11/06/2026
A note on Tuesday's Leaving Certificate Biology paper 📋
The State Examinations Commission has issued an apology following an error in this week's Higher Level Biology paper — something I want to flag for any families with students who sat that exam.
Question 16(a) contained a labelling mistake in one of the diagrams: both labels read 2n when one should have read n — a distinction that matters in biology. The good news is the SEC has confirmed this will be fully accounted for by the chief examiner when the marking scheme is finalised, so no student should be disadvantaged.
The SEC also addressed questions circulating online about AI involvement in paper-setting. They confirmed clearly: no AI software or applications were used in developing any part of the 2026 Biology paper, including its graphics.
For students who attempted Question 16(a) — this is not something to worry about. The marking process will absorb the error. If your child is concerned, I'm happy to talk it through.