Abstract
This thesis explores formal, externally assessed qualifications in Scripture Knowledge inWales between 1944 and 1955.
The study analyses primary source material in the form of content schedules, examination
papers, general reports and pass lists, and examiners’ reports. In doing so, it demonstrates
the practical outworkings of the Religious Education clauses in the 1944 Education Act on
the lived experiences of Scripture Knowledge candidates and, indeed, examiners, in Welsh
schools, universities and teacher training institutions.
In offering a longitudinal perspective on Scripture Knowledge education, the thesis
examines three tiers of qualification: School Certificate and ‘O’ Level, Higher School
Certificate and ‘A’ Level, and undergraduate and Teacher’s Certificate. The study also
compares Scripture Knowledge examinations with those in other academic disciplines. In
so doing, it argues that the aims and expectations for Scripture Knowledge qualifications
were often confused and inconsistent. The consequence of this was that the standards and
rigour of question papers were frequently variable and, consequently, offered a different
assessment experience from other qualifications within the examinations’ system in Wales.
In analysing the subject specifics of how English educational policies and legislation
impacted examinations in Wales, the research departs from much of the existing literature.
Taking a granular approach, where the fortunes of one subject are explored across different
stages of education within a Welsh context, the thesis finds its relevance in making a
meaningful and unique contribution to the historiography of three broad, yet firmly
interrelated, areas: formal assessment, education and Religious Education.
| Date of Award | 9 Dec 2025 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Hannah Charnock (Supervisor) & Janet L Orchard (Supervisor) |
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