Glossary
Glossary of Key Terms
ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
A neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention, impulse control and activity levels.
Apraxia
A speech‑motor planning difficulty. Learners know what they want to say, but the brain struggles to coordinate the movements needed for clear speech.
Articulation Disorder
A difficulty producing certain speech sounds, often linked to challenges coordinating the lips, tongue or mouth.
Assistive Technology
Software, devices or tools that help pupils with additional needs access learning and develop functional skills.
BKSB – Basic Key Skills Builder
An online platform used to assess and develop English, Maths and ICT skills.
CReSTeD
The Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Children. Holme Court is accredited as Specialist Provision, the highest category.
Chronological Age
A pupil’s actual age, expressed in years and months.
COSMo
Activities designed to support coordination, sensory processing and motor planning.
Decoding
Using letter–sound knowledge to “sound out” written words.
Functional Skills Qualifications
Practical qualifications in English, Maths and ICT that focus on real‑life application.
Holistic
An approach that considers the whole child — emotional, physical, social, cognitive and environmental factors.
IDL – Interdisciplinary Learning
A personalised, computer‑based programme for reading, spelling and maths, used particularly in KS2 and Year 7.
ILP – Individual Learning Plan
A detailed plan outlining a pupil’s current level of functioning, targets and strategies, linked to EHCP outcomes.
Phonemes
The individual sounds within a word.
Phonemic Awareness
The ability to hear and distinguish individual sounds in words (e.g., cat vs mat).
Phonological Awareness
Understanding how sounds work in words, such as identifying the three sounds in sit (s‑i‑t) or changing the first sound to make bit.
Phonological Memory
Short‑term storage of sound‑based information.
Phonological Processing
Using sound information to understand and work with spoken and written language.
Phonology
The rules for how sounds combine to form words.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding and interpreting the meaning of a text.
Reading Fluency
Reading with accuracy, appropriate speed and expression.
SENDCo
Special Educational Needs and Disability Co‑ordinator.
SENDIST
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, which hears appeals about local authority decisions.
Sequencing
The ability to follow a series of steps or instructions in the correct order.
Short‑Term Memory (Working Memory)
Holding and using small amounts of information for immediate tasks.
Sight Words
Words recognised instantly without needing to sound them out.
Specialist Provision
The highest CReSTeD category, awarded to schools whose primary focus is teaching pupils with dyslexia.
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)
Difficulties affecting particular areas of learning, such as dyslexia (reading/writing), dyspraxia (coordination) or dyscalculia (maths).
SpLD
See Specific Learning Difficulties.
Synthetic Phonics
A method of teaching reading by learning individual sounds and blending them to read whole words.
TTRS – Touch Type Read & Spell
A touch‑typing programme used across the school to support spelling, reading and keyboard confidence.