Hi how will the results on 18 October for bham consortium test be sent out? Is it email or post? I’m under strict instructions from ds I have to wait till he gets home from school and that he will open the results.

Looking at last years messages on the forum it looks like the results were posted out - suppose it adds to the importance of the addresses being correct

October 18th seems a very long wait. When my DD1 sat the test, results were announced on 13th October.

Thank you for replies - will look out for post but the wait until ds gets out of school - it will be unbearable.

Yes 18 October seems like an eternity!

Many years ago I promised I would wait but part of parenting is being prepared for whatever is in the envelope (we lived in an area with guaranteed places for a pass). I collected the letter (there was a postal strike ) opened it, put it in a new envelope (easy cos no stamp required) and handed it over in the car after school. The exam result was positive but the way the letter was written was not immediately clear as it included "this is not the offer of a place" . It is up to you just my 2p

I think if your child has specifically asked to wait for them to open the letter, to do anything other than that is wrong. After all, it is them who had to sit the test and endure no doubt endless revision and mocks. Stories of holding the envolope up to the light or the old trick of steaming it open just sound creepy and wrong. It'll be one of two things - a pleasing score or a disappointing one. Just prepare mentally for either. Really not the be all and end all of life. Particularly in Birmingham this year, even a 'good' score will come with a big grey area until offers in March.

Yes it is going to be difficult to tell from the scores though at least some people will be a little more certain of a place and many will know that they have no chance as the minimum scores are defined. The letter is addressed to the parents so it is up to them whether they want to open it or leave it for the child.

Sorry, I'm with hermanmunster on this - you are the parent - promise the child whatever but open the letter in advance - one of the biggest problems about the 11+ is how vested parents get in the whole process - if their child "fails" they feel the disappointment, if they "pass" the success. What you don't want is to open the envelope together (and I concur that finding the salient bit of information is a) tricky as it is usually halfway down the second page and b) does not necessarily give you a clear idea at all of whether you have a good chance or not) - and then be bitterly disappointed and your child will instantly feel they have done you wrong.

Open it, look at it - I have been through the process twice and you have to read the letter 2 or 3 times to understand it - and, if you really feel your child will get the hump, stick it in an envelope again - or just tell them you opened it - you give yourself the chance to reaarange your face into a suitable well done/never mind - they will get over the opening of the envelope but if they feel they have let you down in that instant, they will take a long time to get over the upset.

I agree. My son has diligently done everything I have asked of him in the preparation running up to the test and I couldn’t be prouder regardless of score and I have said that to him and reinforced there will be alternatives (although I know this is very limited). As for opening the letter if I have said I will wait and i will as opening then closing it is practically lying to my ds in my opinion. Re letter content I’ve explained it’s no guarantee of a place but will help us put choices on la form. There could be tears but that’s life - not everything works out how we want but that’s no reason to give up.

It’s my lot to cope with waiting and he needs to know he can trust me when we have agreed to do something.

Fingers crossed!

I didn't agree anything ahead of time with my child but I would never have dreamed of letting her open the envelope without my knowing ahead of time. If she hadn't done well enough to get into the school she really wanted then I would have needed time to get my happy face on. There is no way that - even if just for a split second - my face would not have betrayed my disappointment (not at how she'd done but at the fact that she wasn't going where she so wanted to).
It's different from GCSEs where they're so much older and more independent.