11 Plus Exams Forum

I just wondered - as results come in - who opens the envelope? Do you give it to the child to open or read it first yourself and then break the news? Is the envelope addressed to the child or the parent?

Results round here are addressed to the parents and I reckon that is who should open it.

The results don't tend to say PASS or FAIL they can be much more complicated

eg the North Yorks one goes into great details about how the cohort of those suitable for GS is defined and then goes on that your DC is included in that group.... it then says "this is not an offer of a school place"...

I opened ours first as damage limitation.. DD had passed but when she looked at it first she just saw the "this is not an offer of a school place" ... and thought the worst!

When my DS was allocated his place in March, we agreed in advance that he would open his letter. He felt that he wanted to be the first to know as he had done the work. however this was before the new system came into place and letters tell you that your child may possibly have a space. But I think even with the changes I would still let him open first and be next to him to check over what the letter said. We had already prepared ourselves for all the eventualities and we both were I think shocked and delighted when he got the one he wanted. I also think it depends on the child and how much padding there would need to be if the news was not so great.

I think the allocation letters are different as the name of the school is fairly clear on it - bit different from the autumn result letters.

we opened them together

At our school the children are told very specifically that the envelopes are addressed to the parents and that they must not open them. Of course, what they do when they get home is up to them. I always opened them with them standing by me.

I opened the envelopes for both DS's while they were in the "little boys room" (always the first place they go when they get in from school) and then sealed them up again so they thought they were the first to know . We looked at the allocations together on the computer.

I always opened them first...and thank goodness, if it's bad news and you may be disappointed yourself, at least you've got yourself back in control by the time they get to know. Mine never seemed to be bothered to be honest.

It's an email here. And it came more than 12 hours before we were expecting it, for which I am eternally grateful. I thought initially it was some kind of advance warning so clicked on it in blissful ignorance. And though I physically read it first, by the time it made any sense DS and OH were reading it too...it was a kind of mass shout of delight, followed by, 'hold on, read it again just in case.'

But yeah, ghastly, and I think the parents should do it in an ideal situation.
Then again, my idea of an ideal situation involves no 11+....

I opened the envelope for DD1 and then told her when she got back home from school. I'll do the same for DD2 but the thought of it being in my hand...unopened makes me feel physically sick, even now