As usual the LCC took rapid steps to ensure that the new design was ready for the next school year. The Council's special art examiner Sir George Frampton R.A. recommended that the engraver Frank Ransom should prepare the new design for a medal to be called 'THE KING GEORGE THE FIFTH MEDAL'. The Council allowed £25 for the preparation of the obverse designs by Frank Ransom, and £5 for a new reverse. The design gained the royal assent but it was decided to name the medal 'THE KING'S MEDAL' and not as originally proposed. This issue was produced in the same combination of metals and coatings as the previous one but was issued for 1911 only as during that year the Council decided on a complete revision of the medal award scheme.
In March 1911 the Council decided to award medals to pupils who, in the opinion of the Head teacher, after consultation with the class teacher, had been the most deserving of recognition in respect of conduct, industry and attendance throughout the educational year. No more than six medals were to be awarded in each class. The design of the previous medal issue was to be retained, but the size reduced from 1½ to 1¼ inches. The pupil's name was to be impressed on the edge of the medal, as on military issues, and not engraved on the reverse as in previous types. The medal would be suspended from a ribbon and have a clasp showing the year of issue. One, two or three bars would be added to the medal to represent the number of years for which the medal was awarded. It was proposed that the first three medals would be in bright nickel, the second three in bronze and the final three in silver. If nickel was found to be not suitable the first six medals would be in bronze. Frank Ransom was commissioned to produce models for the various clasps and bars required and casts of the new reduced metal design. The sum of £15 15s was allotted for the preparation of dies and the striking of a series of medals, bars and clasps in the various metals, to be displayed in the lobby of County Hall for public examination.
After due consideration it was decided, in March 1912, that white metal was not a suitable medium for the medals and that an unpolished surface was more artistic than a shining one. The new medal issue would therefore have the first three medals in unpolished bronze, the second three in gilded bronze and the final three in oxidised silver. The ribbon would be of red, white and blue silk and the medals supplied with an improved box and label, as the old style box rapidly fell to pieces. On the ribbon would be a clasp bearing an oak leaf design, with the letters "LCC" superimposed, and another bar bearing the date. The second and third medals of each style would bear one or two bars with a laurel branch, in addition to the clasp and date bars, to denote the number of years for which the medal was issued. The main contract was placed with Wright & Son, who subcontracted some of the work to Elkington & Co. and Vaughton & Co. This revised issue continued without change until 1915 when it was decided to discontinue the award of medals for the duration of the war.
Although the revised medal award scheme was in effect for the year 1912, a few medals were awarded under the old scheme. It was decided, in July 1912, that it was unfair not to award an eight year silver medal if the child qualified by attendance but not by conduct or industry. The medal, dated 1912, was of the old larger size, but had the reverse inscription normally found on the one to three year medals. Approximately two hundred of these medals were awarded.
For the school years 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1919 pupils who would have qualified for a medal received a coloured certificate. The 1916 certificate featured a panorama of London with a background of searchlights, and was designed by George Kruger. The 1917 certificate featured an allegorical female figure of London sheltering a young boy and girl. Certificates for 1918 and 1919 merely had an inscription surrounded by a decorative border. All the certificates had the following inscription, with only the date varying. 'The award of medals having been suspended by the Council during the Great War, this is to certify that . . . . was qualified to receive a . . . . medal for good conduct industry and attendance during the year 1915-1916'.
The issue of medals was resumed for the school year 1919-20 but the Council decided, in April 1920, as both medals and prizes were awarded for the same reasons it made more sense to abolish the issue of medals. They considered using the money to increase the number and value of prizes by 60% made more sense, compensating for the effects of wartime inflation and restoring prizes to their prewar level. The 1919-20 medal is the last of the London school award medals. The scheme had run, in one form or another, for over thirty years and long outlasted most, if not all, issues of other education authorities.
It is unfortunate that complete records of the number of medals issued do not seem to have been kept. However, the records in the archives of the former GLC, do contain the statistics set out on the following pages.