Scottish exams: Fears over 'too hard' biology papers may be misplaced

Concerns that this year's biology exam papers were too difficult may have been misplaced, according to figures from Scottish exams agency the SQA.

Thousands of people signed a petition complaining that the National 5 and Higher papers were too hard.

However, it has now emerged that the marks needed to achieve particular grades were within the normal boundaries.

This suggests the papers were around the right level of difficulty.

In recent years there have been a number of social media outcries where some candidates have complained that an exam paper was too hard or did not meet their expectations.

In 2015, this proved to be an early sign of a serious problem with the Higher Maths exam and the pass mark was reduced to just 35%.

One of the biology questions from this year's papers

This year, National 5 biology candidates needed 59 marks out of 125 to pass while Higher candidates required 73 marks out of a possible 150.

Although those pass marks were below 50%, this is quite normal.

Last year National 5 biology candidates needed 63 marks out of 125 to pass and Higher candidates needed 55 marks out of a possible 120.

The pass marks and marks needed for particular grades vary every year from subject to subject in an effort to ensure consistency.

Inevitably papers can always prove harder or easier than anticipated. The grade boundaries are set once the papers have been marked to take this into account, in part to help reassure candidates.

Broadly speaking a pass mark of between around 45 and 55 percent for National 5s and Highers is not unusual.

The pass mark for Higher English this year was 48%, while the Higher maths pass mark was 44%.

A full analysis of the papers will be published later this year.