The 2026 National 5 Maths course report gives some useful guidance for pupils preparing for future exams.
One of the most important messages is that pupils should prepare for the full range of skills in the course, rather than relying only on questions that have appeared in recent past papers.
In fact, some pupils were still calculating the semi-interquartile range (SIQR), which was replaced by the interquartile range (IQR) as a mandatory National 5 skill from 2021–22 onwards – a real shame if they had been relying heavily on older past papers.
This is something I emphasise in tuition. Past papers are extremely useful, but good exam preparation also means being able to recognise a familiar maths skill when it appears in a slightly different or unfamiliar question.
A good example is interpreting statistics.
For questions involving the median and interquartile range, I encourage pupils to remember:
MEDIAN → think AVERAGE
IQR → think HOW SPREAD OUT
For example:
The café had a lower median, so on average the waiting time was lower. The café had a higher interquartile range, so its waiting times were more spread out.
It is also important to refer back to the context of the question rather than simply stating that one median or IQR is higher or lower.
Small changes in exam technique like this can make a real difference to the marks pupils pick up.
I provide one-to-one online National 5 and Higher Maths tuition for pupils across Scotland, with a strong focus on exam technique, challenging questions and preparation for prelims and final National Qualifications.
A small number of weekly tuition spaces are currently available.
Mrs Brown Maths | Online Maths Tutor Scotland 
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