Primary School Staff Send Pupils Encouraging Letter Before They Open Exam Results

A primary school gave children receiving exam results an encouraging letter reassuring them that attitude and personality are more important than any grade.

Children from Harmony Hill Primary School in Northern Ireland, were collecting their P7 results - post-primary school entrance exams (also known as "transfer tests") to place them in a secondary school.

But staff at the school advised the kids to read the reassuring letter before they opened their results.

"Inside the envelope is a score," the letter read. "It's a score you've been waiting for but it might not be the score you've been hoping for.

"If that's the case, it's only natural that you will feel disappointed.

"We will be very sorry about that and will feel disappointed 'for you' too - but we won't feel disappointed 'in you'."

A photo of the letter was uploaded to Twitter by Chris Lyttle, a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Ireland.

He wrote: "Thinking of all our P7 children today. You are all amazing."

The letter continued: "Unfortunately, in life, things don't always work out the way we want them to and it can take a little time to sort out the feelings and thoughts we can have when that happens.

"We know that each one of you has worked very hard and with a great attitude.

"No score can ever take that away from you. In fact, we believe that your attitude and who you are as a person is much more important than any mark on a test.

"Who you are and the attitudes you have will travel with you to whatever school is fortunate enough to have you as one of their new pupils in September.

"That is so important. You are quite simply 'unique' and we are very proud of you. Make us proud whatever school you go to.

"Don't give up easily when the going gets tough. Grow up to be kind, caring, generous, loving adults who make a positive difference to this world by how you live your life.

"Remember, the score in the envelope is just a mark for some tests. It cannot measure how amazing you are.

"So, no matter what happens in the next few minutes, today you must celebrate YOU! With love from all the staff."

The school principal Harry Greer said staff were "heartened" by the number of people who had seen and commented on the letter.

"We've been really surprised by all the attention," he told the BBC. "It was a simple, personal, but heartfelt letter for our P7 children, inspired by our vice principal, Hillary Johnston.

"We just wanted them to know that we were thinking of them. It can be a time of great excitement, but for some children, it can be a time of great disappointment."

The photo was also shared on Facebook by a music society at a grammar school.

The person uploading the photo wrote: "A great note from Harmony Hill Primary School that we hope all P7s waiting on the postman this morning will read."

Parents commenting on Facebook praised the letter for being "caring" towards the children.

The same Facebook page then shared another similar letter pupils were sent from a different primary school.

The letter read: "When you do a test like this, it measures how you are at certain things like reading, spelling and hard mathematical problems.

"All of those things are important but they are not the only thing that is important about you. I can see how many wonderful talents all of you have."

Click on the image below to read the letter in full.

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