Foundation Mathematics and Numeracy
WJEC Entry Level/Level 1 Foundation Mathematics and Numeracy is a two year, 120 guided learning hour course for learners aged 14 to 16, graded from Entry 1 Pass to Level 1 Pass and designed as a broad basis for progression onto GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy. Numeracy is the whole qualification: money and personal finance, time and schedules in the Unit 1 portfolio, non-calculator number, algebra, geometry and probability in the Unit 2 topic tests, and data handling and measuring in the Unit 3 practical tasks. Literacy demand is lower but real: learners read bills, payslips, timetables and infographics, use mathematical vocabulary, and explain their choices and conclusions in Unit 3. Key Stage 3 should build secure mental and written calculation with money and measures in everyday contexts.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level and Level 1
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Low
- Amount of numeracy work
- High
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
- Unit 1: Mathematics and Finance in Everyday Life: Portfolio (non-examination assessment) of six WJEC set tasks, 3 hours (6 x 30 minutes), 40%, 60 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, calculator allowed, foundation tier (Entry 1 to Entry 3) and higher tier (Entry 3 to Level 1) task sets
- Unit 2: Non-calculator Mathematics: Two topic tests, Test A Number and Probability and Test B Algebra and Geometry, 2 x 30 minutes, 30%, 40 marks (20 per test), set and marked by WJEC, on screen or on paper within a four week window, calculator not allowed, foundation and higher tiers
- Unit 3: Data Handling and Measures: Practical assessment (non-examination assessment) of two tasks, Data handling and Measures, up to 2 hours each, 30%, 40 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, calculator allowed, not tiered
Skills that use Interpreting data
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Describing chance with the probability scale
Learners use the terms will happen, could happen and will not happen, then at Level 1 the terms certain, likely, unlikely, impossible and an even chance, and place events on a probability scale from 0 to 1. This is tested in Unit 2, Test A. The LNF has no probability statements at these steps, so the closest fit is explaining concepts and recognising uncertain conclusions.
Numeracy: Conceptual understanding, Interpreting data
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils place everyday events, such as it will snow in July, on a washing line labelled impossible to certain and justify each position.
- Year 8
- Pupils roll a dice 30 times, compare how often a six appears with what they expected and place the event on a 0 to 1 scale.
- Year 9
- Pupils mark events such as picking a red card from a pack on a 0 to 1 probability scale as fractions and decimals and explain the difference between likely and certain.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit 2, Section 2.3.1, page 27
“understand and use the probability scale from 0 to 1, including placing events on a probability scale”
Progression step 3
I can explain and express concepts, and find examples (or non-examples).
I can draw conclusions from data and recognise that some conclusions may be misleading or uncertain.
Progression step 4
I can represent a concept in different ways, flowing between different representations including verbal, concrete, visual, digital and abstract.
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Interpreting data and finding averages
Learners read values from bar charts, line graphs and pie charts, find the mode, median, mean and range, and at Level 1 compare averages for two sets of data and spot a simple trend on a line graph. They identify features and patterns and form a conclusion in the Unit 3 investigation.
Numeracy: Interpreting data
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils read values from a bar chart of rainfall by month and find the mode and range of a small list of numbers.
- Year 8
- Pupils find the mean, median and range of their own times for a 100 metre walk and compare them with a partner's.
- Year 9
- Pupils compare the mean and median of two classes' quiz scores, describe the trend on a line graph of weekly scores and write a conclusion.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit 3, Section 3.3, page 33; Appendix B, Section 3.3.1, page 49
“make comparisons between the mode, median or mean for two sets of data”
Progression step 3
I can extract and interpret information from an increasing range of diagrams, timetables and graphs (including pie charts).
I can use mean to interpret a simple data set.
I can draw conclusions from data and recognise that some conclusions may be misleading or uncertain.
Progression step 4
I can use mean, median, mode and range to compare data (continuous and discrete), and can choose the most appropriate average.
I can draw conclusions from data and recognise that some conclusions may be misleading or uncertain.
Good to know
- Calculators are allowed in Unit 1 and Unit 3 but Unit 2 is non-calculator: "A calculator will not be allowed in this assessment." (Summary of assessment, page 5).
- Units 1 and 2 are tiered and Unit 3 is not: foundation tier covers Entry 1 to Entry 3 and higher tier covers Entry 3 to Level 1, and "Learners may be entered at different tiers across units." (page 6).
- The Unit 2 tests mix "multiple choice questions (MCQ), objective test questions (OTQ) and short answer questions" and "will include mostly context-free mathematical questions" (Section 3.2, page 36), so written explanation is light there.
- The Unit 1 portfolio tasks are set in real-life contexts: "Each task will explore a range of mathematical skills set in a real-life context." (Section 3.2, page 36). The tasks change every year and are released in June.
- Appendix A (page 44) ticks Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing for all three units, and the numeracy strands for all units except statistics and probability for Unit 2 (page 45). No marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar are mentioned.
- The grade is reported on "a 4 point scale: Entry 1 Pass, Entry 2 Pass, Entry 3 Pass and Level 1 Pass" (Section 5.3, page 42), and the model is compensatory, so strength in one area can offset weakness in another.
Links with other qualifications
The qualification "provides a broad basis for progression onto GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy" (page 8) and mirrors its structure: a finance unit, a non-calculator unit and data handling and measures. The GCSE steps up the same skills, adding VAT, interest and exchange rates to personal finance, ratio and percentage change to percentages, and a full statistical enquiry with grouped data, and it awards marks for explaining working in writing, which the Foundation does not. Money, time and measures also appear in Foundation Hospitality and Catering, and data handling supports The Sciences and Humanities.
Source: WJEC Entry Level/Level 1 Foundation Mathematics and Numeracy specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027, for award from 2029 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).