Angela Constance faces Higher maths inquiry calls

THE Scottish Government is facing calls for an “urgent review” of this year’s Higher Maths exam amid claims the paper was “flawed and too difficult”.

Pupils sit a preliminary maths exam at Williamwood High School, Glasgow. Picture: TSPL

Labour’s Iain Gray has written to education secretary Angela Constance, citing the “exceptional circumstance” of this year’s exam.

Nicola Sturgeon came under fire from opposition leaders at First Ministers’ Questions over the row. More than 17,000 parents and teachers have signed a petition in protest after pupils were left in tears over the exam.

Mr Gray’s letter states: “This is rather more than a slightly harder than usual exam.

Education Secretary Angela Constance MSP. Picture: Jon Savage

“Teachers have raised concerns about the availability of exemplars, and the differences between prelims and the paper itself. This is clearly an exceptional circumstance.”

“I am writing to suggest that you appoint someone, with experience of national examinations, external to the SQA to carry out an urgent review of the problems and report to you on what went wrong.”

The Scottish Qualifications Authority has said no candidate will be “disadvantaged” if any exam paper is proven to be harder than intended.