2026 SQA exams - is there a thread?

YouBelongWithMe · 2026-04-08T17:49:32+00:00

I can't see a thread so am starting it! Last year my DS went through a mix of Hs and AH in S6 and now is finishing first year of uni. It's now the middle child's turn - she's sitting six Highers in S5, and they're all packed in over about thirteen days! She's totally finished by the 11th. Can't believe they've come round so fast.

Chocolateporridge · 08/04/2026 23:21

Thanks for starting this! My DD is doing her Nat5s this year.

LaughingLemur · 09/04/2026 07:24

My youngest is in S5 doing 5 Highers and finished by the 18th May. Luckily more spaced out than 6 Highers in 13 days which sounds tough.

TartanMammy · 09/04/2026 09:19

Nat 5s here. First on 24th April and last 28th May.

I remember revising constantly through the Easter holidays at his age but he's done about half an hour of past paper questions so far. I'm trying not to nag, but gently encourage but it's going in one ear and out the other. He says he'll go to eater school next week.

cazzyg · 09/04/2026 09:54

Last year going through this for us. Two AH and one Higher. DC slightly less motivated than in S4 and S5 with an unconditional offer for their preferred choice of uni.

RausageSoul · 09/04/2026 12:02

S5 highers here, and Mumsnet threads were so invaluable to me last year for nat5!

higher maths is destroying our house, from an A at nat5 to a failed prelim. I’m trying to be as supportive as possible but oh my goodness the leap is awful.

Original poster

YouBelongWithMe · 09/04/2026 19:20

RausageSoul · 09/04/2026 12:02

S5 highers here, and Mumsnet threads were so invaluable to me last year for nat5!

higher maths is destroying our house, from an A at nat5 to a failed prelim. I’m trying to be as supportive as possible but oh my goodness the leap is awful.

I actually think it's insane how much harder Higher maths is compared to other subjects.

I'm a teacher and the sheer volume of kids who are doing AH in other subjects but can't pass N5 maths is mad. It just seems harder than other subjects, comparatively, at every level.

My son went from an A at N5 Maths to a C in his Higher in S5. Re-sat last year and got an A, thankfully.

OP posts:

StrictlyCoffee · 09/04/2026 19:27

5th and final year of exams here over 2 kids! Youngest is in s6 and sitting 3 highers on top of the 3 he did last year. He’s got ASD and his education has been a shitshow for most of it so to think he’s on the cusp of leaving with 6 highers is amazing. College next for him, then hopefully uni after. He’s got an unconditional for his favoured course.

craigth162 · 09/04/2026 19:31

RausageSoul · 09/04/2026 12:02

S5 highers here, and Mumsnet threads were so invaluable to me last year for nat5!

higher maths is destroying our house, from an A at nat5 to a failed prelim. I’m trying to be as supportive as possible but oh my goodness the leap is awful.

Similar here...A at nat 5 maths and scraped a C for prelim. Have done a 2nd and 3rd prelim and up to a B now so fingers crossed that keeps up.

craigth162 · 09/04/2026 19:32

Ds1 is in s5 and sitting 5 highers. Well spread out and ends 19th may. Don't feel hes done as much work as he had at this point for nat 5s. But he is endlessly confident....

tetleyhead · 09/04/2026 19:32

RausageSoul · 09/04/2026 12:02

S5 highers here, and Mumsnet threads were so invaluable to me last year for nat5!

higher maths is destroying our house, from an A at nat5 to a failed prelim. I’m trying to be as supportive as possible but oh my goodness the leap is awful.

Same!!!!

craigth162 · 09/04/2026 19:34

My sons school (which does not have great attainment tbh) has ran 'maths camp' last 2 years. He went this year and loved it. Basically a weekend away at pgl adventure place where they did combination of maths studying and outdoor fun stuff.

Appin · 09/04/2026 19:36

Four Highers in this house, a cluster at the start then a decent break before History. Which will be very much needed!

StrictlyCoffee · 09/04/2026 19:37

My eldest was good at maths, A at N5 and H and B at AH (eased off the gas a bit) and now doing a maths degree. My youngest did maths apps instead, B at n5 and H, which suited him better and thankfully sufficient for his current career plan.

Original poster

YouBelongWithMe · 09/04/2026 20:11

My middle one (the only one with SQA exams this year) is good at maths too. A at N5, predicted an A at H, lots of surprise she's not taking AH. But the teacher is quite open that at least half the class are failing 😕

I am nervous about the pressure of six Highers in one year, so packed together. And she appears to have booked concerts at the Hydro the night before two of them...

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sociableintrovert123 · 09/04/2026 20:16

My DS is doing his Nat 5s and has been studying for a few months so hopefully he’ll do ok. He’s confident but not sure if that confidence is misplaced! I’m now stressing about the jump to a higher maths. The school had warned us and recommended only those pupils who achieved an A or B in nat5 maths should progress to higher.

Original poster

YouBelongWithMe · 09/04/2026 20:19

sociableintrovert123 · 09/04/2026 20:16

My DS is doing his Nat 5s and has been studying for a few months so hopefully he’ll do ok. He’s confident but not sure if that confidence is misplaced! I’m now stressing about the jump to a higher maths. The school had warned us and recommended only those pupils who achieved an A or B in nat5 maths should progress to higher.

Statistically this is accurate.

I can't remember if this is specific to my subject or to SQA qualifications broadly, but only 1 in 3 N5 C-level passes translate into a pass at Higher. The odds are against you.

OP posts:

RausageSoul · 09/04/2026 20:25

YouBelongWithMe · 09/04/2026 19:20

I actually think it's insane how much harder Higher maths is compared to other subjects.

I'm a teacher and the sheer volume of kids who are doing AH in other subjects but can't pass N5 maths is mad. It just seems harder than other subjects, comparatively, at every level.

My son went from an A at N5 Maths to a C in his Higher in S5. Re-sat last year and got an A, thankfully.

Show quote history

we’ve already looked at the options for S6 and resitting Maths isn’t impossible but not ideal! I’m trying to stress that locking in now will mean she has it on the bag for life (and uni) then can ceremoniously bin the calculator 😂

TartanMammy · 09/04/2026 23:30

Ds is doing nat5 maths but they started the higher course in January, to give them a headstart on it. He's good at maths so hopefully will be fine when he comes to it next year.

English is another story, his teacher told us only 29% who get an A at nat5 will even pass at higher (for their school). That was pretty shocking to me. He has not taken higher English and neither have most of his friends, he may pick it up again in s6 after he's got his 5 highers in S5, but he saw it as too much of a risk if he needs 5 highers in one sitting.

Original poster

YouBelongWithMe · 10/04/2026 00:49

TartanMammy · 09/04/2026 23:30

Ds is doing nat5 maths but they started the higher course in January, to give them a headstart on it. He's good at maths so hopefully will be fine when he comes to it next year.

English is another story, his teacher told us only 29% who get an A at nat5 will even pass at higher (for their school). That was pretty shocking to me. He has not taken higher English and neither have most of his friends, he may pick it up again in s6 after he's got his 5 highers in S5, but he saw it as too much of a risk if he needs 5 highers in one sitting.

OMG what a statistic!!! That is woeful!!! I'd be so embarrassed if I was teaching in that department.

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sociableintrovert123 · 10/04/2026 08:50

@TartanMammywhat? We’ve not been told anything like that for English. It’s not my DS’s best subject but he hopefully should get an A in the Nat 5 and I was encouraged when his English teacher told us there’s no reason he shouldn’t get an A in the higher. She didn’t mention anything about higher English being challenging. Luckily the English dept at my DS’s school is amazing. I have a bit of a girl crush on his teacher and I’m always walking on air after chatting to her at parent’s evening. She’s so enthusiastic and inspiring. ☺️

hopingtolose · 10/04/2026 13:36

5 highers here, including the dreaded Higher Maths. DD1 got an A at Nat5 but a C in the Higher prelim (1 mark off a B!) and she’s worried about the actual exam. I keep saying she just needs to scrap an extra handful
of marks to get a B which would be amazing. She is working hard at it but it is a slog.

we have 2 exams back to back at the start but thankfully the rest are well spaced out.

BoarBrush · 10/04/2026 13:41

We've got one dd doing highers and one dd doing Nat5. Our school actually hasn't even sent out the timetable yet, guess I better go look it up myself. Bit worried about dd2, she's not had an English teacher at all this year.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 10/04/2026 17:25

3 x AHs here, and applying to English uni’s so the grades matter. Thankfully spread quite well across the timetable. All his friends are trotting off to Glasgow with their unconditional offers tucked in their back pocket and have dropped one of their AHs, so it’s tough being the one in the group that really has to knuckle down!

Chocolateforbreakfasttoday · 10/04/2026 17:47

This was a great thread last year so I’m happy it’s back! 5 Highers in this house this year. She did 5 Nat As and a higher in S4. She’s had a really tough year with a number of things and school have been incredibly supportive and backed off from their predictions/ expectations. She’s predicted 3As and 2Bs which would be great but I do know she really wants 5 As. Just have to make sure that things don’t tip too far when she’s studying and she becomes ill again.

MrsMattSantos · 10/04/2026 19:28

another one here with DD doing Nat5s - six in all which are actually really spread out from April 22 (Spanish) to May 28 (Italian) Doing well at those - and got full marks in both the oral assessments. Also doing art, history and maths and English - with the last two being her weakest. But we’ve just started with a maths tutor so hopefully that can help her…