Education, Examinations and Professional Practice Committees

In Feb 1899 Council formed an Examinations or Educational Sub-Committee to ‘discuss the further improvement of the practical part of the exam’, and its minutes to Jun 1917 are to be found in the main series of Council minute books (B.1/1), except for Oct 1908-Feb 1914, which are bound separately.

In Nov 1917 Council decided to replace the Examinations Sub-Committee by an Examination Board, composed of experts in examination subjects, to work in conjunction with a Director of Examinations, and to deal with all aspects of examinations organisation and procedure. It first met in Jan 1918.

In 1920, on award of its Charter, the CSMMG reconstituted its committees. The newly formed Examinations Committee was to advise Council on the membership and duties of the Board of Examiners, to prepare business for consideration by the Board, and to advise Council on all aspects of the conduct of examinations. The Board of Examiners was to consist of annually elected experts in the examination subjects.

In Oct 1932 Council agreed that the Examination Committee should hold joint meetings with the Training and Registration Committee, because much of their business was common, but their members should still be elected separately. Joint meetings continued until Sep 1938 when separate meetings were resumed. At the same time the Board of Examiners was abolished, and the Examinations Committee was renamed the Board of Examiners.

In Jul 1945 Council reconstituted the Board of Examiners as the Examinations Committee, with a sub-committee called the Examinations Board.

The Examinations Committee first met in Oct 1945 and its duties were to appoint the Examinations Board and to deal with Examiners’ fees and candidates’ entries. The Examinations Board was to arrange examinations as directed by the Committee, and to appoint Sub-Committees to set examination papers.

In Mar 1952 Council approved a recommendation submitted by a joint meeting of the Examination Committee and the Training and Registration Committee, that they should be fused to form the Education and Examination Committee. It was to oversee all aspects of training and examination, including the compilation of syllabuses and training courses. In Nov 1953 the name was changed to Education Committee

The Education Committee changed its terms of reference and name to the Pre-Registration Committee in 1982. However, it reconvened c.1987 and operated as the Education Committee again until its terms of reference and name were changed again in 2004 to the Learning and Development Committee to reflect the increasing importance of research and continuing professional development.

Chronology of education committees

Examinations Committee 1908-1932

Training and Examinations Joint Committee 1933-1938

Board of Examiners 1938-1945

Examination Committee 1945-1952

Education and Examinations Committee 1952-1953

Education Committee 1953-1980

Training and Registration Committee 1920-1952

Education Standards Sub-Committee

Board of Examiners 1917-1932

Examinations Board 1946-1966

Sub-Committee on Post-registration Courses 1949-1966

Education Sub-Committee 1968-1974

Ad hoc education sub-committees 1964-1974

Pre-Registration Committee 1982-1987

Education Committee 1987-2003