AMID the tension, tears and triumph of transfer test results day, a simple letter of support from a school to its pupils captured the public’s imagination.
Harmony Hill Primary School in Lisburn tucked the message into the letters it sent to P7 pupils with their post-primary entrance exam scores.
The Co Antrim school warned its students: “It’s a score you’ve been waiting for, but it might not be the score you’ve been hoping for.”
But went on to assure them their teachers “believe that your attitude and who you are as a person is much more important than any mark on a test”.
It praised them for how “each of you has worked very hard and with a great attitude (and) no score can ever take that away from you”. The inspiring and comforting message went viral on social media after a parent posted a picture of it on Facebook, prompting widespread praise for the school.
Principal Harry Greer told the BBC that staff had been” surprised by all the attention”, but “heartened” that it had proved so inspirational to the wider community.
“It was a simple, personal, but heartfelt letter for our P7 children, inspired by our vice principal, Hilary Johnston.”
He said Mrs Johnston proposed the idea on Thursday and staff worked together on its wording.
“We just wanted them to know that we were thinking of them today. It can be a time of great excitement, but for some children, it can be a time of great disappointment.
“I’m sure the same compassion and sentiment will be evident in primary schools across Northern Ireland this weekend.”
Among those who took to Twitter to praise the letter was the Michaela Foundation.
Sending love & prayers to everyone who received results today. This letter from Harmony Hill in Lisburn is x pic.twitter.com/7LuKfielrQ
— Michaela Foundation (@michaelafound) January 30, 2016Yvonne Craig, who sits on the school’s Board of Governors, said the sentiment of the letter was “typical of Harmony Hill”.
“There’s almost 600 pupils and Harry Greer knows every one of them by name, it’s that type of place. There’s been two terrible tragedies in the past year with the death of two pupils and the amount of care and support given to the children and their families has been unbelievable,” she said.
“Mr Greer is due to retire and I don’t know how they will replace him.”
Almost 15,000 10 and 11-year-old P7 pupils across Northern Ireland sat the transfer tests – another rise on 2015/16. The two testing systems – GL Assessment exams used mostly for selection by Catholic grammars and AQE exams which are largely used by controlled schools - have been in place since 2008, when the 11-plus exam was scrapped by the Department of Education.
