WJEC GCSE Physics (3420) is the separate physics GCSE for learners in Wales, graded A* to G rather than 9 to 1. Two written units, Electricity, Energy and Waves and Forces, Space and Radioactivity, each last 1 hour 45 minutes, carry 80 marks and count for 45%. Unit 3, worth the final 10%, becomes a new Scientific Enquiry from September 2026 teaching, first awarded in 2028. At least 30% of the marks test maths, so calculation practice matters more here than in biology. This FLN Tutors course covers all 18 topics in the WJEC specification, the official equation list and the 10 specified practicals. Lessons are live and one-to-one with a verified physics tutor, who rebuilds weak topics, drills rearranging equations and units, marks extended answers against WJEC-style schemes and plans revision around your entry dates. It suits Year 10 and 11 learners, resit candidates and private candidates.
Reviewed by K. Sharma, Master's in Physics, Maharishi Dayanand UniversityLast updated
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In short: WJEC GCSE Physics (3420) is the single-subject physics GCSE that WJEC offers to schools in Wales. It uses letter grades A* to G and is built from two written units and a practical unit.
Learners take it alongside separate Biology and Chemistry, as an alternative to the double-award science routes. Two tiers are available: Higher, which awards A* to D, and Foundation, which awards C to G. The qualification is approved by Qualifications Wales and is not offered to centres in England.
This FLN Tutors (Freelancer Network) course follows the WJEC GCSE Physics specification (Version 3, February 2026). That version keeps the content first taught in 2016 and replaces Unit 3 with a Scientific Enquiry from September 2026. For A-level and university support, see physics tutoring.
Get help with WJEC GCSE Physics: book a lesson or send a question from this page.
| Unit | Title | How it is assessed | Marks | Share of GCSE | Tiered? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Electricity, Energy and Waves | Written paper, 1 hour 45 minutes | 80 | 45% | Yes |
| Unit 2 | Forces, Space and Radioactivity | Written paper, 1 hour 45 minutes | 80 | 45% | Yes |
| Unit 3 | Scientific Enquiry (new from 2026 teaching) | 1-hour practical task + 1-hour written task | 28 | 10% | No |
Both written papers combine short-answer, structured, data-response and extended-writing questions, and some are set around practical work. Extended questions also assess accurate writing, including the correct use of physics vocabulary.
| Assessment objective | Focus | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Knowing and understanding ideas, techniques and procedures | 38.5% |
| AO2 | Applying that knowledge | 41% |
| AO3 | Analysing, interpreting and evaluating evidence | 20.5% |
Maths carries at least 30% of the marks in every series, three times the minimum set for WJEC Biology, and scientific enquiry skills carry at least 15%.
No. WJEC GCSE Physics in Wales uses the eight letter grades **A* to G**, with U for unclassified. The 9 to 1 numbers belong to reformed GCSEs in England, including WJEC's Eduqas range. Some well-known revision sites still label Welsh physics as "9-1", which can confuse learners checking their target grades.
| Tier | Grades | Maximum UMS on each written unit |
|---|---|---|
| Higher | A* to D | 180 |
| Foundation | C to G | 125 |
The Foundation ceiling of 125 sits one mark below a unit B, so learners targeting B or higher should normally be entered for Higher on both written units.
WJEC converts each raw unit mark to a uniform mark (UMS), then adds the three unit results.
| Grade | Unit 1 or Unit 2 (max 180) | Unit 3 (max 40) | Qualification (max 400) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A* | 162 | 36 | 360 |
| A | 144 | 32 | 320 |
| B | 126 | 28 | 280 |
| C | 108 | 24 | 240 |
| D | 90 | 20 | 200 |
| E | 72 | 16 | 160 |
| F | 54 | 12 | 120 |
| G | 36 | 8 | 80 |
Example: 152 UMS on Unit 1, 139 on Unit 2 and 34 on Unit 3 add up to 325. That passes the 320 mark, so the overall grade is A, even though Unit 2 on its own was a B. A strong unit can pull a weaker one up.
From September 2026 teaching, the old practical assessment is replaced by Unit 3: Scientific Enquiry, first awarded in summer 2028.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Task choice | One enquiry from a choice of two |
| Practical task | 1 hour, done in school |
| Written task | 1 hour, analysing and evaluating results |
| Marks | 28 raw marks, 10% of the GCSE, 40 UMS |
| Timing | January to February, recommended in the final year |
| Marking | Externally marked by WJEC |
| Tier | Untiered |
The January to February 2027 sitting is still the legacy assessment, so Year 10 learners who began in September 2026 cannot be entered for it. A tutor can practise planning, choosing ranges, recording with the right resolution and evaluating errors, but the enquiry itself must be the learner's own work in school.
| Topic | Specified practical | Typical exam focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of a component | Circuit diagram, ammeter and voltmeter placement, curve shapes |
| 1.3 | Methods of heat transfer | Fair testing, insulation, conduction and radiation comparisons |
| 1.3 | Density of regular and irregular solids and of liquids | Displacement can, measuring cylinder, mass and volume units |
| 1.5 | Speed of water waves | Ripple tank, timing over several waves, v = fλ |
| 1.8 | Specific heat capacity of a material | Energy from P × t, heat losses, insulation |
| 1.9 | Output of an iron-cored transformer | Turns ratio, voltage readings, efficiency |
| 2.2 | Terminal speed of a falling object | Light gates or timing marks, reaction-time error |
| 2.3 | Force-extension graph for a spring | Spring constant, limit of proportionality, work done |
| 2.4 | Principle of Moments | Balancing a metre rule, clockwise and anticlockwise moments |
| 2.8 | Half-life of a model radioactive source | Dice or coin model, randomness, plotting decay curves |
Exam questions on these ask for variables, safety, uncertainty, systematic and random errors, and improvements. WJEC's own glossary of practical terms defines each of these words, so use its wording in answers.
WJEC prints a list of equations at the start of each exam paper. You do not need to memorise them, but you do need to choose the right one, substitute with consistent units and rearrange it.
| Unit | Given on both tiers (examples) | Added on the Higher paper |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | V = IR, E = Pt, P = VI, efficiency, density = m ÷ V, cost = units × price, v = fλ, p = F ÷ A, Q = mcΔθ, Q = mL, transformer ratio | Parallel resistors, P = I²R, pV ÷ T = constant, T(K) = θ(°C) + 273, F = BIl |
| Unit 2 | Speed, acceleration = Δv ÷ t, F = ma, W = mg, W = Fd, F = kx, p = mv, F = Δp ÷ t, v = u + at, x = ½(u + v)t, M = Fd | Area under a v-t graph, KE = ½mv², PE = mgh, work in stretching = ½Fx, x = ut + ½at², v² = u² + 2ax |
Foundation learners are not expected to change the subject of an equation; Higher learners are. Rearranging, converting kilo- and milli- prefixes, and quoting units are where most physics marks are won or lost.
| Unit | Topic | Main ideas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.1 Electric circuits | Current, voltage, resistance, series and parallel, I-V graphs, power |
| 1 | 1.2 Generating electricity | Energy resources, power stations, the National Grid, Sankey diagrams |
| 1 | 1.3 Making use of energy | Conduction, convection, radiation, density, reducing energy loss at home |
| 1 | 1.4 Domestic electricity | Cost of electricity, ac and dc, fuses and circuit breakers, ring main |
| 1 | 1.5 Features of waves | Transverse and longitudinal waves, wave equation, the electromagnetic spectrum |
| 1 | 1.6 Total internal reflection of waves | Critical angle, optical fibres and their uses |
| 1 | 1.7 Seismic waves | P and S waves and what they reveal about Earth's structure |
| 1 | 1.8 Kinetic theory | Pressure, gas laws, absolute zero, specific heat and latent heat |
| 1 | 1.9 Electromagnetism | Magnetic fields, the motor effect, induction, transformers |
| 2 | 2.1 Distance, speed and acceleration | Motion graphs, stopping distances |
| 2 | 2.2 Newton's laws | Inertia, F = ma, weight, terminal speed, action and reaction |
| 2 | 2.3 Work and energy | Kinetic, potential and elastic energy, springs, car safety |
| 2 | 2.4 Further motion concepts | Equations of motion, momentum, moments |
| 2 | 2.5 Stars and planets | The Solar System, star life cycles, the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram |
| 2 | 2.6 The Universe | Absorption spectra, red shift, evidence for the Big Bang |
| 2 | 2.7 Types of radiation | Alpha, beta, gamma, nuclear equations, background radiation |
| 2 | 2.8 Half-life | Random decay, half-life graphs and calculations, uses of radioisotopes |
| 2 | 2.9 Nuclear decay and nuclear energy | Fission, fusion, reactors |
Bold content in the specification is Higher only, for example the gas laws and parts of electromagnetism. A tutor flags these sections so Foundation learners can focus elsewhere.
A 12 V supply is connected to a 6 Ω resistor and a 3 Ω resistor.
| Arrangement | Total resistance | Current from the supply |
|---|---|---|
| Series | 6 + 3 = 9 Ω | 12 ÷ 9 = 1.33 A |
| Parallel (Higher) | 1 ÷ R = 1/6 + 1/3, so R = 2 Ω | 12 ÷ 2 = 6 A |
In series the power is P = VI = 12 × 1.33 = 16.0 W. Adding a resistor in parallel always lowers the total resistance below the smallest single resistor, which is a common one-mark check.
A 2.5 kW heater runs for 3 hours. One unit (1 kWh) costs 28p.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Units used | 2.5 kW × 3 h | 7.5 kWh |
| Cost | 7.5 × 28p | 210p = £2.10 |
The power must be in kilowatts and the time in hours. Using watts or minutes here is one of the most frequent errors on Unit 1.
A 50 W heater warms a 1 kg aluminium block for 300 s. The temperature rises from 18.0 °C to 34.5 °C.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Energy supplied | E = Pt = 50 × 300 | 15,000 J |
| Temperature change | 34.5 − 18.0 | 16.5 °C |
| Specific heat capacity | c = Q ÷ (mΔθ) = 15,000 ÷ (1 × 16.5) | 909 J/kg °C |
The answer is a little above the accepted value for aluminium because some energy heats the air instead of the block. Insulating the block and adding oil to the thermometer hole both reduce this error.
Transformer: a primary coil of 400 turns is connected to 230 V. The secondary has 20 turns.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ratio | V₂ ÷ V₁ = N₂ ÷ N₁ | 20 ÷ 400 |
| Output voltage | 230 × 20 ÷ 400 | 11.5 V |
This is a step-down transformer. Step-up transformers raise the voltage for the National Grid so the current, and the heating loss in cables, is lower.
Density of an irregular object: a 54 g stone raises the water in a measuring cylinder from 50 cm³ to 70 cm³. Its volume is 20 cm³, so density = 54 ÷ 20 = 2.7 g/cm³.
A 1200 kg car slows from 20 m/s to rest in 4 s.
| Quantity | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Deceleration | (0 − 20) ÷ 4 | -5 m/s² |
| Braking force | F = ma = 1200 × 5 | 6,000 N |
| Braking distance | x = ½(u + v)t = ½ × (20 + 0) × 4 | 40 m |
| Momentum before braking | p = mv = 1200 × 20 | 24,000 kg m/s |
The same 40 m is the area under the velocity-time graph, a Higher-tier link. Crumple zones and airbags increase the time of a collision, which reduces the force for the same change in momentum.
| Problem | Working | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| A spring with k = 25 N/m stretches 0.12 m | F = kx = 25 × 0.12; work = ½Fx = ½ × 3 × 0.12 | 3 N; 0.18 J |
| 3 N hangs 0.4 m left of a pivot; what force 0.6 m to the right balances it? | 3 × 0.4 = F × 0.6 | 2 N |
| A source reads 800 counts/min with a half-life of 6 hours | 800 → 400 → 200 → 100 | 100 counts/min after 18 hours |
| A gas at 100 kPa and 27 °C is heated to 87 °C at constant volume (Higher) | Convert to kelvin: 300 K and 360 K; p₂ = 100 × 360 ÷ 300 | 120 kPa |
Forgetting to change °C to kelvin is the classic gas-law error: using 87 ÷ 27 would wrongly suggest the pressure more than triples.
Each written unit includes quality of extended response (QER) questions, marked by level for both physics content and clear, accurate writing.
Typical QER topics include stopping distances, power station choices, how seismic waves reveal Earth's core, and evidence for the Big Bang.
| WJEC GCSE Physics (Wales) | Eduqas GCSE Physics (England) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sits it | Learners in Wales | Learners in England |
| Grades | A* to G | 9 to 1 |
| Structure | Two 1 h 45 min units plus Unit 3 | Linear exam components in the summer |
| Equations | List printed at the start of each paper | Board-specific arrangements |
Both are produced by the same organisation, but their content order and assessments differ, so match past papers to your specification. If your school follows another board, see AQA GCSE Physics or Cambridge IGCSE Physics.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Written units | Summer series each year |
| Unit 3 | January to February window |
| Resits | Each unit can be retaken once; normally the better UMS is used |
| Terminal rule | 40% of the assessment must be taken in the cash-in series; a retake counted towards that 40% keeps its new mark |
| Third attempt | Every unit must be re-entered, a "fresh start" |
| Unit 3 marks | Can be carried forward |
Since units can sit in different series, a tutor can sequence revision so Unit 1, Unit 2 and the enquiry each get focused preparation.
Each lesson is a live one-to-one video session with a verified physics tutor, using a shared whiteboard for diagrams and calculations.
What you get: - A plan built around the 3420 topics, your tier and your entry series. - Step-by-step teaching of every topic, starting with the weakest. - Calculation drills using the WJEC equation list, with units and rearranging. - Exam-style questions on all 10 specified practicals. - QER answers marked against WJEC-style criteria, with written feedback.
Starting out: choose a tutor and time on this page, or message a question about your tier or units first. The lesson price is listed here before you book, with no subscription.
Prerequisites: Key Stage 3 science and confidence with basic algebra. Gaps in rearranging equations are covered in lessons.
| Stage | Focus | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unit 1 topics 1.1 to 1.9 | Solve circuit, energy, wave and electromagnetism problems |
| 2 | Unit 2 topics 2.1 to 2.9 | Handle motion, forces, space and radioactivity questions |
| 3 | Equations and practicals | Pick, rearrange and apply equations; answer practical questions |
| 4 | Unit 3 skills | Plan, record and evaluate an enquiry in time |
| 5 | Timed papers | Complete full units and QER questions under exam conditions |
Related courses: WJEC GCSE Biology, WJEC GCSE Chemistry and, after GCSE, AQA A-level Physics.
WJEC GCSE Physics, specification 3420, is the separate physics GCSE taken in Wales. It is graded A* to G and assessed by Unit 1, Electricity, Energy and Waves, and Unit 2, Forces, Space and Radioactivity, each worth 45%, plus a Unit 3 practical assessment worth the remaining 10%.
No. In Wales, WJEC GCSE Physics is graded with letters from A* to G, plus U for unclassified. The 9 to 1 scale applies to GCSEs reformed in England, such as Eduqas Physics. Revision sites that label WJEC Physics as 9-1 are using the wrong scale for Welsh learners.
Higher tier covers grades A* to D and Foundation tier covers C to G. A Foundation written unit can earn at most 125 uniform marks, one below a B on that unit. Learners aiming for a B or above are normally entered for the Higher tier.
Unit 1 and Unit 2 are each 1 hour 45 minutes long and worth 80 marks. That gives three and a half hours of written exams. Unit 3 adds a one-hour practical task and a one-hour written task, completed in school during January or February.
Yes. WJEC prints a list of equations at the start of each exam paper, with extra equations on the Higher papers. You still need to choose the right equation, convert units and rearrange it. Foundation learners are not expected to change the subject of an equation.
Unit 1 has nine topics: electric circuits, generating electricity, making use of energy, domestic electricity, features of waves, total internal reflection, seismic waves, kinetic theory and electromagnetism. Its specified practicals cover I-V graphs, heat transfer, density, water waves, specific heat capacity and transformers.
Unit 2 has nine topics: distance, speed and acceleration; Newton's laws; work and energy; further motion concepts; stars and planets; the Universe; types of radiation; half-life; and nuclear decay and energy. Its practicals cover terminal speed, springs, moments and modelling half-life with dice.
It is the new practical unit for learners starting in September 2026, first awarded in 2028. Learners choose one of two enquiries, then complete a one-hour practical task and a one-hour written task. It is worth 28 marks and 10% of the GCSE, and WJEC marks it externally.
At least 30% of the marks assess maths skills. Expect substitution and rearranging, unit conversions, standard form, graph gradients and areas, ratios such as transformer turns, and multi-step calculations. Practising every equation type until it feels routine is the fastest way to improve a physics grade.
There are ten: I-V characteristics, methods of heat transfer, density of solids and liquids, speed of water waves, specific heat capacity, transformer output, terminal speed, force-extension of a spring, the Principle of Moments, and half-life using a model source. Exam questions test their methods and results.
Each unit's raw mark becomes a uniform mark. Units 1 and 2 are out of 180 and Unit 3 out of 40, so the total is 400. Overall, 360 gives an A*, 320 an A, 280 a B and 240 a C. Raw boundaries change each series.
Yes, each unit can be retaken once and normally the better uniform mark counts. However, 40% must be sat in your cash-in series, and a retake that forms part of that 40% keeps its new mark. A third attempt requires re-entering all units as a fresh start.
No. Both come from the same organisation, but WJEC Physics serves schools in Wales and is graded A* to G, while Eduqas Physics serves England and is graded 9 to 1. Content order, papers and assessment differ, so always revise from your own specification's papers.
Multiply the power in kilowatts by the time in hours to find the units used in kilowatt-hours, then multiply by the price per unit. For example, a 2.5 kW heater on for 3 hours uses 7.5 kWh, costing 210p, or £2.10, at 28p per unit.
Yes. An FLN Tutors physics tutor works one-to-one with you on the 3420 topics, the equation list, the specified practicals and exam technique. Lessons begin with your weakest topics, and your tutor checks each calculation step so you can see exactly where marks slip.
You get live one-to-one lessons, a plan matched to your tier and entry series, calculation drills using the WJEC equation list, practice on every specified practical and marked extended answers with written feedback. Your tutor also advises on tier entry using recent practice scores.
Once you pick a tutor and a free slot on this page, you can book straight away, and many learners have their first lesson within a few days. If a unit exam is close, share the date so early lessons target the topics and calculations worth the most marks.
Rates depend on the tutor and the lesson length. FLN Tutors shows the price on this page before you book, you pay only for lessons you take, and there is no subscription. You can message a question first to estimate how many lessons you need.
Many learners find physics the most demanding separate science because of its maths content, at least 30% of marks, and abstract topics such as electromagnetism and the gas laws. With regular calculation practice, clear diagrams and past papers, most learners improve steadily within a few weeks.
Yes. Lessons run live online in your time zone with a shared whiteboard. To sit the exams you need a centre that offers WJEC GCSEs and can run the Unit 3 enquiry, so check this with the centre well before entry deadlines.
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