Circular 996 Examination of Secondary Schools (1917)

A Circular setting out plans for the Secondary School Examinations Council.

The text of Circular 996 Examination of Secondary Schools was prepared by Derek Gillard and uploaded on 8 December 2025.

I am grateful to Paul Newton, who found this Circular and sent photographs of the pages from which this text was created.

London: His Majesty's Stationery Office 1917
© Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

Circular 996.
25th May, 1917.

Circular to Local Education Authorities
and Secondary Schools.

Letters should be addressed -
  "The Secretary,
    Board of Education,
      Whitehall,
        London, S.W."

and should show the complete postal
address and designation of the writer.

Telegraphic Address: SECONDUCATlON, PARL, LONDON.

Telephone No.: Victoria 2824.

BOARD OF EDUCATION,    
LONDON, S.W.1.

1. In a Circular (No. 933) issued to Local Education Authorities and Secondary Schools in December 1915, the Board recorded the stage then reached in the preparation of their plan for the improvement of Secondary School Examinations. They further announced that it would not be possible to proceed at once with the plan as a whole. They are now, however, able to take up the matter again, and the following steps will accordingly be taken to bring their scheme into operation on the 1st August 1917.

2. From that date the Board will undertake the functions and responsibilities of a Co-ordinating Authority for Secondary School Examinations with the assistance of a body of persons to be called "The Secondary School Examinations Council".

3. The main functions of this Council, which are more fully specified below, will be of a technical character requiring considerable experience of the practical working of examinations, and of the conditions which must be fulfilled if the certificates of approved Examining Bodies are to be generally accepted as evidence of the attainment of an adequate standard of general and advanced secondary education. For this purpose it is desirable that the Council should not be too large for close discussion and prompt decision, and that the approved Examining Bodies should be represented on it.

The Board are, however, fully aware that there are, or may be, important interests which should be consulted from time to time, even though it may not be practicable to give to all of them a direct representation on the Council. In the case of the organised Professions the Board suggest that a standing Committee should be formed which would nominate a member of the Council, and would have still greater importance and value as being available for consultation and conference with the Council as occasion arose. The Board would welcome the formation of similar standing Committees by other organisations which might be interested in the Council's work - e.g., Chambers of Commerce.

4. The Council will consist of 18 persons, and will in the first instance be constituted as follows:-

To be appointed by -

The President of the Board of Education will in the first instance appoint a Chairman from outside the Council.

[page 2]

5. Men and women will be alike eligible. One-third of the members will retire annually and will be eligible for re-appointment. If any of the Bodies named in Part i of the above list is not approved or ceases to be approved as an examining Body, its representation on the Council shall cease.

The Board of Education will be represented at the Council meetings by such of their Officers as the nature of the work may require. These Officers will attend as Assessors, with the right to speak but not to vote.

Accommodation and secretarial and clerical assistance will be provided by the Board, and travelling expenses, etc., will be allowed to the members.

6. It is intended that the Council shall be established on the 1st August 1917, and that from that date all matters falling within the functions of the Co-ordinating Authority shall stand referred to it.

7. The Council will be entrusted by the Board with the responsibility for conducting on their behalf as Co-ordinating Authority all ordinary business, correspondence, and conferences connected with the co-ordination of examinations; but they will consult the Board before committing themselves on questions of principle or policy which are controversial or specially important. Officers of the Board who attend meetings of the Council as Assessors may request the Council to refer any such question to the Board.

8. The first duty of the Council will be to consider the approval of Examining Bodies. In making their recommendations to the Board with regard to such applications the Council will proceed on the general lines laid down in Circular 849, and summarised in paragraph 2 of Circular 933, as modified by paragraphs 8 and 9 of the latter Circular.*

9. The Council will, subject to the provisions of par. 7 of this Circular, deal with the following matters:

(a) The maintenance by each approved Examining Body of an adequate standard both for a pass in the examination and for a pass with credit;
(b) Investigation of complaints made by School Authorities with regard to examinations;
(c) Promotion of Conferences with Examining Bodies and others as occasion arises;
(d) The form and contents of the Certificates issued on the result of the examinations;
(e) Negotiations with Universities and Professional Bodies for the acceptance of the Examination Certificates as exempting the holders from certain other examinations.

11. The Council will present annually to the Co-ordinating Authority a report of its proceedings in the exercise of the functions assigned to it, which will be published by the Board.

12. In order that the new system of examinations may not impose a new financial burden on School Authorities, the Board propose to pay to each School on the Grant List taking an approved examination an additional grant not exceeding å£2 on each pupil examined as a member of a Form submitted to the First Examination with the Board's approval, and on each pupil submitted to the Second Examination.

The Board reserve power to withhold or reduce the grant in certain cases, as, for instance, where a pupil is submitted to the First Examination more than once, or is submitted to the Second Examination prematurely.

*A Memorandum setting forth the outlines of the whole scheme will shortly be issued.