WJEC A Level Maths Help (Wales): Units, UMS and A*

The quick version

WJEC GCE A level Mathematics is the Qualifications Wales regulated A level taught in Wales, and is not available to centres in England. It has four compulsory units: AS Unit 1 Pure A and Unit 2 Applied A, worth 40 per cent together, then A2 Unit 3 Pure B and Unit 4 Applied B. Results are added in uniform marks out of 600. Modern Age Coders teaches WJEC maths live online through the A Level Maths course, as a 15 to 20 student batch or 1-on-1, beginning with a lesson we do not charge for.

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Courses for a WJEC maths student in Wales

The A level course follows the four WJEC units. The statistics course adds depth for both Section As; Further Maths is for students taking WJEC Further Mathematics too.

WJ / 01

A Level Maths

Units 1 to 4 in WJEC order, with the Year 12 units treated as real exams.

Open the syllabus →

Statistics & Probability course thumbnail

WJ / 02

Statistics and Probability

Forty marks of statistics sit in both Unit 2 and Unit 4.

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WJ / 03

A Level Further Maths

For students also entered for WJEC Further Mathematics.

Open the syllabus →

Four units

What are the four WJEC A level Maths units?

Two pure units of 2 hours 30 minutes and two applied units of 1 hour 45 minutes. The AS pair is sat in Year 12, the A2 pair in Year 13.

WJEC's specification opens its summary with: "This specification is divided into a total of 4 units, 2 AS units and 2 A2 units." It adds "All units are compulsory." and states that "A calculator will be allowed" in each examination. The weightings are expressed as shares of the full A level.

WJEC GCE A level Mathematics (Wales): the four units
Unit	Title and sections	Time	Raw marks	Share of A level
AS Unit 1	Pure Mathematics A	2 hours 30 minutes	120	25%
AS Unit 2	Applied Mathematics A: Section A Statistics (40), Section B Mechanics (35)	1 hour 45 minutes	75	15%
A2 Unit 3	Pure Mathematics B	2 hours 30 minutes	120	35%
A2 Unit 4	Applied Mathematics B: Section A Statistics (40), Section B Differential Equations and Mechanics (40)	1 hour 45 minutes	80	25%

Source: WJEC GCE AS/A Level in Mathematics specification, Version 2, March 2019, Summary of assessment, linked from the WJEC AS/A level Mathematics page.

Two details people miss

On both applied units, WJEC says "The total assessment time of 1 hour 45 minutes can be split between Section A and Section B as learners deem appropriate." There is no bell halfway; the student manages the clock.

Unit 4 Section B is titled Differential Equations and Mechanics. Constructing and solving simple differential equations in context is examined there, with contexts such as kinematics, population growth and price and demand.

What sits in Year 13 only

Moments are listed in the A2 Unit 4 content rather than AS Unit 2, so AS mechanics covers kinematics, forces, Newton's laws and vectors without them.

Numerical methods appear in Unit 3. Students who stop at AS never meet either topic, which matters for anyone cashing in AS only.

Uniform marks

How does UMS grading work for WJEC A level Maths?

Each unit's raw mark is converted to uniform marks on a fixed scale. The four are added to a total out of 600, and grades are set on that total.

WJEC explains that "The Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) is used in unitised specifications" so that "candidates who achieve the same standard will have the same uniform mark, irrespective of when the unit was taken." In its words: "An AS GCE has a total of 240 uniform marks and an A level GCE has a total of 600 uniform marks." Unit grades appear "as a lower case letter a to e on results slips but not on certificates."

Uniform mark maxima and grade thresholds, from section 4.2 of the WJEC specification
Level	Maximum UMS	a or A	b or B	c or C	d or D	e or E
Unit 1 (raw max 120)	150	120	105	90	75	60
Unit 2 (raw max 75)	90	72	63	54	45	36
Unit 3 (raw max 120)	210	168	147	126	105	84
Unit 4 (raw max 80)	150	120	105	90	75	60
AS qualification	240	192	168	144	120	96
A level qualification	600	480	420	360	300	240

The A* has its own condition. WJEC states: "Grade A* will be awarded to candidates who have achieved a Grade A (480 uniform marks) in the overall A level qualification and at least 90% of the total uniform marks for the A2 units (324 uniform marks)." The A2 units carry 210 plus 150 uniform marks, so the A* is decided by Year 13 performance. A brilliant Year 12 cannot carry a weaker Year 13 over that line.

Two imaginary students, our arithmetic on WJEC's published thresholds
Student	Unit 1	Unit 2	Unit 3	Unit 4	Total	A2 total	Grade
Our student R	132	80	190	140	542	330	A* (480 and 324 both met)
Our student S	145	80	185	135	545	320	A (total higher, but A2 short of 324)

Student S has the higher total and the lower grade. That is the single most useful fact for planning WJEC maths: once the AS units are done, every remaining hour of effort goes into Units 3 and 4, because they alone decide the A*.

Resits

Can you resit a WJEC A level Maths unit?

Yes, up to two attempts per unit. A third attempt at any unit triggers a fresh start, which means re-entering every unit.

Version 2 of the specification was issued to clarify exactly this. WJEC writes: "if any unit has been attempted twice and a candidate wishes to enter the unit for the third time, then the candidate will have to re-enter all units and the appropriate cash-in(s). This is referred to as a 'fresh start'." After a fresh start "no results from units taken prior to the fresh start can be used in aggregating the new grade(s)". An absence "does not count as an attempt".

Count attempts per unit, not per year. A Unit 1 sat in Year 12 and again in Year 13 has used both attempts.
Before entering a resit, check that the gain in uniform marks is worth the attempt, using the threshold table above.
Remember the A* condition looks only at Units 3 and 4. Resitting Unit 1 can lift a total, but never meets the 324 requirement on its own.
Ask the exams officer to confirm entry codes: 2300U1, 2300U2, 1300U3 and 1300U4 in English, with N in place of U for Welsh-medium entries.
Cash in the qualification with 1300QS for the A level, or 2300QS for AS only.

Assessment opportunities "will be available in the summer assessment period each year", so a resit means waiting for the next summer. We plan any resit with the family in the autumn, so the extra unit does not crowd out Unit 3, which is worth more than any other.

In the exam room

Which calculator, formula booklet and tables are allowed in WJEC maths?

A calculator is required in every unit, a WJEC formula booklet is used in every exam, and a named book of statistical tables is allowed for Units 2 and 4.

Materials rules from section 3 of the WJEC specification
Item	What WJEC says
Calculator	"A calculator is required for use in all assessments in this specification." It must include an iterative function and summary statistics with probabilities from standard distributions
Banned calculator features	Symbolic algebra manipulation, symbolic differentiation or integration, language translators, communication with other machines, and stored formulas or text
Formula booklet	"A formula booklet will be required in all examinations. This will exclude any formulae listed in Appendix B."
Statistical tables	Allowed for Unit 2 and Unit 4: Elementary Statistical Tables (RND/WJEC Publications)
Data	Students should analyse "a subset or features of the data using a calculator with standard statistical functions"

The booklet line is the one that catches students out. Appendix B formulae, such as the standard trigonometric identities and derivatives listed there, are deliberately left out of the booklet, so they have to be memorised. We test the Appendix B list in short weekly quizzes from the first month of Year 12.

Examples, ours

Worked examples for Unit 2 and Unit 4, written by us

A Year 12 kinematics problem and a Year 13 differential equation, both ours, then a practice set.

Our Unit 2 problem. A cyclist starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at 2.5 m s⁻² for 6 seconds, then rides at constant speed for 4 seconds. How far does the cyclist travel in the 10 seconds?

Phase one

With u = 0, a = 2.5 and t = 6, s = ut + ½at² = ½ × 2.5 × 36 = 45 m, and the speed reached is v = at = 15 m s⁻¹.

Phase two

At a steady 15 m s⁻¹ for 4 s the distance is 60 m. In total the cyclist covers 105 m. A velocity-time graph, a trapezium with area 105, checks it.

Our Unit 4 problem. A population P grows at a rate proportional to its size, with dP/dt = 0.05P, where t is in years. When t = 0, P = 200. Find how long it takes to reach 500, and give one limitation of the model.

Separate the variables: the integral of dP/P equals the integral of 0.05 dt, so ln P = 0.05t + c.
Use P = 200 at t = 0: c = ln 200, so P = 200e^0.05t.
Set P = 500: e^0.05t = 2.5, so t = ln 2.5 ÷ 0.05 = 18.3 years to 3 significant figures.
Limitation: the model grows without bound, but real populations are limited by food and space, so it can only hold for a while. WJEC's Unit 4 content asks for exactly this kind of interpretation.

Six practice questions we wrote for WJEC students (answers checked in Python)
#	Our question	Unit	Answer
1	Evaluate the integral of x sin x from 0 to π.	3	π
2	dv/dt = −0.2v and v = 15 when t = 0. When does v first equal 5?	4	t = 5 ln 3, about 5.49
3	X ~ B(20, 0.4). Find P(X ≤ 3).	2	0.0160
4	X ~ B(12, 0.25). Find P(X ≥ 7).	2 or 4	0.0143
5	A car decelerates uniformly from 24 m s⁻¹ to rest in 60 m. Find the deceleration.	2	4.8 m s⁻²
6	A uniform 6 m plank of weight 300 N rests on supports at each end. A 200 N child stands 2 m from one end. Find the reaction at the nearer support.	4	283 N (exactly 850/3)

Every example and practice question here was written by us on 31 October 2026. WJEC publishes past papers and mark schemes, and an Online Exam Review tool, from its AS/A level Mathematics page.

Progression

Two summers, planned as one course

Units 1 and 2 in the first June, Units 3 and 4 in the second, with resits considered in between.

Stages through WJEC A level Mathematics
Stage	Usually	Sign that it is done
1. Unit 1 pure	Year 12, autumn and spring	Proof, algebra, trigonometry, calculus and vectors handled steadily
2. Unit 2 applied	Year 12, spring and summer	Statistics and mechanics answered with time split sensibly
3. Review after results	Year 13, September	Uniform marks read, any resit decided with two attempts in mind
4. Units 3 and 4	Year 13	Differential equations, moments and numerical methods secure; A2 timed papers

Why stage three exists

August results arrive as uniform marks. Reading them against the table above turns a vague worry into a plan.

We do that review with every family in September.

Why stage four gets most hours

Units 3 and 4 hold 60 per cent of the A level and the whole A* condition.

Our Year 13 timetable reflects that.

The catalogue

Nine courses for maths students in Wales

By stage of the course. The free lesson helps us suggest one.

I

For the WJEC units

Years 12 and 13

UK / WJ1 / 01

A level maths

Units 1 to 4 in the order WJEC examines them.

Open the syllabus

UK / WJ1 / 02

Statistics and probability

For the 40-mark statistics sections.

Open the syllabus

UK / WJ1 / 03

A level further maths

For students adding WJEC Further Mathematics.

Open the syllabus

II

Groundwork

From GCSE in Wales

UK / WJ2 / 01

GCSE mathematics

Higher-tier skills checked before the sixth form.

Open the syllabus

UK / WJ2 / 02

Algebra foundations

Manipulation repaired before it costs Unit 1 marks.

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UK / WJ2 / 03

Maths through coding

Differential equations and iteration simulated in Python.

Open the syllabus

III

Looking ahead

University

UK / WJ3 / 01

TMUA and STEP

For applicants to maths-heavy degrees.

Open the syllabus

UK / WJ3 / 02

College mathematics

First-year calculus and linear algebra.

Open the syllabus

UK / WJ3 / 03

Maths for data science

Statistics extended towards data careers.

Open the syllabus

How classes run

Built around two summers of exams

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Lessons are booked in UK time, which Wales shares, and our teachers in India keep that slot fixed all year.

After school

The usual slot for Year 12 groups.

Evening

For students with clubs or work.

Weekend morning

Room for a 2 hour 30 minute pure unit.

Year 12 counts

Units 1 and 2 taught as real exams, not practice.

Clock control

Splitting 1 hour 45 minutes between two sections.

Appendix B quizzes

The formulae the booklet leaves out, tested weekly.

September review

Uniform marks read and a resit decision made.

A2 focus

Most Year 13 hours on Units 3 and 4.

Batch or 1-on-1

15 to 20 students together, or a single learner.

Student work

Student work from lessons

Made in class, not submitted to any board. More are shown in student labs.

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Fees

Fees for WJEC A level Maths classes

Students in Wales pay one monthly fee in US dollars. The opening lesson is free, and payment starts only when a course and a weekly time are fixed.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

A free lesson on any WJEC unit
A look at likely uniform marks
Booked by phone or WhatsApp

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Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

A batch of 15 to 20
The same teacher for both summers
Unit 2 and Unit 4 statistics depth
Lighter weeks in exam season

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One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

One student, one teacher
Planned round resit decisions
Suits a fresh start or a single unit resit

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WJEC maths questions

What families in Wales ask about WJEC A level Maths

Is WJEC A level Maths available in England?

No. WJEC's specification says this Qualifications Wales regulated qualification is not available to centres in England. Schools in England use other boards.

Do AS results count towards the WJEC A level?

Yes. Units 1 and 2, sat in Year 12, make up 40 per cent of the A level. Units 3 and 4 make up the other 60 per cent.

How many uniform marks do you need for an A in WJEC A level Maths?

An A needs 480 of the 600 uniform marks. B needs 420, C 360, D 300 and E 240, according to the specification.

How do you get an A* in WJEC maths?

You need an overall A, with at least 480 uniform marks, and at least 324 of the 360 uniform marks on the two A2 units. The second condition depends on Units 3 and 4 alone.

How many times can I resit a WJEC unit?

Each unit can be attempted twice. A third attempt at any unit means a fresh start: all units re-entered, and earlier unit results no longer count.

Is there a formula booklet for WJEC A level Maths?

Yes, one is required in all WJEC maths exams. It leaves out the formulae in Appendix B of the specification, which must be learned.

What is on WJEC Unit 4?

Applied Mathematics B: a 40-mark statistics section and a 40-mark section on differential equations and mechanics, in 1 hour 45 minutes. Moments are part of it.

Can WJEC A level Maths be taken in Welsh?

Yes. The specification lists Welsh-medium entry codes for every unit, such as 2300N1 for Unit 1, alongside the English-medium codes.

When are your WJEC maths classes?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. All times are UK time.

Are you connected with WJEC?

No. Modern Age Coders is an independent company with no link to WJEC or Qualifications Wales. The examples and practice questions here are ours.

Elsewhere on this site

More for students in Wales

Local and subject pages that sit near WJEC maths.

Maths tuition in Cardiff

Our page for families in the capital.

WJEC GCSE Computer Science

The WJEC computing GCSE in Wales.

A level maths tuition online

Our general A level maths page.

Further maths tuition online

For students taking Further Mathematics too.

A level maths tutor cost in the UK

How families weigh up tuition.

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Every UK page we publish.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK maths exam boards and specification codes

A level maths and further maths

GCSE maths

International GCSE and Cambridge International

Scotland

International Baccalaureate

More guides: UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ · UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications · UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

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Book a free WJEC maths class

Leave a number and we will phone at a UK time that suits you. In the first lesson we work through one problem from the unit you are on and talk through where the uniform marks are likely to come from.

Would rather browse first? Course pages carry full syllabuses, how we teach describes lessons, and student labs shows class work.

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Courses for a WJEC maths student in Wales

A Level Maths

Statistics and Probability

A Level Further Maths

What are the four WJEC A level Maths units?

Two details people miss

What sits in Year 13 only

How does UMS grading work for WJEC A level Maths?

Can you resit a WJEC A level Maths unit?

Which calculator, formula booklet and tables are allowed in WJEC maths?

Worked examples for Unit 2 and Unit 4, written by us

Phase one

Phase two

Two summers, planned as one course

Why stage three exists

Why stage four gets most hours

Nine courses for maths students in Wales

For the WJEC units

A level maths

Statistics and probability

A level further maths

Groundwork

GCSE mathematics

Algebra foundations

Maths through coding

Looking ahead

TMUA and STEP

College mathematics

Maths for data science

Built around two summers of exams

Year 12 counts

Clock control

Appendix B quizzes

September review

A2 focus

Batch or 1-on-1

Student work from lessons

NutriLife

Misti

GuardianX

SkyCast

Fees for WJEC A level Maths classes

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

What families in Wales ask about WJEC A level Maths

Is WJEC A level Maths available in England?

Do AS results count towards the WJEC A level?

How many uniform marks do you need for an A in WJEC A level Maths?

How do you get an A* in WJEC maths?

How many times can I resit a WJEC unit?

Is there a formula booklet for WJEC A level Maths?

What is on WJEC Unit 4?

Can WJEC A level Maths be taken in Welsh?

When are your WJEC maths classes?

Are you connected with WJEC?

More for students in Wales

Maths tuition in Cardiff

WJEC GCSE Computer Science

A level maths tuition online

Further maths tuition online

A level maths tutor cost in the UK

Coding classes in the UK

Related pages in this guide

A level maths and further maths

GCSE maths

International GCSE and Cambridge International

Scotland

International Baccalaureate

Book a free WJEC maths class

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

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