of candidates printed on it and voters have to mark which one they want to vote for. Each voter has one ballot paper and votes are made in private.
Bereavement - The loss of someone close to you. This is usually used if someone has died.
BME - Black and Minority Ethnic. A term used to describe any group of people who are not originally of British origin.
BSF (Building Schools for the Future) - A plan to put £2 billion a year into rebuilding or refitting every secondary school in England so that every child is taught in well designed new buildings. BSF website
By-Election - A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political position that has become available between general elections. This generally occurs when a member of parliament dies or resigns.
CAP (Centralised Application Process) -
Canvass - In an election canvassing is a method used by a political campaign to directly speak to large numbers of voters.Canvassing targets certain groups of people in order to persuade them to vote for them, educate them about party policies, raise funds, or identify existing supporters.
Capital Funding - Spending on items with a useful life of more than one year. The price of these items affects the "investing" section of the cash flow statement in the year purchased, and then gets expensed over many years on the income statement via depreciation.
CEL (Centre for Excellence in Leadership) This is an organisation launched in October 2003 which aims to improve leadership within further education (post-secondary education). This includes work with further education colleges, training and work-based education providers, offender learning and voluntary organisations. CEL website
Child Benefit - Child Benefit (ChB) is a regular payment made to anyone bringing up children. It's paid for each child that qualifies and isn’t affected by your income or savings. Your family will get £17.00 a week for the oldest child, and £11.40 a week for anyone younger. For a factsheet with more information, click here
Child Tax Credits - If your family has at least one child, an income up to £58,000 a year (or up to £66,000 a year if there's a child under 12 months old) and meets other qualifying conditions – you may be able to get Child Tax Credit. Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a means-tested allowance for a person responsible for at least one child or qualifying young person in full-time non-advanced (secondary, comprehensive or grammar) education.
Child Trust Fund - The Child Trust Fund (CTF) is a long-term tax-free savings and investment account for all children born on or after 1 September 2002. The government will give every eligible child a voucher worth at least £250 to start the fund. For a factsheet with more information, click here
Church Schools - 25% of state primary schools and 6% of state secondaries are Church of England Schools. This means that they provide religious education and times for worship for their young people.
Comprehensive Schools - Comprehensive schools are for 11-16 year olds. They are free for all children of any ability. The Government pays for these schools through the taxes it collects from British people.
Crystal Meth - Crystal Meth can be used both as a prescribed medicine and as a recreational drug. Used illegally it is a class A drug. It is a stimulant which can become highly addictive.
Clause - A section of an act or document passed in law.
CoVEs - (Centres of Vocational Excellence) There are over 400 Centres of Vocational Excellence in the UK which aim to improve and develop specialist vocational skills for adults (19+) so that they can progress into employment. Centres of Vocational Excellence work closely with local businesses and industry so that they can meet their needs and improve economic competitiveness. CoVE website
Cabinet - a committee of MPs selected by the Prime Minister to make significant government decisions.
CAFCASS - The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) was made in 2001. CAFCASS supports children and their families in the family courts and other settings to ensure that their voices are heard and that a decision is reached that is in the best interests of the child. It has an important role in protecting the rights of children in public and private law proceedings where children are at risk.
Communities - A community is a group of people who share something in common. This is most often used to refer to people who live in the same geographical area, but communities can also be worldwide or just people who share the same beliefs or interests. For example, we may talk of the gay community, or a religious community.
Controversial - Something is controversial if people can't agree on it and it caused arguments.
Candidate - a person who has been nominated to stand for a position in an election.
Commissioning - When people are commissioned they are granted permission to carry out certain official duties or take position of a state office. Both judges and cabinet ministers are commissioned.
Cultural - If something is cultural, it is from a specific culture. This could include many things, such as language, values, beliefs, symbols, religion, food, art, dress code etc. Culture does not have to be specific to places , such as countries. For example, we can talk of a business culture, or a music culture.
Catchment area - Normally a circle of a certain distance around a community service - like a doctors, a school or a library - which includes all the people who will be allowed to use the service. So a school catchment area might be half a mile in each direction, and so if you lived a mile away, you would have to go to another school.
Candidacy - The ability to stand for Parliament as an MP
Childcare Affordability Programme - Funded by the London Development Agency, the Childcare Affordability Programme is a pilot scheme in London which aims to provide cheaper childcare places for parents on a low-income. This aim s to help them to return to, or stay at, work. London Development Agency website
Citizen - An official member of a country.
Citizenship - If you have citizenship you have membership to a political community such as a country. This means that you have the right to political participation. Citizenship is also about responsibilities as well as rights such as voting. Citizenship lessons are now taught in schools in England in order to teach young people how to be active citizens in their local, national and international communities. DfES website
Civil Society - Civil society is the collection of organisations and institutions that are not connected to the government or to the state. This includes non-governmental and voluntary organisations, pressure groups, social movements, faith-based groups, environmental groups and trade unions.
Civil War - Large-scale armed conflict within one country or society. This can be a war where one group is trying to take power of the state, or when one group wants to form a new state or join a neighbouring state. Civil wars can often involve terrorist campaigns, conflict between religious groups, tribes or clans, fundamentalist movements, genocide and ethnic cleansing against minorities, criminal gang wars and guerilla warfare.
Coalition-building - Bringing together different parties and interest groups, who share an interest on one issue, in order to prepare for confrontation with an opponent or to resolve or end a conflict.
Conflict - A disagreement between two or more people or groups of people. Conflict can also be used to describe fighting or a war between or within countries.
Curriculum - What you learn in school. We have a 'national curriculum' which means that most schools teach pretty much the same thing and you have to pass exams in most of these subjects before you leave school.
Custody - The right to guard something. For example, people can be awarded custody of a child (the right to be the child's guardian). You can also be held in custody (guarded) by the police.
Diplomacy - The practice of carrying out international relations through negotiation rather then through force. Countries have diplomats who negotiate issues such as peace-keeping, trade, war and economics. The UN, for example, is the world's largest diplomatic organization.
DDPs - Diploma Development Partnerships.
Deprived - Not having access to things which are important for life. This means that you're not deprived if you don't have a playstation, but you are if you can't get a proper education or don't have enough money to live somewhere decent and eat well.
Disaffection - Dissatisfaction which leads to the loss of loyalty or affection for an organization or group. For example, voters can be described as disaffected
Directive - An order or instruction, usually given by a higher authority.
Discretionary - Something which is done or used according to someone's own judgement.
Devolve - To pass on power, usually to a lower authority.
Early Day Motion - Early day motion (EDM) is a colloquial term for a notice of motion given by a Member for which no date has been fixed for debate. EDMs exist to allow Members to put on record their opinion on a subject and canvass support for it from fellow Members. In effect, the primary function of an EDM is to form a kind of petition that MPs can sign.
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) - The ECHR was made by countries in Europe in 1950 to protect human rights and basic freedoms. The Convention has 18 articles. These include the right to life, the right to a fair trial and the right to respect for private life.
Ethnic -The word 'ethnic' describes a national or racial group of people. It is often used in our society to describe groups that have very different cultures from Britian or America.
Environmental Taxation - Money that is taken off people or businesses to go towards helping the environment. For example, some countries have increased tax on fuel that is particularly bad for the environment.
EMA - Education Maintenance Allowance. A weekly payment for students who stay on at school or college after GCSE's whose parents are on a low income. Click here to see if you are eligible.
Election - the occasion when people are voted into power in a democratic system.
Elect - to nominate and install a person in power by voting
Electoral Commission - An independent body that carries out a number of functions for a parliamentary election.
Electoral roll - list of all registered voters for an electorate.
Electorate - a geographic region used to elect a general electorate MP
Eligible - meeting the conditions to do or recieve something.
Empower- To give power. Often used when referring to equipping someone with skills or an ability to do something.
Entitled - When you have a right or a claim to something. For example we are all entitled to equal protection under the law.
Ethical Careers - Jobs which are socially and environmentally responsible and abide by certain ethics such as helping people rather than exploiting them and not damaging the environment. An ethical career could be anything from working for a charity or aid agency to being an organic farmer.
Exclusion - In education :To be sent home from school, either for a certain period - like a week or a month (suspended/Fixed term exclusion) or forever (Expelled). In life: To be 'socially excluded' is to be left out, not noticed by the Government, schools or helpful organisations. Often black boys and teenage parents are excluded as their needs aren't met by services aimed at other young people.
Ethnic Cleansing - The planned removal or killing of an ethnic or religious group for political purposes. This can be through genocidal acts or forced migration.
Ethno-Nationalism - A political movement which aims to secure a sovereign state for the ethnic group in question. (Lawson, 1995:125).
Facilitation - A "means of helping the conflict-parties reach a mutually satisfying agreement. It may be communication between the parties which the third party facilitates, and/or private analysis of the conflict-situation and possible outcomes." (International Alert, 1996, III:67) Facilitation indicates a lesser degree of involvement than mediation. Facilitators may be invited to help with one particular meeting, providing their technical skills, but they seldom become the integral part of the whole process as mediators do.
Free market economy - Firstly, the word ‘economy’ is used to talk about things which are related to money and buying or selling things. A ‘national economy’ is just a way of talking about how much money a country has, how it is spent, and how much money shops are making selling to people in the country and to other places around the world. If a country needed to buy a lot of things from other countries but no other countries wanted to buy anything from it, then we might say that its economy is bad, because it would get poorer as it spent all of its money without getting any more.
There are different ways of making sure that your country does not have a bad economy (that is, making sure that it doesn’t spend more money than it can afford to). Some people think that one way to do this is to have a‘free market economy’. This means taking away anything which might stop different countries being able to sell their own things to other countries. For example, if England grew only apples, we might try and stop other countries from selling any apples to English shops, so that our farmers could sell all of their apples here. In a free market economy, we couldn’t do this, because this would stop farmers in other countries from being able to sell their own apples. Some people argue that a free market economy is a bad thing because (in the example above) some English farmers might get poorer if people only bought French apples which had been sold to our shops.
Frontbenchers - Frontbenchers are the MP's who sit at the front of the House of Commons. The Government frontbench is occupied by Government ministers and the opposition frontbench is occupied by shadow ministers. Those sitting behind them are referred to as backbenchers.
Genocide - The deliberate killing of a very large number of people from a particular ethnic group or nation. The term 'politicide' refers to lethal mass violence against unarmed people for political reasons. Less often used are the terms 'democide'and 'ethnocide'.
GAD (Government Actuary’s Department)This is the Government department responsible for providing advice to the public sector and the government on things such as pension schemes, life insurance, health insurance and population projections. An Actuaries job is to use statistics and probability to make predictions used in finance and insurance, particularly the assessment of risk.GAD website
Gifted and Talented - This is a term used by the Government to describe those children who have above average intelligence for their age group. The Gifted and Talented programme was brought in by the Government in order to give these students extra input in order to ensure that they realise their full potential. This can include extra curricular activities or subjects and summer schools.
‘Gillick competence’ - In the 1980s a Catholic mother called Victoria Gillick took her local health authority to court, arguing that her daughters should not be allowed to get advice about contraception without her knowing. The judge decided that young people are able to take more and more responsibility for themselves as they get older, and that her children were mature enough to get advice without her knowledge.The term 'Gillick Competence' is now used to mean that a child or young person understands what is going on and can make sensible decisions. It doesn't apply at a certain age, but depends on how mature individual children are.
Governance - The act, process, and/or power of governing
Government - The group of people who govern a state.
Guerilla Warfare - Warfare which operates with small, mobile and non-uniformed combat groups. The war is fought without a front line, (guerilla is a Spanish term for 'small war') and guerilla fighters avoid direct clashes with regular government forces, using tactics such as sabotage, ambushes and urban terrorism.
Grant - A sum of money given by the government to a person or organization for a special purpose. For example, there are grants available to people wishing to put solar panels on their roofs to increase Britain's renewable energy supplies.
Greenhouse Gases - Greenhouse gases are those gases released into the Earth's atmosphere which contribute to the greenhouse effect (the warming of the Earth). Some greenhouse gases are natural, but human activity such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation raises the level of greenhouse gases by releasing carbon dioxide. Many people believe that greenhouse gases from industry and agriculture have caused global warming.
Homosexuality - A homosexual is attracted to members of the same sex. This means that instead of a man and a woman living together in a 'heterosexual' relationship, either two men or two women may have a 'homosexual' relationship together.
Home Secretary- The Secretary of State for the Home Department is the minister repsonsible for internal affairs in England and Wales and for immigration and citizenship in the United Kingdom. The Home secretary is in charge of the Home Office. The current Home Secretary is John Reid
Humanitarian Action - The range of activities designed to reduce human suffering in emergency situations, especially when local authorities are unable or unwilling to provide relief (Weiss & Collins, 1996:219). Actions include: the provision of food, shelter, clothing, medication through organised facilities; evacuating the innocent and vulnerable from conflict or emergency zones; restoring basic amenities (water, sewage, power supplies); and burying remains. (Demurenko and Nikitin 1997:119-120).
Human trafficking - This is the criminal and commercial trade (or smuggling) of people who are then subjected to things such as begging, sexual exploitation or unfree labour. Trafficking can invlove physical force, deception or fraud and often occurs over international borders.
Human Rights Act - In October 2000 a law came into force – the Human Rights Act. This act incorporates the ECHR into UK law, which means that children and adults can bring a human rights case to the courts in this country, rather than having to go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. All new laws are meant to fit in with all the rights in the ECHR.
ICT - (Information and Communications Technology) Basically, computer skills - things like typing, making presentations, using different programmes and the internet.
Investment - To invest in something is to put money, effort or time into something to make it better or to gain a profit.
Intervention - Where a person (or a country) gets involved in the affairs of someone (or somewhere) else
Inciting - To provoke or urge someone to act in a violent or unlawful way.
Income Support - In the United Kingdom money is paid by the government to people who have no/very little money coming in.
Incentive - Something, such as the promise of a reward, or the fear of punishment, which motivates or encourages you to do something.
IAG (Information, Advice and Guidance)- This covers a broad range of services offered to anyone aged 19+ about learning and employment. IAG aims to bring together existing services in order to make them more accessible and help to raise the skills of adults in the UK.
Inequalities- A lack of equality between something. You can have a social inequality, such as racism, ageism, or sexism, or an economic inequality, which refers to the difference in income or distribution of resources between people, classes or even countries.
Industrialised - Usually in reference to countries or places which have highly developed industry on a wide scale. Industrialisation is seen as a indicator of a countries economic development, and organisations such as the World Bank encourage less developed countries to become more industrialised.
Independent Schools- This is a school which is not reliant on Government funding and is instead funded through tuition fees. An independent school is also called a private school.
In-patient- A patient who is admitted to hospital for treatment and requires at least one overnight stay.
Intermediary body - A group of people who come between two parties or groups in order to settle a dispute.
ITT (Initial Teacher Training)- This is the initial training teachers have to have in order to get QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) and begin teaching. There are many different types of initial teacher training courses available at universities and colleges.
Job Seekers Allowance- A type of benefit given to people who are unemployed but are actively seeking work. This is for people aged 18 and over. Click here for more details.
Juvenile Offenders - These are young people who commit a crime whilst they are still seen to be a child (under 18).
KS3 (Key Stage 3)This is the stage in school where children are aged between 11 and 14.
KS4 (Key Stage 4) This is the stage in school where children are aged between 14 and 16.
LLUK (Lifelong Learning UK)- This is a registered charity responsible for the professional development of those working in community learning and development, further and higher education and libraries and archives. Lifelong Learning UK aims to fulfill the needs of employers in the UK by devloping a skilled workforce with relevant qualifications.LLUK website
Literacy- The ability to read and write. The government have targets in schools to ensure that everyone leaves with a certain level of literacy.
List 99 - This is a list of individuals who have been banned from working in schools, further education colleges and Local Edcuation Authority (LEA) services. This can be because they have committed crimes which make them unsuitable to work with children, such as sexual offences, or if they are seen to be unfit to teach on medical grounds
Legislation - A law or a group of laws.
Lobbying- To try and influence the thinking of legislators or other public officials for or against a certain cause. For example, big companies or political interest groups hire professional lobbysists to promote their interests to the government and try to influence the decisions they make.
Local Authority- This is the local government in your area. Local authorities are responsible for environmental health, housing, rubbish collection, local roads, social services, education, libraries and leisure facilities.
Local authority secure children’s homes - are locked children’s homes run by local councils. They have to follow the same rules as normal children’s homes.
LSC (Learning and Skills Council)- The LSC is responsible for planning and funding vocational education and training. They aim to make the UK better skilled and more economically competitive. LSC Website
LSDA (Learning and Skills Development Agency)-
Malnourishment - A medical condition caused by having a poor diet, or not enough to eat. You experience malnourishment if you have not eaten enough food, or got enough of the right nutrients for an extended period of time. Malnourishment can lead to starvation.
Manifesto- During an election campaign, political parties set out a manifesto. This outlines the policies and legislation they will put in place if they win power. Voters look at the different parties manifesto’s and then decide who to vote for.
Maternity- This is the legal and social term for motherhood. It recognises the parental bond between a mother and child. For example, you can talk of maternity leave from work, or a maternity ward in a hospital.
Mediation - Mediation can be required when there is a dispute between two parties. Independent, unbiased mediators are hired to bring about an agreement. The mediators themselves do not have the power to decide the dispute but instead are expected to provide information or more effective negotiation techniques. Mediation can be used in international relations, business, and legal disputes.
MIAP- (Managing Information Across Partners) This is a government scheme designed to improve the information shared by, and available to those working in education and training. It will let schools, colleges, universities and training providers access and share information about students and their own organisations. MIAP website
Microgeneration - the creation of energy (electricity and heat) by individuals or small groups to meet their own needs. This can include small scale wind turbines, water turbines, or solar panels.
Microorganisms- This is an organism which is too small to be seen by the naked eye, and can only be viewed through a microscope.
Millenium Development Goals - – These are eight goals that the United Nations member states have agreed to try and achieve by 2015. These include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases and to ensure environmental sustainability. UN website
MP - Member of Parliament. A Member of Parliament is elected by voters from a specific geographical area (constituency) to represent them in the House of Commons.
NATO - The word NATO stands for the ‘North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’. A treaty is like an agreement which is signed between countries promising that they will all support each other on a certain issue. For example, England might have a treaty with France which promises that if someone plants a bomb in either country then both countries will work together to find out who it was and punish them. NATO was formed after World War Two when a group of countries all agreed to protect each other and to work together to punish people or countries who attacked any country who was in NATO. The NATO website is here.
National Curriculum - The set of subjects that children in England and Wales must study from the age of 5 to 16.
National Health Service - Founded in 1948, this is the organisation that provides the majority of healthcare (such as your local GP, hospitals and dentists) in the UK. Services are largely free and paid for by taxes. The Government department responsible for the NHS is the Department of Health. Department for Health website
NHS Appointments Commission - This was set up in April 2001 to take over the Health Minister’s role of appointing chair and non-executives to NHS trusts, Primary Care Trusts and Health Authorities. Recruitment, training and monitoring is now dealt with not directly by the government, but by those on the NHS Appointments Commission.
NCSL- (National College for School Leadership) This is a college based in Nottingham for school leaders. The college runs conferences and courses, as well as creating publications and conducting research. It aims to improve young people’s education in the UK by creating excellent leadership in schools.
NEET -(Not in education, employment or training) This is a government classification used to describe those people aged between 16 and 18 who are not involved in education, employment or training. The government regard NEET’s as being at risk from becoming isolated from society and many careers services are targeted at this group of young people to help them get back into employment or education.Numeracy- This is the ability to understand maths and numbers. The government wants all young people to have a good level of numeracy before they leave school.
Negotiation - Negotiation is a standard diplomatic technique used by states to harmonise their interests, or to live with their differences by taking into account respective needs and power potential. (Secret) negotiations often precede, accompany, or follow other, more violent forms of interaction. "[Negotiation] takes place with a view to achieving one or the other of the following objectives: identification of common interests and agreement on joint or parallel action in their pursuit; recognition of conflicting interests and agreement on compromise; or, more often than not, some combination of both." (Berridge, 1995:119). "...Initially at least, negotiations may not be face-to-face."(International Alert, 1996, III:53). (+)
Ofcom- Office of Communications. This is the independent regulator for UK communications industries. Ofcom regulates the industry in the interests of the consumer. For example, Ofcom deals with complaints and ensures that companies act lawfully and ethically.Ofcom website
Optional Protocol - This is an extra section that is added to a treaty. Governments can decide whether or not to sign up to these extra rules.
Parole- This is when a prisoner gets freed before he/she has served their full sentence, on the condition that they behave well. If they do not behave well they will be put back into prison.
Parenting Contract -This is a contract which can be entered into between a pupil’s parents and either the school or the Local Education Authority (link?) when a pupil’s behaviour or attendance at school becomes a problem. The parent agrees to fulfil certain requirements which are seen to help improve the situation, such as ensuring theor child goes to school every day.
Parenting Order - This is where a court orders a parent to attend parenting classes as well as fulfil other requirements to improve their child’s behaviour in school, such as ensuring the child gets to school on time. This can be used if a child has been excluded from school, or where bad parenting is seen to be a factor in the child’s behaviour.
Passive Smoking- This is when you breathe in harmful toxins due to someone smoking near to you. Over a long period of time, and especially in children, this can cause illness and long term health problems.
Peace - This when there is no war in a country or a country is not at war with anyone else outside of its borders. Peace describes an absence of any conflict; a state of harmony between groups or people.
Penal - Relating to the punishment of offenders under the legal system.
Per Capita -This is a latin term meaning per head. Usually used to describe an average of a statistic. For example, income per capita would be an average income per person.
PSHE -Personal, Social and Health Education. This is a subject taught in schools which includes education about alcohol and drugs, sex and relationships, nutrition and citizenship.
PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education)This is a one or two year postgraduate course where graduates can train to become a teacher in a subject they have studied at degree level.
Personalised - When something is designed or produced to meet someones individual needs or tastes.Also to cause an issue or argument to become involved with personalities or feelings.
Phonics - This is the study of how spellings represent the sounds that make up words. For example, if you learn to read phonetically, you learn the sounds of each letter and then put them together to say the whole word.
PSA (Public Service Agreement) -
Party list - List of candidates nominated by a political party in the order the party want the candidates elected..
Peer - A member of the nobility in Britain or Ireland. For example, Dukes, Duchesses, Earls and Baron and Baronesses. A peer can also be used to describe someone of your own age group or of the same stuts as you.
Prime Minister - This is the chief minister who leads the government.
Proxy - A person who has permission to act on the behalf of someone else. For example, you can have a proxy vote, where someone else goes to the polling station and votes for you if you are not able to.
Poverty Line - The 'poverty line' is an amount decided by the Government to be the smallest amount of money needed for a family to afford things like food, clothes and a place to live. People who don't have this much money are 'living below the poverty line' and sometimes don't have enough to eat or a safe place to live.
Privatisation - If a government privatises a company or service that it owns and controls, this means that the Government sells it so that it becomes privately owned and controlled. For example, the British government privatised the trains, buses and tubes in the 1980s so that companies now own our railways. Some people argue that this makes services cheaper and helps them work better because businesses are trying to make money from them and so they put more effort in to running them than the government.Others argue against privatisation because they say companies care more about profit than providing a good service for people.
One example of an argument about privatisation has happened over the trains in Britian. They used to be owned by the government and were all run by a section of the government called 'British Rail'. When they were privatised different bits of the railways were sold to different companies like Virgin, Thameslink and Silverlink. Some people said that because the companies would want a lot of people to travel on their trains they would put a lot of money in to making them run on time and stopping them from breaking down like they used to. However, other people say that the trains are no better than they used to be, but that the companies have raised the price of taking the train because they want more money.
Parliament- A group of elected politicians or other people who make the laws for their country. In Britain our Parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. In the House of Commons each member is elected to represent a particular area of the country. However, members of the House of Lords are not elected and play a smaller role in governing the country.
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) - The JCHR is made up of MPs and Peers. It is responsible for considering human rights issues in the UK (but not individual cases). One of the main jobs of the JCHR is to examine Bills
passing through Parliament. If the JCHR sees something in a Bill that goes against human rights, or thinks that more can be done to protect human rights, it will raise the issue with the Government. The JCHR also carries out inquiries on subjects related to human rights.
Pensioner - An old age pensioner (or OAP) is a person who receives a pension from the government because they have reached a particular age - 60 for women and 65 for men.
Pedestrian Zone - A pedestrian is simply a walker. A pedestrian zone is an area where cars, motorbikes and buses are not allowed to drive and it is safer for people to walk.
Primary Care -A health care provider who acts as the first point of call for all patients. This could be your GP (General Practitioner), an optician or dentist, or whoever you would go to first if you had a medical problem. Primary care doctors are usually based in the community rather than in hospitals.
PCT - Primary Care Trust. These are local organisations that manage Primary Care in a certain area. A PCT must make sure that a community’s health and social care needs are met and everyone can access them. Each PCT receives funding from the government and is then in charge of giving it to different services such as doctors, pharmacies, hospitals, opticians and mental –health services.
Private health care -
Prosecute- To prosecute someone is to take legal action against them by taking them to court.
Public order Act 1986 - This is a set of laws desgined to help the police deal with public disorder and violence. It includes laws on public processions and assemblies, granting police the right to impose conditions on marchs and demonstartions such as controlling where they take place, how many people can be involved or even to banning them altogether if they feel it will disturb public order.
QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) - This are responsible for the development of the national curriculum (LINK) as well as assessments, tests and exams you have in schools and colleges. It responsible for ensuring that exam boards mark and award grades accuratly and fairly. QCA website
QIA (Quality Improvement Agency) - This agency works to get those involved in the learning and skills sector to improve performance and help to put into practice the government’s reforms in edcuation and training.
QUANGO - Quasi Autonomous Non Governmental Orgnisation. This is a term used to describe organisations which are supposedly non –governmental but come from where the government has given certain powers or responsibilities over to these agencies. Many are funded by the government. More commonly used in Britain now is the term non-departmental public body.
Representative - A person who represents another, this can be to act on their behalf, or to express their views to a higher authority. MP’s for example, are our representatives in the House of Commons.
Responsibilities - These are things you have to do, often because you have a certain position or stutus.
Responsive - Answering or replying to something well or quickly. You can be a responsive student for example, if you respond well to the work and teaching you are given.
Reconcilliation - A way of trying to make peace by bringing together the two sides to talk about what happened, admit what they did wrong, forgive and plan a process of reconstruction and healing.
Renewable energy - Renewable Energy is energy that can be produced as quickly as it is used. Some examples are solar, wind and wave energy. Oil and coal are non-renewable energy supplies because there is only a limited supply of them and they will eventually run out.
Riot - A riot is when a crowd or even a small group of people gather together and are committing, or are seen to be about to commit crimes and acts of violence such as property damage, looting and arson. Riots have occurred due to poor working and living conditions, government oppression and conflicts between races and religions.
Roles - the actions taken with regard to responsibility to others or a task.
Refugee - This is a person seeking asylum in a foreign country in order to escape persecution, war, terrorism, extreme poverty, famines and natural disaster.
Responsibilities - the requirements that follow a position or status.
Relief - Dispatch of vital material goods and services (clean water, blankets, tents, medicine, food, etc.) to victims of disaster.
Repression - Doing things which stop other people from acting freely. When Governments repress people, it can include actions like searching people's homes without a warrant; destruction of private property; preventing free speech, arresting people without reason, torture and mass terror or violence.
SATS - Stands for Standard Assessment Task. This is a test taken by children in England and Wales at the ages of 7, 11, 14, and 16 to find out the level of the National Curriculum that they have reached.
School Organisation Committee -
Secure training centres - prisons for 12 to 17 year-olds run by private companies (these make profits for the people that own the companies).
Self Harm - This is when someone hurts or injures their body on purpose.
Select Committee - This is a small group of MP's who are selected to deal with particluar areas or issues.
SEN - Special Educational Needs. This is a legal definition which is used to describe those children with learning difficulties or disabilities which make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. This could include physical disabilties, difficulties in completing schoolwork, or behaviour problems.
SSAT (Specialist Schools and Academies Trust)This is the organisation (part-funded by the government) which is responsible for delivering the government's Specialist Schools and Academies Programme. The Government aims to make all secondary schools in the UK into either specialist schools, or academies, by 2008.
SSC (Sector Skills Council)There are 25 sector skills councils which cover different industries in the UK. These SSC's exist so that employers can express their needs for certain skills in order to increase productivity. This forum is used so that there is greater communication between government, training providers and industry. This can then influence policy and hopefully reduce skills gaps in the workforce.
SSDA (Sector Skills Development Agency)The SSDA is responsible for funding, supporting and monitoring Sector Skills Councils (see above).
State - This is the set of institutions that have the authority to rule over a defined territory. A state is made up of a government, a police force, the armed forces, the judicial system etc. It is the state's responsibility to look after its citizens, providing them with services such as healthcare and education.
State Pension - An old age pension is that which is paid by the state to people who have stopped working because they have reached a particular age.
State School- This is a school funded by the government, and managed by a local authority. Education at a state school is free and open to all.
Stigma- A mark or a sign of disgrace. If something has a stigma attached to it then it is likely to be viewed by others as something to be ashamed of. For example, you could say that there is still a stigma attached to having HIV/AIDS.
Special Measures - This is the term used when a school has been inspected by OFSTED and is seen to be failing to provide an acceptable level of education for its pupils.
Synthetic Phonics- This is a method of teaching reading which focuses on the sounds of each letter and then blending them together in order to teach children how to pronounce the whole word.
TDA (Training and Development Agency for Schools)This is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Education and Skills which aims to work with schools in order to develop the workforce. TDA also ensures that schools are able to recruit well trained teachers and workers.
Tenants - A tenant is a person who pays rent for the use of land or a building. For example, if you want a flat you might not buy one but instead you might pay the person who already owns it some money - rent - each month to live there. This means that you would be a tenant and they would be a 'landlord'.
Ten Minute Rule - This is a way for backbenchers to introduce a bill to the House of Commons. MP's have ten minutes to give a speech about their proposed idea. These bills are frequently opposed by government and rarely get a chance to be debated again or to eventually become legislation. The ten minute rule is used more to raise awareness of the need to change a certain law and to test the parliaments opinion on a subject.
Terrorism - People don't agree on exactly how to define this - the accepted definition normally used in law goes like this: 'an anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-)clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby - in contrast to assassination - the direct targets of violence are not the main targets. The immediate human victims of violence are generally chosen randomly (targets of opportunity) or selectively (representative or symbolic targets) from a target population, and serve as message generators. Threat- and violence-based communication processes between terrorist (organisations), (imperilled) victims, and main targets are used to manipulate the main target (audience(s)), turning it into a target of terror, a target of demands, or a target of attention, depending on whether intimidation, coercion, or propaganda is primarily used." (Schmid, 1998:28).. In terms of international law, acts of terrorism can best be conceptualized as 'peace-time equivalents of war crimes.' (Schmid, 1997b:22).
Trade Union - A Trade Union represents the people who work in a certain industry, like the fire fighters or teachers. Trade Unions protect their rights (like the right to be safe at work or to have a break for lunch), and talks about their pay and working conditions with the company that they work for.
Truth Commission - A non-judicial temporary fact-finding body which focuses on bringing to light past human rights violations and war crimes. The Truth Commission is usually entitled to grant (partial) amnesty in exchange for full testimony. By bringing alleged perpetrators from all conflict parties together in the presence of former victims or their relatives, a healing and reconciliation process is assumed to become possible. (Ash, 1997:35).
Trust Schools - Trust schools will be, in effect, independent state schools, but will remain part of the local authority family of schools. The National Curriculum, the assessment regime and the usual provisions on teachers’ pay will apply, except where the Trust has agreed flexibilities (as above). Trust schools will be funded in exactly the same way as other local schools. They will be subject to the Code of Practice on admissions and to all of the accountability mechanisms that apply to state schools.
Top–up fees - The Government is thinking about raising the price for each year of university from about a thousand pounds per person to a much higher amount that is linked to how expensive the university is to run. This means that people applying to big old universities might have to pay over ten thousand pounds a year, to ‘top up’ the amount of money that is given to the education system.
Truant - This is when you are absent from school without permission.
United Nations - The United Nations was formed on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries who wanted to work together to keep the world peaceful. Today, the UN has 191 members (which is nearly every country in the world). When countries become members of the United Nations, they agree to the rules written in the UN Charter. A charter is an agreement which gives rules which members should follow. The UN charter sets out how different countries should behave. The Charter says that the UN has four purposes: to maintain peace around the world, to keep relationships between different countries friendly, to solve problems around the world and to help different countries talk about their actions. The UN website is here.
UCAS- (University and Colleges Admissions Service) This is the organisation which processes all applications for full-time undergraduate university and collge courses in the UK.
Union - Usually used to describe an organization, or association formed for people with a common interest or purpose. Union can also be used to describe the act of uniting, or coming together.
UNCRC- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is an international convention setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children. The convention states that children must have the following rights: the right to life, to have their own identity, to be raised by their parents, and to have a relationship with both parents, even if they are sperated. The UNCRC also states that children have the right to be protected form exploitation and abuse and to express their own opinions and have these opinions heard and acted upon where appropriate. 192 countries in the UN signed the agreement and it came into force in 1990. Further info at CROC
UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) - UNCAT is an international human rights treaty that aims to prevent torture and other mistreatment. UNCAT came into force in June 1987 and so far 141 nations have ratified the treaty. The UK ratified the treaty in December 1988. The treaty also created the UN Committee Against Torture, which makes sure that countries follow the rules in the treaty.
University tuition fees - Money to cover the cost of being taught in a university. At the moment the government pays a large amount towards these fees, but there is talk about making the student pay more.
Unbiased - Advice or information which doesn't favour a particular side but tells you the facts in a straightforward way.
Violence - 'psychological or physical force exerted for the purpose of injuring, damaging, or abusing people or property' (US Department of Justice, 1996:D-3).
Vulnerable- When someone is exposed to being attacked or harmed either emotionally or physically.
Vocational - This is education which is directly related to a particular job or trade. Vocational education often involves more practical or hands-on work than you would find in a theory based subject such as maths, science or english.
White Paper - This is a government report outlining policy or a course of proposed action on a topic of concern. White Papers are usually used to inform people and help them to make decisions.
Young offender institutions - prisons run by the Government that hold children and young adults.