Examination body admits Higher Maths exam was 'too hard'

News story here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-33760350

Grade boundaries were adjusted after it was realised the exam was too hard.

How hard did you find the exam and what grade did you get?

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Reply 1

Doones

Original post by She-Ra

News story here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-33760350

Grade boundaries were adjusted after it was realised the exam was too hard.

How hard did you find the exam and what grade did you get?

I wonder how much harder was it? Article doesn't say by how much they had to rescale the raw marking.

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Reply 2

She-Ra

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by jneill

I wonder how much harder was it? Article doesn't say by how much they had to rescale the raw marking.

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I wonder too......

All the OCR science students will be praying the same happens for them ahead of next week!

Just posted up the grade boundaries thread for SQA :smile:

Reply 3

ClintFuk

New Higher Maths A - 60% (78 Marks)
Old Higher Maths A - 68% (89 Marks)

Both papers were the same though. Where do they find the discrepancy of 11 marks?

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Reply 4

username1283138

Original post by ClintFuk

New Higher Maths A - 60% (78 Marks)
Old Higher Maths A - 68% (89 Marks)

Both papers were the same though. Where do they find the discrepancy of 11 marks?

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wow.....
Since the cfe higher is a completely new qualification?
There is a separate petition for cfe higher maths?
The new higher has an extra question?

Reply 5

Hype en Ecosse

Original post by ClintFuk

New Higher Maths A - 60% (78 Marks)
Old Higher Maths A - 68% (89 Marks)

Both papers were the same though. Where do they find the discrepancy of 11 marks?

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Dude, that's insane.

Reply 6

Puzzled_Logician

Original post by She-Ra

I wonder too......

All the OCR and AQA science students will be praying the same happens for them ahead of next week!

Just posted up the grade boundaries thread for SQA :smile:

FTFY

Terrified about A level results day :s-smilie:

, but I'll not hijack this thread...

How did everyone find the SQA results? (I'm hoping if people are happy, it'll calm me a bit...)

Reply 7

langlitz

Original post by ClintFuk

New Higher Maths A - 60% (78 Marks)
Old Higher Maths A - 68% (89 Marks)

Both papers were the same though. Where do they find the discrepancy of 11 marks?

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Wow. 60% for an A? What a joke

Reply 8

SausageMan

Calculator Paper for those interested, couldn't find non-calc paper:

Attachment not found

I got a B.

I'm finding it so unfair that the new higher has only 60% for an A but the new higher is 68%. They were both just as difficult with at least half of the questions being the same.

Reply 10

DustToDust

Edexcel maths please be this kind :smile:

)))

Reply 11

Windies

Original post by ClintFuk

New Higher Maths A - 60% (78 Marks)
Old Higher Maths A - 68% (89 Marks)

Both papers were the same though. Where do they find the discrepancy of 11 marks?

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These days you have people on Twitter moaning to @Edexcel @OCR @AQA just to lower grade boundaries.

Reply 12

Rainbownightlock

Ha! Finally they admit it was too hard.
I sat the old Higher Maths and was distraught by the difficulty of the two papers, with the second being the worst. Well it turns out that I got an A anyway, but I still know some people who didn't.
I must say that I'm a bit surprised by the differences in the A boundaries. The old Higher was only 2% below the "normal" A percentage?
Very strange.

Reply 13

andrew157

I don't think it's been mentioned since not many people take it, but this year's AH Stats paper was also incredibly difficult. The A mark is 57%.

Reply 14

Jeff548

Im not being rude, just curious since i only just got nat 5 results...
The new higher maths pass mark for a C grade was 34% WHAT!?!?!?!?!?! I know people in the year above me who would've gotten 34% in the pre lim and wouldn't be allowed to sit the final exam but that in the sqa exam would get them a C!
Just my personal opinions isn't this extremely low or was it really impossible as i don't know since i didn't sit it

Reply 15

Jammy Duel

SausageMan's photos aren't sharp enough to see, but to me it just looks like "too hard" means "I have to actually think" or "I need an excuse for my failings"

Reply 16

rhiifuu

Original post by Nysm1501

I'm finding it so unfair that the new higher has only 60% for an A but the new higher is 68%. They were both just as difficult with at least half of the questions being the same.

They also take into account how well people actually did. It could be others did better in the Old Higher Maths than those doing the new Higher Maths. There's a lot of factors involved :tongue:

Reply 17

Higherdude

Original post by Jammy Duel

SausageMan's photos aren't sharp enough to see, but to me it just looks like "too hard" means "I have to actually think" or "I need an excuse for my failings"

I actually thought the exam was hard and i got an A.

Tbh, i believe the SQA should have made it fairer on old higher pupils. But... Nothing i can do about that.

Reply 18

King of the Ring

Original post by She-Ra

News story here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-33760350

Grade boundaries were adjusted after it was realised the exam was too hard.

How hard did you find the exam and what grade did you get?

I think students and everyone else should quit whinging about this exam being too hard. Everyone who sat the paper was in the same boat, and results will reflect the abilities of each student for once.