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Original poster

ABRSM - no results for exams done

63 replies

MrsKypp · 20/03/2020 21:00

I have seen there's a thread about the exams that have now been cancelled.

This is about not getting results back for exams that were already done before the cancellation date.

Are the ABRSM not going to let people know their results?

They say on their website that results should be published within a week; however, it'll be 3 weeks on Monday for us.

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 25/03/2020 17:52

Thanks for the replies. She was quite confident after the exam. We were originally aiming for the Nov 19 date but she had a major panic wobble so we left it. I had got her the 2019 past papers so when she did that November 19 paper in Feb, she got merit, close to distinction so hopefully she did read everything thoroughly and checked in the real thing.

Londonmummy66 · 25/03/2020 18:15

For the theory exams usually all the results are issued on the same day. I would expect it to take a bit longer this year as they will need to send scripts around the place for marking.

For practical exams it has always been a bit hit and miss - it can depend on how quickly the examiners' mark sheets get back to ABRSM. I've known of people taking exams on the same day in different centres with more than 2 weeks difference in getting the marks.

Alsoplayspiccolo · 25/03/2020 18:56

Londonmummy, I'd expect the digital aspect to have changed timescale differences, though?

Alsoplayspiccolo · 25/03/2020 18:58

Forgot to say - theory exams take 6 weeks of so, I think. There will be a results date on the website.

BikeRunSki · 25/03/2020 19:24

@MrsKypp, 10 days, but there had only bet. 2 days of exams at the venue before they were cancelled. I imagine that the examiner reported his results pretty quickly.

BikeRunSki · 25/03/2020 20:38

@MrsKypp - it’s normally about 3 weeks

Original poster
MrsKypp · 26/03/2020 14:39

@Glittertwins

I'll keep my fingers crossed for her!

@Londonmummy66

Thanks for the information about the timing of the results. I hadn't know it was like that and had assumed it'd be more like school exams when everyone hears on the same day.

@Alsoplayspiccolo

That's what I would have though too - that it being digital would speed it up a lot.

It's 24 days now for us now.

@BikeRunSki

That's interesting. I only know we were on the very first day of the whole spring exam session, 2 March.

Hope you can enjoy the sunshine a bit where you are, even if it's only through the window.

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 26/03/2020 14:51

Thank you 🙂

BikeRunSki · 26/03/2020 15:44

@MrsKypp, good luck, whenever that result comes. DS was only taking G2, and scored bang in the middle if his grade. Maybe higher grades, or borderline students, will take longer?

Original poster
MrsKypp · 27/03/2020 12:49

@BikeRunSki

Thanks :-)

Still no news - teacher checked online this morning and it still shows "pending"

25 days now.

Hope you're all safe and well.

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Original poster
MrsKypp · 30/03/2020 12:04

4 weeks today now.

They really shouldn't have told them they would get their results within a week...

Eldest just got unconditional offer at great uni. He's over the moon, but the world is clearly not the same as it was and the universities seem to be panicking.

OP posts:
rosie561 · 30/03/2020 12:16

I've been waiting for results for my students from the 7th and 9th march (two separate schools, results aren't coming direct to me) and the administrator has just sent the ones for the 7th so hopefully they are starting to trickle through today. I'm also waiting on a G5 theory result too (impatiently!)

Original poster
MrsKypp · 30/03/2020 12:58

@rosie561

Thanks for letting us know.

So if you heard about an exam on 7th, they really should let us know soon about exams on 2nd.

Hope your results are what you were hoping for!

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsKypp · 31/03/2020 14:43

Still waiting.

29 days now.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsKypp · 01/04/2020 11:15

OK, 30 days now, so 4.5 weeks.

Monday 2 March and now it's Wednesday 1st April.

They really shouldn't have told the children they'd hear within a week.

OP posts:
Jazzytulips · 01/04/2020 18:46

My DS did his on the 13th March and got result 3 days later. My DD did hers a week earlier on the 6th March and we are still waiting. I thought it was just us but clearly a national problem. I hope it is just administrative due to many people wfh. Hopefully all the examiners are ok.

Original poster
MrsKypp · 01/04/2020 18:54

Good luck to your DD. I hope she hears soon and is happy with the result.

My sons' teacher has been told that there is a technical problem.

I also hope the examiners are ok.

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 01/04/2020 20:31

DD's teacher told me yesterday that the results would be delayed but wasn't told by how much. I really hope she's done ok.

Original poster
MrsKypp · 01/04/2020 21:16

@Glittertwins

Where did your daughter do her exam, approx region? We are in (the north of) Surrey.

OP posts:
Glittertwins · 01/04/2020 23:39

We are Herts

Couchpotato3 · 01/04/2020 23:52

ABRSM exam results have always been very variable. I've known everything from 6 days to 6 weeks. I think a lot depends on how quickly the examiner returns the mark sheets (sometimes you get get lucky, if they are at the end of the exam session, they might put them in the post the same evening, or they could wait a week or more). Goodness knows what happens when the sheets then go to ABRSM central, but they have various quality control processes and a certain number of them get held up for moderation, and staffing issues have an effect on delays as well.

I should think the ABRSM and other exam boards are probably deluged with queries right now, and they will have to process a whole heap of refunds for people whose exams are cancelled as well. No doubt they are struggling with all the same issues as the rest of us - people off sick, working from home and so on.

They usually issue the certificates at the same time as the mark sheets, but perhaps those can only be printed off at their offices (they are quite fancy) - so any number of reasons why results could be delayed (although they do publish the results online first.

I think in these uncertain times, the best thing you can do is put it to the back of your mind and be grateful that your child actually managed to sit their exam. At least they will get a result, as opposed to all those who did the work, were all ready and then had the rug pulled from under them.

Notcontent · 02/04/2020 09:15

Couch potato - that’s a very good point. My dd did the g5 theory exam on 4 March and we just felt grateful that it was just before the whole situation escalated... it would have been really disappointing if that exam had been cancelled.

MrsKypp · 02/04/2020 14:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MrsKypp · 02/04/2020 14:26

PLEASE IGNORE THE POST ABOVE - I DIDN'T DO THE QUOTES CORRECTLY!

@Couchpotato3

Thanks for your reply.

I couldn't agree more with you about being incredibly lucky we were early in the session and so the exams went ahead. I mentioned that earlier on in this thread and still feel we were very, very fortunate.

ABRSM exam results have always been very variable. I've known everything from 6 days to 6 weeks. I think a lot depends on how quickly the examiner returns the mark sheets (sometimes you get get lucky, if they are at the end of the exam session, they might put them in the post the same evening, or they could wait a week or more)

That was before they digitalised the marking process. This time, the examiner was using an iPad /laptop, and didn't need to post anything in.

We were told on the day that we'd get the results within a week. The ABRSM website says the same.

I should think the ABRSM and other exam boards are probably deluged with queries right now, and they will have to process a whole heap of refunds for people whose exams are cancelled as well. No doubt they are struggling with all the same issues as the rest of us - people off sick, working from home and so on.

Yes, I think so too.

However, my 3 did their exams over 2 weeks before the session stopped. So there's no explanation as to why the results weren't published within the time frame the ABRSM said.

My kids did theirs on 2 March, it wasn't till 17 or 18 March that the exams stopped due to Covid-19.

They usually issue the certificates at the same time as the mark sheets, but perhaps those can only be printed off at their offices (they are quite fancy) - so any number of reasons why results could be delayed (although they do publish the results online first

We don't mind about not receiving the mark sheets or certificates. They can do that in 2022 if they want.

I think in these uncertain times, the best thing you can do is put it to the back of your mind and be grateful that your child actually managed to sit their exam. At least they will get a result, as opposed to all those who did the work, were all ready and then had the rug pulled from under them.

I am, and my kids are grateful.

The one I was most concerned about is the eldest who has missed out on doing his A-levels. But, since starting this thread he has received an unconditional offer from a top world class uni (no name to maintain privacy) to study a difficult subject. He hadn't thought he'd got a chance when he applied. I don't think his music exam matters to him now.

It's for the (much) younger ones now. They could seriously do with something nice to celebrate.

But, again, you are 100% correct in that we are the lucky ones here, and the children whose exams were cancelled had a far more disappointing experience.

I know it's only a music exam, but mine had all worked hard and care about these things. They are children.

@Notcontent

Totally agree we were lucky. Good luck! I hope your DD gets the result she was hoping for. At least for the theory exams, we are within the ABRSM result timeframe.

OP posts:
Couchpotato3 · 02/04/2020 14:29

Congratulations to your son, great news :-)