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If you didn't get the exam grades you were expecting, blame your parents.

Scientists have revealed that the differences in GCSE scores are largely down to DNA.

A study of more than 6,500 pairs of twins showed that variations in grades in English, maths and science papers could largely be explained by the mix of genes passed from parents to child.

Scientists have found that over three fifths of a child's intelligence is passed down from the parents – much more than previously believed. Pupils taking their GCSEs are pictured

Some 62 per cent of the difference in scores across the group was down to DNA. The other 38 per cent can be explained by 'environmental' factors.

This term covers a large range of things from upbringing to health and diet.

But while genes – or nature – are more important than nurture, it is not all about intelligence.

Many other factors, including personality and behaviour, are also influenced by our genes – and affect exam scores.

Even what we think of our teachers, can to some degree be traced back to our genes, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (MUST CREDIT) reports.

The researchers, from King's College London, studied more than 6,500 pairs of twins.

The teenagers were given intelligence tests and quizzed on a whole range of subjects including personality traits, behaviour and their self-belief in their ability.

This science behind this is complicated but it allows the researchers to work out how important genes are compared to other factors

They were also asked about their attitude towards school and their teachers and whether they perceived their homelife to be chaotic and if their parents gave them enough support with their schoolwork.

The researchers then compared the answers of identical twins, who share all their DNA, with those of the non-identical twins, who are no more genetically alike than other siblings.

The science behind this is complicated but it allows the researchers to work out how important genes are compared to other factors.

They also factored in the children's GCSE results.

The analysis showed genes to be involved in everything from intelligence, to self-belief and a child's perception of its home and school-life.

And that all of these things counted towards exam scores.

Researcher Eva Krapohl, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's, says: 'Previous work has already established that educational achievement is heritable.

'In this study, we wanted to find out why that is. What our study shows is that the heritability of educational achievement is much more than just intelligence – it is the combination of many traits which are all heritable to different extents.

'It is important to point out that heritability does not mean that anything is set in stone. It simply means that children differ in how easy and enjoyable they find learning and that much of these differences are influenced by genetics.'

The researchers say children may benefit from more individualised learning – with lessons more tailored towards their needs.

It may be that it is also possible to improve exam results by trying to boost a child's self-confidence or change their perception of how well they are taught or how supportive their parents are.

However, they say that the finding that nature is more important than nurture doesn't mean that teachers aren't important.

For instance, a child would never learn to read without being taught the basics.

Researcher Kaili Rimfeld, said: ' Finding that educational achievement is heritable certainly does not mean that teachers, parents or schools aren't important.'

They also say that teenagers shouldn't use the finding that exam success is largely in their genes to give up.

This is because the 62 per cent figure is for differences between children's scores across the population as a whole. Where any one child is concerned, genes may have a much smaller – or a much larger – influence on how well they do.