100+ Free Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Exam

3170QS

English qual code (3170CS Cymraeg)

WJEC GCSE Social Studies specification

A*–G

Subject grade scale (U unclassified)

WJEC specification grading

4 units

2 exams + 2 NEAs (unitised)

WJEC Social Studies specification

£46.80

Typical centre full GCSE entry fee

WJEC entry fees schedules

Sept 2026

First teaching

WJEC / Qualifications Wales

100

Free practice MCQs here

OpenExamPrep

WJEC Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies (3170QS): four units—two 1 h 15 min written exams (30% each) plus Unit 2 NEA (20%, WJEC-marked) and Unit 4 NEA (20%, centre-marked). Graded A*–G; first teaching Sept 2026; centre full entry about £46.80. This free bank is 100 English MCQs for study only, not official exam format.

Sample Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Practice Questions

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

1In GCSE Social Studies, which term best describes a group of people who share a sense of belonging, often linked by place, interest or identity?

A.Culture

B.Community

C.Subculture

D.Economy

Explanation: A community is a group of people who share belonging—by place, interest or identity. Culture is the shared way of life (norms, values, practices); a subculture is a smaller group with distinct norms inside a larger culture. Community is the social grouping concept the specification lists alongside society and culture.

2Which definition best matches the sociological idea of a social norm?

A.A formal law passed by Senedd Cymru only

B.An expected standard of behaviour shared within a society or group

C.A person’s private moral belief that never influences others

D.A statistical average of income in a country

Explanation: Norms are expected standards of behaviour shared within a society or group. They may be informal (etiquette) or formal (rules), but the core idea is shared expectation—not only statutes, private beliefs, or statistics.

3What are values in the study of society?

A.Shared beliefs about what is important, right or desirable

B.Only the prices of goods in a market economy

C.The physical buildings of schools and hospitals

D.Random individual preferences with no social meaning

Explanation: Values are shared beliefs about what is important, right or desirable (for example fairness or freedom). They underpin norms and help explain why societies prioritise certain behaviours and policies.

4A society that places greater emphasis on group goals, family duty and collective welfare than on personal independence is best described as:

A.Individualistic

B.Collectivist

C.Command economy only

D.Totalitarian by definition

Explanation: Collectivist societies emphasise group goals and mutual obligations; individualistic societies emphasise personal autonomy. Economic systems and political regimes are related but separate classifications—collectivism is not automatically totalitarianism.

5Which pair best contrasts a homogenous society with a pluralistic (heterogeneous) society?

A.Rich versus poor only

B.Relatively similar culture and identity versus many coexisting cultures and identities

C.Rural versus urban land use only

D.Democratic versus monarchical government only

Explanation: Homogenous societies show relatively similar culture and identity; pluralistic/heterogeneous societies contain many coexisting cultures, identities and ways of life. Income, land use and regime type are different variation dimensions.

6In an open society, compared with a closed society, individuals typically have:

A.No social rules at all

B.Greater mobility between roles and groups and freer exchange of ideas

C.Only military careers available

D.Identical life chances regardless of effort or resources

Explanation: Open societies allow more social mobility and freer circulation of ideas and people; closed societies restrict mobility and often limit dissent or outsider influence. Open does not mean lawless or perfectly equal outcomes.

7Which economic system is characterised by private ownership and prices largely set by supply and demand?

A.Traditional economy

B.Command economy

C.Market economy

D.Barter-only tribal system

Explanation: Market economies rely on private ownership and price signals from supply and demand. Command economies are state-directed; traditional economies follow custom and subsistence patterns; mixed economies combine market and state elements (not listed as the pure type here).

8The United Kingdom’s economy is best described as which type among the systems studied in this specification?

A.Pure command economy with no private firms

B.Pure traditional subsistence economy

C.Mixed economy combining market activity with government regulation and public services

D.An economy with no taxation or public spending

Explanation: The UK (including Wales) operates as a mixed economy: markets and private enterprise exist alongside taxation, regulation and public services such as the NHS and state education. It is neither pure command nor pure traditional.

9Which form of authority and governance is defined by free and fair elections, political competition and accountability of leaders to citizens?

A.Authoritarian/totalitarian rule

B.Democracy

C.Absolute monarchy only

D.Military junta only

Explanation: Democracies are characterised by free elections, competition and accountability. Authoritarian/totalitarian systems concentrate power and limit political opposition; monarchy and military rule can take democratic or non-democratic forms but are not the definition of democracy.

10Primary socialisation mainly takes place through which agent?

A.National newspapers only

B.The family in early childhood

C.International courts

D.Stock markets

Explanation: Primary socialisation is the early learning of language, norms and identity, mainly through the family. Secondary socialisation continues through education, peers and media later in life.

About the Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Exam

Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies (WJEC qual code 3170QS / 3170CS) is a new Curriculum for Wales–aligned Key Stage 4 qualification first taught from September 2026 and first fully awarded from Summer 2028. It is unitised and untiered, combining two written examinations with two non-examination assessments (including WJEC-marked investigation of a set social issue for Unit 2 and centre-marked planning for legal non-violent social action for Unit 4). Content develops understanding of society, identity, diversity, rights, governance, inequality, research methods, evidence evaluation, social change, social movements and citizenship-adjacent judgment in Welsh, UK and global contexts. Assessment languages are English and Welsh; the qualification is not available to centres in England. Distinct from England 9–1 GCSE Sociology/Citizenship and from other humanities subjects.

Assessment

Four compulsory units (unitised, untiered). Unit 1 Society and Social Issues: written exam 1 h 15 min, 60 marks, 30%. Unit 2 Investigating Society and Social Issues: WJEC-set and marked NEA 6 h 30 min, 60 marks, 20%. Unit 3 Social Change in Contemporary Society: written exam 1 h 15 min, 60 marks, 30%. Unit 4 Planning to Effect Social Change: centre-marked NEA moderated by WJEC, 6 h 30 min, 60 marks, 20%. Qual codes 3170QS (English) / 3170CS (Cymraeg). QAN C00/5167/4.

Time Limit

Written exams: 1 h 15 min each for Units 1 and 3 (2 h 30 min total). NEA: 6 hours 30 minutes each for Units 2 and 4, under WJEC control arrangements.

Passing Score

A*–G subject grades on UMS (subject maximum 400 UMS). Unit UMS maxima: Unit 1 120, Unit 2 80, Unit 3 120, Unit 4 80. Grade U if below G standard.

Exam Fee

£46.80 centre full-qualification entry fee for Made-for-Wales GCSE single-award subjects on published WJEC fee schedules (confirm current series PDF; unit fees may apply for staged entry). (WJEC (CBAC), regulated by Qualifications Wales)

Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Exam Content Outline

30%

Unit 1 — Society and Social Issues

How societies are understood (community, culture, norms, values, cohesion, control); data skills; sustainability (UN SDGs, Well-being of Future Generations Act, Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan); socialisation; diversity in Wales; political institutions and participation; rights and responsibilities; homelessness, digital exclusion and environmental inequality with comparative international contexts.

20%

Unit 2 — Investigating Society and Social Issues (NEA)

Source features and credibility (accuracy, authority, currency, bias, purpose); research methods and data-collection devices; sampling techniques; research ethics and risk; displaying data and creating a communication artefact about a WJEC-set social issue.

30%

Unit 3 — Social Change in Contemporary Society

Types of society; features and causes of social change; impacts; globalisation; social movements (characteristics, Aberle categories, stages); impacts of major movements including Welsh language, feminist, environmental, LGBTQIA+ and anti-apartheid; Welsh social change makers.

20%

Unit 4 — Planning to Effect Social Change (NEA)

What social action means; legal non-violent methods (petitioning, peaceful protest, political action, fundraising, media and more); evaluating methods; building a plan (aims, resources, budget, stakeholders); gathering feedback and judging effectiveness.

How to Pass the Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: A*–G subject grades on UMS (subject maximum 400 UMS). Unit UMS maxima: Unit 1 120, Unit 2 80, Unit 3 120, Unit 4 80. Grade U if below G standard.
Assessment: Four compulsory units (unitised, untiered). Unit 1 Society and Social Issues: written exam 1 h 15 min, 60 marks, 30%. Unit 2 Investigating Society and Social Issues: WJEC-set and marked NEA 6 h 30 min, 60 marks, 20%. Unit 3 Social Change in Contemporary Society: written exam 1 h 15 min, 60 marks, 30%. Unit 4 Planning to Effect Social Change: centre-marked NEA moderated by WJEC, 6 h 30 min, 60 marks, 20%. Qual codes 3170QS (English) / 3170CS (Cymraeg). QAN C00/5167/4.
Time limit: Written exams: 1 h 15 min each for Units 1 and 3 (2 h 30 min total). NEA: 6 hours 30 minutes each for Units 2 and 4, under WJEC control arrangements.
Exam fee: £46.80 centre full-qualification entry fee for Made-for-Wales GCSE single-award subjects on published WJEC fee schedules (confirm current series PDF; unit fees may apply for staged entry).

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 Social Studies Study Tips from Top Performers

1Learn Unit 1 foundations first (society terms, socialisation, institutions, rights) so Unit 2 enquiry and Unit 3 change topics make sense.

2Practise data skills: mean, median, mode, percentages, range, and reading bar/line/scatter graphs and pie charts.

3For Unit 2 NEA, practise assessing source credibility (accuracy, authority, currency, bias, purpose) and justifying research method and sampling choices.

4Use Wales/UK examples (Senedd Cymru, local authorities, Welsh language movement, Well-being of Future Generations Act) to show cynefin and real contexts.

5For social movements, learn characteristics, stages, Aberle’s four types, and named Welsh change makers from the specification.

6For Unit 4, evaluate social action methods against cost, impact, accessibility and longevity—not just list campaign ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies?

It is a new WJEC GCSE Social Studies qualification approved by Qualifications Wales for first teaching from September 2026 (qual code 3170QS English / 3170CS Cymraeg; QAN C00/5167/4). It supports the Curriculum for Wales Humanities AoLE and is graded A*–G. It is not the same as England 9–1 GCSE Sociology or Citizenship.

How is the qualification assessed?

Four compulsory units: Unit 1 and Unit 3 written exams (each 1 hour 15 minutes, 60 marks, 30%), Unit 2 externally assessed NEA (6 hours 30 minutes, 60 marks, 20%, set and marked by WJEC), and Unit 4 centre-marked NEA moderated by WJEC (6 hours 30 minutes, 60 marks, 20%). There is no tiering.

When is the first award?

First teaching is September 2026. Units 1–3 are available from 2027 and Unit 4 from 2028. The first full award of the qualification is Summer 2028. Follow your centre’s entry plan and WJEC key dates.

What topics does GCSE Social Studies cover?

Society concepts (identity, diversity, socialisation, governance), social issues such as homelessness, digital exclusion and environmental inequality, research and evidence skills, social change and globalisation, social movements, and planning legal non-violent social action.

Is this the same as GCSE Sociology in England?

No. Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies is regulated by Qualifications Wales, awarded by WJEC for centres in Wales, uses A*–G grades, includes substantial NEA with social enquiry and social action planning, and embeds Wales-specific institutions and diversity contexts. England GCSEs use the 9–1 scale and different board specifications.

Are these practice questions official WJEC papers?

No. OpenExamPrep questions are original English multiple-choice items for revision. Official exams mix objective, short and extended responses plus NEA tasks. Always use WJEC sample assessment materials and your teacher’s guidance for exam technique.

100+ Free Made-for-Wales GCSE Social Studies Practice Questions

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