TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY-SCIENCE-CHEMISTRY-B-J258 · Cambridge OCR GCSE (9–1)
TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY-SCIENCE-CHEMISTRY-B-J258/41
Depth in Chemistry (Higher Tier)
Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B · June 2022 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.2 / 5
360
420 min
Bonding, Structure, and Rates of Reaction
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
360
Duration
420 min
Session difficulty
3.2 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The June 2022 examination papers across both Foundation and Higher Tiers offered a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B specification.
The overall difficulty index is rated as 3/5 (Medium), with Breadth papers testing rapid recall and baseline calculations, while Depth papers demanded higher-order application, experimental design, and extended prose in Level of Response questions.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level 9
Approx. 69% of maximum mark
Level 8
Approx. 61% of maximum mark
Level 7
Approx. 52% of maximum mark
Level 6
Approx. 42% of maximum mark
Level 5
Approx. 32% of maximum mark
Level 4
Approx. 23% of maximum mark
Level 3
Approx. 18% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
No data available in official reports
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
How do bonding and structure affect properties of materials?
42 marks this session
How do chemists control the rate of reactions?
40 marks this session
Why is crude oil important as a source of new materials?
40 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
How do bonding and structure affect properties of materials?
How do chemists control the rate of reactions?
Why is crude oil important as a source of new materials?
How do bonding and structure affect properties of materials? (Material choices)
How do chemists control the rate of reactions? (Making useful chemicals)
How has the Earth’s atmosphere changed over time, and why? (Air and water)
How are the amounts of chemicals in solution measured? (Chemical analysis)
What is the evidence for climate change, why is it occurring? (Air and water)
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
J258/01 Breadth in Chemistry (Foundation Tier): J258/02 Depth in Chemistry (Foundation Tier): J258/03 Breadth in Chemistry (Higher Tier): J258/04 Depth in Chemistry (Higher Tier):
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
How do bonding and structure affect properties of materials?
42 marks this session
Practise in RevuiHow do chemists control the rate of reactions?
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiWhy is crude oil important as a source of new materials?
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The June 2022 examination papers across both Foundation and Higher Tiers offered a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B specification.
- 2Message
The overall difficulty index is rated as 3/5 (Medium), with Breadth papers testing rapid recall and baseline calculations, while Depth papers demanded higher-order application, experimental design, and extended prose in Level of Response questions.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2022 2022
Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B
The June 2022 examination papers across both Foundation and Higher Tiers offered a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B specification. The overall difficulty index is rated as 3/5 (Medium), with Breadth papers testing rapid recall
The June 2022 examination papers across both Foundation and Higher Tiers offered a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B specification.
The overall difficulty index is rated as 3/5 (Medium), with Breadth papers testing rapid recall and baseline calculations, while Depth papers demanded higher-order application, experimental design, and extended prose in Level of Response questions.
- Total marks
- 360
- Duration
- 420 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.2 / 5
Session analysis
The June 2022 examination papers across both Foundation and Higher Tiers offered a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B specification. The overall difficulty index is rated as 3/5 (Medium), with Breadth papers testing rapid recall and baseline calculations, while Depth papers demanded higher-order application, experimental design, and extended prose in Level of Response questions.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
J258/01 Breadth in Chemistry (Foundation Tier): J258/02 Depth in Chemistry (Foundation Tier): J258/03 Breadth in Chemistry (Higher Tier): J258/04 Depth in Chemistry (Higher Tier):
Top chapters
GCSE (9-1) Chemistry B J258 Exam Analysis
The June 2022 examination papers across both Foundation and Higher Tiers offered a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the Twenty First Century Science Chemistry B specification. The overall difficulty index is rated as 3/5 (Medium), with Breadth papers testing rapid recall and baseline calculations, while Depth papers demanded higher-order application, experimental design, and extended prose in Level of Response questions.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 45min
- Total marks
- 90
- Weighting
- 50%
- Question types
- Multiple Choice / Tick Box, Short Answer / Structured, Calculations, Level of Response (Extended Writing)
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.