Catalogue description National Committee for the Award of the Certificate in Office Studies: Agenda, Minutes and Papers

The National Committee for the award of the Certificate in Office Studies (COS) was set up in 1962 by the Minister of Education. The Committee held its first meeting on 24 October 1962. The HM Inspector for Business Studies appointed to work with the committee acted as chairperson to COS.

The committee had no formal terms of reference; its functions were to draft detailed rules for the award of the certificate and to publish them with guidance notes. This was to be completed so that the course could be introduced in September 1963. The committee was not wound up once this had been achieved but remained in existence until 1975. During that period it approved syllabuses drawn up by colleges running the course and monitored its progress.

There was only one sub-committee established under COS and its terms of reference were to undertake revision of syllabuses, to standardise marks and to consider any aspect of the certificate scheme as directed by the main committee. Both committees reported to the Minister for Education and later the Secretary of State for Education.