LNF Cymru Literacy and numeracy for Wales

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GCSE Social Studies

GCSE Social Studies asks learners to summarise and judge the credibility of sources, write extended evaluative answers and communicate findings to a real audience. Numeracy is the statistics of social research: designing questionnaires and samples, calculating mean, median, mode, range and percentages, drawing graphs and spotting weak data presentation. The single biggest thing Key Stage 3 should build is the habit of reading any source or chart critically, asking who made it, when and why, before using it as evidence.

Awarding body
WJEC
Level
Level 1 and Level 2
First taught
September 2026
Amount of literacy work
High
Amount of numeracy work
Medium
Specification
Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
  • Unit 1: Society and Social Issues: Written examination 1 hour 15 minutes, 30%, 60 marks
  • Unit 2: Investigating Society and Social Issues: NEA 6 hours 30 minutes, 20%, 60 marks, set and marked by WJEC
  • Unit 3: Social Change in Contemporary Society: Written examination 1 hour 15 minutes, 30%, 60 marks
  • Unit 4: Planning to Effect Social Change: NEA 6 hours 30 minutes, 20%, 60 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC

Skills that use Reading strategies

  1. Judging the credibility of sources

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners assess sources for accuracy, authority of author, currency, potential bias and purpose, and tell factual, opinion and persuasive sources apart.

    Literacy: Understanding, response and analysis, Reading strategies

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils sort statements about school uniform from a blog, a school letter and a newspaper into fact and opinion.
    Year 8
    Pupils rate three sources on digital exclusion for date, author and bias using a simple credibility grid.
    Year 9
    Pupils decide which of two sources on litter in Aberdare is more credible, using accuracy, authority, currency, bias and purpose, and write a justified paragraph.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 2, Section 2.1.2 Assessing the credibility of sources, page 17

    “assess the credibility of sources, considering aspects such as: • accuracy • authority of author • currency • potential bias”
    Progression step 3

    • I can distinguish between facts, theories and opinions.

    • I can use inference and deduction to understand the text, and can consider the reliability of what I read.

    Progression step 4

    • I can evaluate the usefulness and reliability of texts.

    • I can distinguish between facts/evidence and bias/arguments.

    • I can use inference and deduction to understand more complex texts, and can consider the reliability and impact of what I read.

    Progression step 5

    • I can confidently evaluate the purpose, impact and reliability of texts.

    • I can understand and explore in detail how texts may be interpreted, distinguishing between facts/evidence and bias/arguments.

    • I can use printed and digital texts to search selectively, assessing the reliability, significance and accuracy of what I find.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

Appendix A (page 37) maps Developing Mathematical Proficiency, the number system and statistics strands to all four units, with geometry and measurement in Units 1 and 3 only.

Source: WJEC GCSE Social Studies specification, Version 2, October 2025 (teaching from 2026, for award from 2028).