364 REPORT—1904. 
‘ After careful consideration of the opinions expressed at these Con 
ferences and of the present circumstances of secondary schools in the 
country, they have drawn up the annexed scheme containing proposals 
for a system of school certificates for England. 
‘In framing the proposals due consideration has been given to the 
position of the various bodies by which the work of examination is now 
carried on, both in relation to the present and to the future. 
‘The Committee have considered a very large number of minor points 
on which they do not here report, as they believe that a broad outline of 
their proposals not too much cumbered with details is, for the present at 
any rate, what is required. They submit these proposals in the confident 
belief that the adoption of the plan suggested would result in very 
substantial benefits to secondary and higher education in this country.’ 
The following are the proposals of the Committee :— 
The Consultative Committee are of opinion :— 
(1) That, with the object of diminishing the multiplicity of examina- 
tions affecting secondary schools, and of providing a test of adequate 
general education which may be widely accepted, a general system of 
school certificates is desirable. 
The well-known term ‘ Leaving Certificate’ has been purposely avoided 
because it is to some extent misleading and is not unfrequently misunder- 
stood, 
(2) That it is not desirable that examinations for such certificates 
should be conducted by means of papers set for the whole country from 
a single central organisation. 
This clause must be read together with clause (6). It will be found 
that it is not the intention of these proposals to ignore the influence of 
the State in the supervision of a general system of examinations. On the 
other hand, it is important to prevent the evils which would almost 
certainly arise from the State having the sole responsibility in the matter. 
The desirability of bringing the examining body into closer relation with 
the teacher being recognised, it is obvious that in dealing with a popula- 
tion of more than 30,000,000 and a large number and great variety of 
schools, this object can only be effectively attained by the establishment 
of more than one examining body. The success of the Scottish and Welsh 
systems seems to be largely due to the limited number of schools with 
which they have to deal. 
(3) That such examinations should be controlled by a recognised 
examining body, which should be either (1) a University, or (2) a com- 
bination of Universities, or (3) an Examination Board representative of a 
University or Universities and of the local authorities which are prepared 
to co-operate with them. It is desirable that whatever the examining 
body may be, teachers of schools should, where possible, be represented, 
and with regard to (3), that every such Board should contain a Jarge 
academic element. 
The proposal to form in some cases Boards representing local authori- 
ties and teachers in the schools as well as Universities may afford an 
opportunity for making an important new departure. Those local 
