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100+ Free Made-for-Wales GCSE History Practice Questions

Prepare for the WJEC Made-for-Wales GCSE History (3130QS / 3130CS) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Made-for-Wales GCSE History Exam

3130QS / 3130CS

English / Cymraeg qualification codes

WJEC specification

Sept 2026

First teaching (first award 2028)

WJEC / Qualifications Wales

A*–G

Grading scale (not 9–1)

WJEC specification §5.2

£46.80

Single-award entry fee 2026/27

WJEC Entry Fees 2026/27

40%

NEA (Units 2 and 4 historical enquiries)

WJEC specification

100

Free MCQ practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

Free 100-question MCQ study bank for Made-for-Wales GCSE History (WJEC 3130QS/3130CS). First teaching Sept 2026; graded A*–G; £46.80 single-award entry (2026/27). Official assessment: unitised written exams + historical-enquiry NEAs on Wales and world options — this bank is an MCQ adaptation, not an official format simulation.

Sample Made-for-Wales GCSE History Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Made-for-Wales GCSE History exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the first-teaching start date for Made-for-Wales GCSE History (WJEC 3130QS / 3130CS)?
A.September 2024
B.September 2025
C.September 2026
D.September 2027
Explanation: WJEC and Qualifications Wales delayed first teaching to September 2026 (first full award summer 2028). The approved specification is Version 6 (June 2026).
2For the Unit 4 enquiry, the ‘wider period’ learners must understand covers approximately how long?
A.c.25 to c.50 years
B.c.75 to c.100 years
C.c.150 to c.200 years
D.A single decade
Explanation: Unit 4 studies themed events within a continuous period of roughly 75 to 100 years, taken from Great Britain and/or Ireland. That span is long enough to show change over time while still allowing detailed study of particular episodes.
3Which set of historical concepts does the specification require learners to address in the Unit 4 enquiry?
A.Provenance, utility, reliability and bias
B.Continuity and change; similarity and difference; significance and impact; cause and consequence
C.Chronology, periodisation and dating conventions
D.Empathy, hindsight and counterfactual reasoning
Explanation: Unit 4 asks learners to apply knowledge of their chosen period and geography to four concept pairings: continuity and change, similarity and difference, significance and impact, and cause and consequence. These are the same second-order concepts assessed under AO2 elsewhere in the qualification.
4How many units make up Made-for-Wales GCSE History?
A.Two
B.Three
C.Four
D.Five
Explanation: The specification is unitised into four units: Unit 1 Welsh depth (30%), Unit 2 European/world NEA (20%), Unit 3 world period (30%), Unit 4 changing society NEA (20%).
5According to the specification, how should a learner begin the Unit 4 historical enquiry?
A.Draft the conclusion first, then look for sources that support it
B.Review the available evidence in the context of the wider period and select an appropriate question to debate
C.Learn a WJEC-supplied model answer for the chosen theme
D.Choose a topic that repeats the Unit 1 option in more detail
Explanation: The first skill the specification lists is reviewing available evidence within the wider period and selecting an appropriate question to debate the significance of the given concepts. The question comes out of the evidence, not the other way round.
6Unit 2 is assessed primarily as which type of component?
A.A 1-hour written exam only
B.An on-screen historical enquiry non-examination assessment
C.A practical performance
D.A multiple-choice paper
Explanation: Unit 2 is a 3-hour on-screen NEA historical enquiry (80 marks, 20%), completed on WJEC’s e-assessment platform and marked by WJEC.
7Which of these is one of the second-order historical concepts named under AO2 in the specification?
A.Historical empathy
B.Cause and consequence
C.Periodisation and dating conventions
D.Provenance
Explanation: AO2 asks learners to apply knowledge to historical concepts such as cause and consequence, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and significance. Those four pairings are the specification’s second-order concepts.
8Who was Owain Glyndŵr in medieval Welsh history?
A.A Tudor monarch
B.Leader of a major Welsh revolt who claimed the title Prince of Wales
C.Prime Minister of Wales in 1914
D.An Anglo-Saxon king of Wessex
Explanation: Owain Glyndŵr (c.1354–c.1416) led the early-fifteenth-century Welsh Revolt and was proclaimed Prince of Wales; he is the focus of the Unit 1.2 depth study.
9Rhys ap Gruffudd is associated with which medieval Welsh kingdom?
A.Strathclyde
B.Deheubarth
C.Northumbria
D.Mercia
Explanation: Rhys ap Gruffudd (the Lord Rhys) ruled Deheubarth in south-west Wales (Unit 1.1 depth study, c.1132–1197).
10The Merthyr Rising of 1831 mainly concerned which Welsh industrial community?
A.Merthyr Tydfil ironworkers and townspeople
B.Slate quarrymen of Bethesda only
C.Fishermen of Aberystwyth
D.Shipbuilders of Glasgow
Explanation: The Merthyr Rising (Unit 1.5) involved radical protest in Merthyr Tydfil against ironmasters, living conditions, and authorities, including the case of Dic Penderyn.

About the Made-for-Wales GCSE History Exam

Made-for-Wales GCSE History is the Qualifications Wales–approved WJEC (CBAC) specification for first teaching from September 2026 (first award summer 2028), distinct from England GCSE History and from the legacy WJEC Wales GCSE History (final full assessment summer 2027). Spec codes 3130QS (English) and 3130CS (Cymraeg) support bilingual delivery. The unitised course centres Wales and the world: Unit 1 is an in-depth Welsh history option; Unit 2 is a European/world depth historical enquiry NEA; Unit 3 is a world period breadth study; Unit 4 is a Britain/Ireland thematic changing-society enquiry. Assessment objectives weight knowledge (AO1), second-order concepts such as cause/consequence and change/continuity (AO2), sources and interpretations (AO3), and enquiry skills (AO4). Official papers are written and NEA — not multiple choice. This free MCQ bank trains content and skills knowledge across the official option map before students practise authentic written and enquiry formats.

Assessment

Unitised Made-for-Wales GCSE (Approval Number C00/4967/9; cash-in 3130QS English / 3130CS Cymraeg). Unit 1 Welsh depth written exam 1h 30%; Unit 2 European/world on-screen NEA enquiry 3h 20%; Unit 3 world period written exam 1h 30%; Unit 4 changing-society NEA enquiry 4h15 20%. Centres must combine Units 1–3 so learners study one medieval, one early modern, and one modern option. Official items assess AO1–AO4 through written answers, sources, interpretations, and enquiry stages — not MCQ. This free 100-question bank is an MCQ study adaptation covering chronology, second-order concepts, sources/interpretations literacy, Wales-specific and world options, and enquiry process knowledge.

Time Limit

Unit 1: 1 hour; Unit 2 NEA: 3 hours; Unit 3: 1 hour; Unit 4 NEA: 4 hours 15 minutes (first full award summer 2028)

Passing Score

A*–G subject award (UMS max 600; A* threshold 540 UMS). Unit UMS maxima: U1/U3 180 each; U2/U4 120 each.

Exam Fee

£46.80 single-award centre entry fee for 2026/27 Made-for-Wales GCSE History (WJEC Entry Fees) (WJEC (CBAC), regulated by Qualifications Wales)

Made-for-Wales GCSE History Exam Content Outline

30%

Unit 1 — An in-depth study on Welsh history

Choose one: Rhys ap Gruffudd c.1132–1197; Owain Glyndŵr c.1354–1416; Wales and the early Tudors c.1485–c.1547; Wales in the era of the Civil War 1603–1660; Rebellions and Protest in Wales c.1831–c.1891; Wales in the early to mid-twentieth century c.1914–c.1959. Written exam focusing on knowledge, second-order concepts, sources, and interpretations.

20%

Unit 2 — European and/or world history depth (NEA)

Choose one case study: Genghis Khan; Black Death; Spanish conquest of the Aztecs; Süleyman I; Third Reich; Afghanistan c.1979–c.2001. Digital historical enquiry with released sources/interpretations; hypothesis, analysis, planned response, and critical reflection.

30%

Unit 3 — A study of a period in world history

Choose one breadth period: Vikings c.750–c.1066; Crusades c.1095–c.1291; Songhai Empire c.1464–c.1591; Mughal Empire c.1526–c.1707; Russia and the Soviet Union c.1861–c.1953; Changes in US society c.1880–c.1980. Written exam on knowledge, concepts, sources, and interpretations.

20%

Unit 4 — A changing society (NEA)

Thematic study of change over c.75–c.100 years in Great Britain and/or Ireland across nine themes (culture; equality and inequality; ethnicity; international relations; peace and conflict; politics; religion; sex, sexuality and gender; social and economic issues). Enquiry must not overlap Units 1–3 content.

How to Pass the Made-for-Wales GCSE History Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: A*–G subject award (UMS max 600; A* threshold 540 UMS). Unit UMS maxima: U1/U3 180 each; U2/U4 120 each.
  • Assessment: Unitised Made-for-Wales GCSE (Approval Number C00/4967/9; cash-in 3130QS English / 3130CS Cymraeg). Unit 1 Welsh depth written exam 1h 30%; Unit 2 European/world on-screen NEA enquiry 3h 20%; Unit 3 world period written exam 1h 30%; Unit 4 changing-society NEA enquiry 4h15 20%. Centres must combine Units 1–3 so learners study one medieval, one early modern, and one modern option. Official items assess AO1–AO4 through written answers, sources, interpretations, and enquiry stages — not MCQ. This free 100-question bank is an MCQ study adaptation covering chronology, second-order concepts, sources/interpretations literacy, Wales-specific and world options, and enquiry process knowledge.
  • Time limit: Unit 1: 1 hour; Unit 2 NEA: 3 hours; Unit 3: 1 hour; Unit 4 NEA: 4 hours 15 minutes (first full award summer 2028)
  • Exam fee: £46.80 single-award centre entry fee for 2026/27 Made-for-Wales GCSE History (WJEC Entry Fees)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Made-for-Wales GCSE History Study Tips from Top Performers

1Map your centre’s chosen Unit 1, 2, and 3 options first — the bank covers all six options per unit so you can filter by your pathway
2Practise second-order concepts explicitly: cause/consequence, continuity/change, similarity/difference, significance/impact — they are AO2 across the spec
3For sources, always judge provenance (who, when, why) and utility for a stated enquiry, not just content
4Treat Unit 2 and Unit 4 as staged enquiries: hypothesis → evidence critique → plan → response → critical reflection
5Keep Wales and world content distinct from England GCSE History topic lists — this is a separate Made-for-Wales specification
6Use the free WJEC digital resources and Guidance for Teaching once your centre releases option choices

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Made-for-Wales GCSE History different from England GCSE History?

It is a Qualifications Wales–regulated WJEC specification (3130QS/3130CS) designed for the Curriculum for Wales, with a mandatory Welsh history depth unit, unitised structure, 40% NEA (two historical enquiries), A*–G grading, and bilingual English/Cymraeg delivery. England GCSEs (AQA/Edexcel/OCR) use the 9–1 scale and different topic maps. OpenExamPrep also hosts a separate uk-gcse-history bank for England boards.

When does first teaching and first award happen?

First teaching is September 2026 (delayed from 2025). Units 1–3 assessments become available from summer 2027; Unit 4 from summer 2028. The full qualification is first awarded in summer 2028. The legacy WJEC GCSE History continues with final full assessment in summer 2027.

What must centres choose for the three time periods?

The combination of options selected for Units 1, 2, and 3 must include one medieval, one early modern, and one modern unit. Unit 4 may revisit a time period already studied, but its topics must not replicate or overlap content from the examined units.

Is the official exam multiple choice?

No. Official assessment uses written examination questions (Units 1 and 3) and historical-enquiry non-examination assessments (Units 2 and 4) testing knowledge, second-order concepts, sources, interpretations, and enquiry skills. This free bank adapts that scope into four-option MCQs for knowledge and skills practice only.

What does the GCSE cost?

WJEC lists a £46.80 single-award centre entry fee for Made-for-Wales GCSE History in 2026/27. Centres invoice candidates according to school policy; late and very late entry charges may apply.

How is the qualification graded?

On an eight-point A*–G scale (U unclassified). Subject award UMS maximum is 600 (A* = 540). Individual units convert raw marks to UMS with published thresholds for A*–G.