CULTURAL and EXTRAMURAL ACHIEVEMENT (CEMA)
Towards the end of 1986 the CEMA committee was established with the purpose of recognising pupils' achievement in cultural and extramural areas. The criteria for awards are reviewed annually and changes are made where necessary.
GENERAL CRITERIA FOR HONOURS AWARDS IN INDIVIDUAL CEMA ACTIVITIES
1. Where a boy has attained a standard in his field that places him unquestionably at the peak of his field nationally for his age (perhaps in the top 2 to 3%), and particularly (though not exclusively) where such ability has brought special credit to the school, he may be considered for Honours in that field.
2. This award will be as far as possible on a par with that of Honours awards made by the Games Committee.
3. The award of Honours in each field must under normal circumstances be preceded by the award of Colours for that field.
4. While the over-riding criterion for Honours would be the skill attained in that field, the boy should have shown continued willingness to help others; that is, service in his field remains an important requirement. The ability to inspire and motivate others to aim for high standards, and reach them, should be a strong recommendation.
5. All members of the Committee must be present for a decision to be taken, and a unanimous vote must be received for the award to be recommended to the Headmaster.
Criteria accepted July 1996
CRITERIA FOR SERVICE AWARDS:
Criteria accepted April 1989. Amended as below.
The award was altered to a two tier structure in 1995, to include service Colours and Service Honours. Criteria accepted November 1995. In 2001, the award was altered to include a Service Merit Award
THE MERIT AWARD: THE MERIT CERTIFICATE AND TIE — AWARDED AT ASSEMBLY.
Where service to the cause of culture in general forms a significant part of his role at the school, a boy may be considered for the Service Merit award.
Such service may already have been recognised in the award of other CEMA Merit certificates, or it may occur in cultural areas that are not officially recognised by CEMA.
The nature of the "service" may include bringing credit to, or raising the profile of the cultural side of life in general, and/or bringing credit to the school through involvement in a cultural activity.
While other Merit Awards already held by the candidate would clearly be an indication of service in those activities, and should certainly be monitored in considering candidates, Service merit should not be seen as following automatically. This award seeks rather to make a merit certificate available to those whose particular contribution might be in an area outside the recognised sphere, or whose contribution is perhaps of a more general nature.
Contribution to sport should be acknowledged only where it is in a serving capacity, not a participating capacity.
Cultural and extra-mural fields in which boys might make contributions worthy of Service Merit:
President's Award
SCA
Chapel
Community Service
Societies – active membership and/or committee
General Knowledge and Quizzes
Chiasmus
Olympiads
Scoring
Umpiring
Coaching
Toastmasters
THE COLOURS AWARD: THE COLOURS CERTIFICATE AND ‘SERVICE’ BADGE — AWARDED AT ASSEMBLY.
1. Where service forms a significant part of his contribution in several cultural and extramural fields, a boy may be considered for the prestigious Colours award, whether or not these are recognised CEMA activities.
It would be desirable for him to hold at least one CEMA Colours award, or more than one Merit Award, and for his contribution to be in several different (i.e. not closely related) areas.
2. Where a boy has been awarded three or more Merit Awards, particularly where service continues to form a large part of his contribution, he should automatically be considered as a candidate for Service Colours.
3. Fields not officially recognised by the CEMA Committee, but which may be considered as contributory/complementary factors in the making of this award, include President’s Awards, SCA, Chapel, Junior Town Council and other community related projects, Quiz Team, Chiasmus, Olympiads, sport scoring, umpiring, coaching, service on Society Committees, etc. (Awards already made in allied areas, such as a Headmaster’s Special Award, or the Harker Trophy, should not necessarily be seen as adding significantly to the candidate’s portfolio.)
Contribution to sport should be acknowledged only where it is in a serving capacity, not in a participating capacity; and contribution in non-CEMA events should be recognised as being really significant only if it involves considerable service on the part of the candidate.
In conjunction with the above criteria, and in addition to them,
1. Where service forms the overriding (central/dominant/cardinal) part of his contribution in several cultural and extramural fields, and particularly (though not exclusively) where such service has brought special credit to the school, a boy may be considered for the most prestigious CEMA award — that of Service Honours..
2. This award will be on a par with that of Honours awards made by the Games Committee. Service Honours is to be seen as the highest honour the school can bestow on a pupil in this field.
3. The award of Service Honours need not be preceded by the award of Service Colours.
4. To be considered for this award, a boy should hold at least one CEMA Colours award, and more than one Merit Award.
5. All members of the Committee must be present for a decision to be taken, and a unanimous vote must be received for the award to be recommended to the Headmaster.
Original criteria accepted April 1989. Amended to include Honours, November 1995. Amended to include Merit Awards June 2001.
