WJEC Maths and Numeracy Higher exam questions by topic
Four free PDF exam practice books for the made-for-Wales GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award), written by our maths tutors: Number, Algebra, Geometry and Measures, and Statistics and Probability. Each book has 16 topic chapters of 12 questions, with a model solution for every question.
These are not past papers. Every question carries 4 to 6 marks and asks for a clear method, so a student practises the kind of working WJEC units reward, one topic at a time, for Higher units graded A* to D.
Free to download. No sign up, no email required. Independent resources aligned to WJEC GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award), not produced, approved or endorsed by WJEC/CBAC.
Which Higher topics can I practise?
All four topic areas of the Double Award, one book each. Download them free as PDFs and print what you need. Meeting a topic for the first time? Start with our WJEC Higher lesson notebooks, which teach each topic from scratch.
Number
Ordering real numbers, place value and the four operations, primes, HCF and LCM, powers, roots and indices, exact fractions and irrational values, standard form, recurring decimals, ratio and percentages, personal and household finance, estimation, error intervals and bounds.
Download the Number bookAlgebra
Notation, simplifying, expanding and factorising, substitution and changing the subject, linear equations and inequalities, sequences, coordinates and straight-line graphs, simultaneous equations, quadratics, functions, graph interpretation and algebraic reasoning.
Download the Algebra bookGeometry and Measures
Angle facts and polygons, constructions, loci and scale drawings, perimeter and area, circles, arcs and sectors, surface area and volume, compound measures, bearings, congruence and similarity, Pythagoras and trigonometry, transformations, vectors and 3D geometry.
Download the Geometry bookStatistics and Probability
Sampling and data collection, frequency tables, statistical diagrams, averages and range, grouped data, scatter graphs and time series, histograms, cumulative frequency and box plots, probability, tree and Venn diagrams, relative frequency and conditional probability.
Download the Statistics bookHow is each book organised?
Every book has 16 chapters and every chapter follows the same sequence: what the topic expects, how it is marked, 12 questions with space for working, then a model solution for each question and a record page for retesting.
The four parts of every chapter
- Chapter purpose: the topic and the level of reasoning the chapter expects
- Method and assessment map: a method routine, the marking principle and a note on calculator use
- Practice: 12 questions worth 4 to 6 marks, two to a page with space for working and a final answer
- Model solutions and record: a solution for every question, then a completion and retest record
What else is inside
- a contents page listing all 16 chapters in each book
- every question worth 4 to 6 marks, so each one needs a set-out method rather than a one-word answer
- a marking guide with every solution, split into method, accuracy and reasoning
- a repair note and retest method line under each solution, so mistakes are fixed rather than just marked
- calculator guidance in every chapter, since topics can appear on calculator and non-calculator units
- marks shown as teaching allocations, not official WJEC marks
What do the four books cover?
Each book covers one topic area in 16 chapters. Questions are numbered 1 to 12 in every chapter, and each chapter ends with its own completion and retest record.
| Book | Chapters | Questions | Marks per question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 16 | 192 | 4 to 6 |
| Algebra | 16 | 192 | 4 to 6 |
| Geometry and Measures | 16 | 192 | 4 to 6 |
| Statistics and Probability | 16 | 192 | 4 to 6 |
The books are organised by content area, not by exam unit. The Double Award is examined in three units: Unit 1, Financial Mathematics and Other Applications of Numeracy; Unit 2, Non-calculator; and Unit 3, Calculator. Each exam unit can draw on content from several books, and the unit numbers printed on the book covers refer to the four content areas, not to these exam units.
How should a student use these?
Work one chapter at a time, mark against the model solutions, and fill in the repair note for anything dropped. Retest those questions a few days later from a blank page.
If the exam is months away
Work through each book in order, two or three chapters a week, and use the retest record. A question only counts as secure when it can be done again without help a few days later.
If a unit exam is close
Unit 2 is non-calculator, so do some of every chapter without one. For Unit 1, prioritise the Number book, which includes personal and household finance.
If the topic has not been taught yet
Start with the matching chapter in the WJEC Higher lesson notebooks, which teach the method from scratch, then come back to this book to practise it.
Guide: revising GCSE Maths
How to structure Maths revision so practice actually moves the grade, rather than re-reading notes.
Read the revision guideGuide: official past papers
Where to find the real WJEC past papers and specimen materials to sit alongside these notebooks.
Find past papersGuide: last-minute revision
What to do with the final weeks when there is no time left to cover everything.
Read the last-minute guidePractice book questions
The short version: the books are free for personal use, every question has a model solution, and they are written for the Wales Double Award rather than any English GCSE.
What is the Double Award?
WJEC GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award) is the made-for-Wales maths GCSE, first taught from September 2025. It replaces the separate GCSE Mathematics and GCSE Mathematics Numeracy, and it is worth two GCSEs, awarded as one double grade such as AA, CC or EE.
How do the tiers and grades work?
Each of the three exam units is sat at Foundation or Higher tier. Foundation units give access to grades C to G and Higher units to grades A* to D, and a learner can be entered at different tiers for different units. The unit results are combined into a single double grade, from A*A* down to GG.
Are these real WJEC past paper questions?
No. Every question and solution is independently written. Nothing reproduces WJEC question papers, mark schemes or specification text, so the books can be used alongside official past papers without overlap.
Do the books include answers?
Yes. Each chapter's 12 questions are followed by a model solution for every question, with a marking guide split into method, accuracy and reasoning, and space for a repair note and retest method. Each chapter ends with a completion and retest record.
How do these relate to your WJEC lesson notebooks?
The notebooks teach, these books practise. Both cover the same four topic areas, so finish the notebook chapter on a topic, then find the chapter with the matching title here and practise it under marks.
Are they free? What is the licence?
The Free Website Edition is free for personal and household educational use. Tutors and schools must obtain the appropriate licence before copying for learners, and resale, paid redistribution and third-party uploading are prohibited.
My child keeps losing marks on the same chapter. What next?
Repeating the same questions rarely fixes it, because the problem is usually the method rather than the practice. If a chapter scores low after two honest attempts, that is the point to get the method retaught, whether by a teacher at school or a tutor. Fifteen of our tutors teach GCSE Maths and the first 30 minutes are free.
Practice finds the gaps. A tutor closes them
Fifteen of our tutors teach GCSE Maths, including three qualified teachers. Lessons are one to one on Zoom, £30 each with no premium for Higher tier, and the first 30 minutes are free with no card details. If a chapter keeps scoring low after two attempts, that is usually the sign to get help with the method rather than repeat the questions.