Hey students! If you’re sitting the WJEC Double Award Maths and Numeracy GCSE, this post is for you. We’ll break down the exam structure, give you an overview of each paper and share top tips for revising effectively. Let’s dive in! 🚀
📑 How Many Papers Are There?
For the Double Award, you’ll sit three papers in total:
You’ll be chosen to sit either the foundation or higher paper, so make sure you know which one you’re entered for!
This qualification covers four big areas of maths that are super important for everyday life and future learning:
💡 Why does this matter?
All these areas are connected! For example, solving a real-life problem might need number skills, a bit of algebra and some geometry all at once. That’s why the exam mixes these topics across the different papers - because maths in the real world isn’t split into neat boxes!
📑 Paper 1: Financial Mathematics and Other Applications of Numeracy
⏰Duration:
🏆Marks:
📌Content:
Focus: Everyday numeracy, financial literacy, interpreting bills, budgeting, percentages, ratio and proportional reasoning. Calculator allowed.
Skills:
Basic money management: income, expenditure, budgeting, value for money.
Percentages and ratio in financial contexts (e.g., discounts, simple interest, best-buy problems).
Reading and interpreting bills, tariffs, payslips, bank statements.
Basic metric units and practical measures (mass, distance, capacity, time).
Using calculators accurately for everyday calculations.
Simple problem-solving involving household finances and workplace situations.
Focus: Advanced financial contexts and reasoning.
Skills:
Ratio and proportion in real-life contexts.
Content includes:
Greater emphasis on justification, mathematical reasoning, and evaluating real-world scenarios.
❓Question Types:
Each tier’s written paper will include a mix of short and extended questions, both structured and unstructured. These questions can assess any content assigned to the unit and will be presented in personal or other real-world contexts.
✅ Foundation Tier
Common Question Types
Completing bank statements: credits, debits, balances.
Time, distance and speed problems; converting units (e.g., miles ↔ kilometres).
Everyday cost problems: fencing, shopping totals, area-based costs.
Value-for-money comparisons; reading simple bar charts or tables to compare prices.
Volume, capacity and measurement questions involving 2D/3D shapes.
Survey and sampling questions: evaluating a questionnaire or sampling method.
Multi-step real-life numeracy problems combining several skills.
Ratio and sharing questions: dividing costs or quantities according to a ratio.
✅ Higher Tier
Common Question Types:
Multi-step real-life financial problems (wages, tax, budgeting, bills).
Compound interest, savings growth, loans, percentage change over time.
Best-value comparisons using tables, graphs or contextual information.
Currency conversion and international pricing.
Area/volume-based cost problems (painting, tiling, filling containers, materials).
Interpreting real-world charts/tables linked to finance (earnings, time–distance graphs, tariffs).
Problems involving time, speed, distance, map scales and bearings.
Ratio and proportion in realistic scenarios (sharing profit, splitting costs, proportional recipes).
Evaluating statistical claims presented in media/surveys.
Multi-step worded tasks requiring explanation and reasoning.
📖 Paper 2: Non-Calculator
⏰Duration:
🏆Marks:
📌Content:
Mental arithmetic and estimation.
Probability and simple statistics.
Content includes:
✅ Higher Tier
Geometry: circle theorems, transformations, loci.
Trigonometry without a calculator.
Content includes:
More advanced algebraic manipulation (though this is not the main focus of the paper).
Negative/fractional indices; more complex number properties.
Advanced geometric reasoning, including multi-step proofs or justifications.
Trigonometry (non-calculator) including exact values for key angles.
More complex area/volume problems and compound shapes.
Error bounds and accuracy.
More sophisticated probability including combined events (non-calculator methods).
❓Question Types:
Each tier’s written paper will contain a range of short and extended questions, including both structured and unstructured formats. Questions may cover any part of the unit’s subject content and will include a mixture of context-free items as well as questions set in mathematical and real-world scenarios.
✅ Foundation Tier
Common Question Types:
Basic number work: ordering numbers, rounding, working with negatives, writing numbers in words.
Shape recognition: identifying triangles, quadrilaterals, and properties such as equal sides or angles.
Interpreting simple data tables and comparing values.
Simple probability: cards, counters, equally likely outcomes, basic combined events.
Coordinate work: reading points on a grid; checking if a point lies on a line.
Basic algebra: substitution, simplifying expressions, solving simple linear equations.
Symmetry: identifying or drawing lines of symmetry; rotational symmetry.
Angle problems in simple diagrams.
Practical counting/packing problems: dividing objects into boxes, working out quantities without a calculator.
✅ Higher Tier
Common Question Types
Algebraic manipulation:
Expanding and factorising (including quadratics).
Simplifying complex algebraic expressions.
Rearranging equations and formulae
Solving equations:
Linear, simultaneous linear, and quadratic (non-factorisable via completing the square or using structure).
Surds: simplifying, rationalising denominators.
Exact trigonometric calculations using surds or special angles.
Indices and powers (including negative and fractional).
Number skills: estimation, bounds, error intervals, standard form.
Coordinate geometry without calculator: gradients, lines, midpoints, simple proofs.
Shape, angles, circle theorems (conceptual, reasoning-based).
Pythagoras and trigonometry (2D and sometimes 3D) without calculator.
Non-calculator fractions, ratios and proportional reasoning.
Multi-step algebraic/number problems requiring structured working and reasoning.
📖 Paper 3: Calculator-allowed
⏰Duration:
🏆Marks:
Foundation Tier - 75 marks (40% of total grade)
Higher Tier - 90 marks (40% of total grade)
📌Content:
Content includes:
Mean, median, mode, range; simple data representation (charts, tables, bar charts, pie charts).
Interpretation of real-life data sets.
Basic probability using tables, sample spaces, or frequency information.
Measures and units, including use of compound measures with calculator support.
Perimeter, area, volume of more complex shapes (compound shapes, cylinders).
Basic algebra in context: formulas, substitution, simple graphs.
Use of the calculator to carry out multi-step calculations safely and accurately.
Focus: Advanced problem-solving with technology.
Functions and graphs (including quadratic and exponential).
Advanced ratio, proportion, and scaling.
Statistical measures and interpretation of large data sets.
Content includes:
Advanced statistical analysis: cumulative frequency, box plots, histograms, scatter graphs and correlation.
More complex interpretation of data in context; critical evaluation of data sources.
Probability using tree diagrams, Venn diagrams and multi-stage events.
Trigonometry and Pythagoras in more complex geometrical contexts.
More demanding algebra and formula manipulation where calculator use is appropriate.
Multi-step problem-solving combining statistics, geometry and algebra.
Working with complex measures and real-life applied scenarios requiring structured reasoning.
❓Question Types:
Each tier’s written paper will contain a variety of short and longer questions, both structured and unstructured, covering any aspect of the unit’s subject content. It will feature a blend of real-world and other contextualised questions, alongside context-free questions.
✅ Foundation Tier
Common Question Types:
Core number skills: decimals, whole numbers, error-spotting in calculations.
Money problems: cost comparisons, best-value decisions, multi-item shopping problems.
Statistics: reading bar charts or frequency diagrams, calculating averages (mean, median), interpreting data.
Probability: simple and basic combined-event problems.
Geometry and measures:
Constructing triangles using ruler/protractor.
Bearings and map/scale drawings.
Area, perimeter, volume, density, unit conversions.
Algebra: solving simple equations, number-machine questions (input → output).
Multi-step mixed problems requiring reasoning across topics.
Questions assessing written mathematical reasoning and organisation, not just final answers.
✅ Higher Tier
Common Question Types
Quadratics:
Solving using the quadratic formula.
Completing the square.
Using quadratic graphs or context-based quadratic modelling.
Functions and graphs:
Composite functions, inverse functions (basic).
Interpreting nonlinear graphs in context.
Geometry & Measures:
3D geometry (cones, spheres, pyramids, frustums).
Surface area and volume of complex solids.
Circle geometry: sectors, arcs, segments.
Similarity and scale factors (area and volume scaling).
Bearings, scales, map-based navigation.
Trigonometry:
Sine rule, cosine rule, area of triangle formula.
3D trigonometry problems.
Statistics and Data Handling:
Histograms, cumulative frequency, box plots.
Comparing data sets: median, IQR, spread, context-based interpretation.
Using real statistical data to justify decisions.
Probability:
Tree diagrams (independent and dependent events).
Combined probabilities, conditional probability.
Listing outcomes, Venn diagrams, sets.
Advanced calculator-based number work:
Error bounds, significant figures, repeated calculations.
Multi-step modelling problems that combine algebra, geometry, probability or realistic data.
Reasoning and structured explanation marks included in longer tasks.
WJEC GCSE Maths and Numeracy Paper 3 Higher | Sample Paper
✨Here are some top tips to make your revision more effective:
Understand what topics belong to Maths vs Numeracy. Numeracy focuses on everyday applications, while Maths includes algebra and geometry. ✅
Past papers are your best friend! They help you spot patterns and improve timing. You will find the links to past papers on this page!⏱️
Don’t rely on your calculator too much - mental maths matters! 🧮
These exams love real-world contexts. Practice interpreting questions carefully. 🌍
Quick-fire questions on formulas and conversions can boost confidence. ✨
Simulate exam conditions to build speed and accuracy. 🏃
💡 Final Tip: Start with topics you find hardest, then move to easier ones for a confidence boost! 💪
