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The Central Welsh Board, along with its English counterparts, did not allow its School & Higher examination certificates to be awarded in individual subjects. Pupils had to pass a minimum number of subjects at a minimum standard for the award of a certificate. The information below sets out the rules for examinations prior to 1911. (The Supplementary Certificate, awarded after School Certificate had been taken, normally at around age 16, could, however, be awarded in separate subjects.)

C.W.B. EXAMINATIONS prior to 1911

‘The subjects of examination for the Junior and Senior Certificates are:

Section A
Scripture Knowledge	Literature
English Language	History
Section B
Arithmetic	Mathematics
Section C
Latin	Spanish
Greek	German
Welsh	Italian
French
Section D
Physics	Junior Stage only
Chemistry	Elementary Science
Botany	Senior Stage only
Elementary Biology	Mechanics
Geography	Applied Mechanics
Agriculture	Geology
	Metallurgy
Section E
Book-keeping	Drawing
Shorthand	Hygiene and Domestic Economy
Theory of Music
Section F
Woodwork	Needlework
Metalwork	Cookery

Pupils presented for examination must take at least five subjects from sections A–D, and, as a rule, one at least from each of the first three sections. All pupils in schools examined by the Board who have received instruction in work representing this minimum must be presented for examination, subject to exceptions in special cases. Those who satisfy the examiners and obtain a sufficiently high aggregate of marks in five subjects from sections A–D receive a Junior or Senior Certificate, as the case may be.’

‘A candidate for a Junior Certificate may in any subject take the paper of a higher stage than the Junior. A candidate for a Senior Certificate may offer one, but not more than one, subject at the Higher Certificate stage. Success in the Higher stage is recorded on the certificate.’

‘The holder of a Senior Certificate may offer additional subjects and obtain a supplementary certificate if successful.’
 

‘For the Higher and Honours Certificate the subjects are:

Scripture Knowledge	Chemistry
English Language and Literature	Botany
History
Latin	Higher Stage only
Greek	Mechanics
Welsh	Elementary Biology
French	Geography
German	Geology
Higher Mathematics
Additional Mathematics	Honours Stage only
Physics	Applied Mathematics

Higher Mathematics is reckoned as equivalent to two subjects.
 

Candidates for the Higher Certificate must take three but not more than four subjects at the Higher Stage. For the Honours Certificate two but not more than three subjects must be taken at the Honours Stage. In either case one subject may be offered at the Senior Stage and success in it may be recorded either on the ordinary or on a supplementary certificate.’

‘Oral tests may be conducted in any of the languages; but as a matter of fact they are at present held only in French and German. In these languages all candidates have to take the oral test, but a certificate may be obtained without passing in it.

Except in the Honours stage there is no practical examination in Science; but all the schools have to submit schemes of practical work for the year.’

‘The Honours examination can be taken only by those who have either obtained the Higher Certificate or have had a two years' course after getting the Senior Certificate.’

‘The number of pupils presented for examination in 1909 was 4,668. Of these, 4,356 were candidates for certificates, namely, 312 for the Honours Certificate, 1,657 for the Senior, 2,386 for the Junior, and 1 for the Commercial. The Higher Certificate had not then been established. The total number of pupils in the schools concerned was about 14,000.’

Source:
Examinations in Secondary Schools, (The Ackland Report, 1911)
 

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