Common questions tests

Common questions are the questions that appear on both the foundation and higher tier papers. Ofqual requires that common questions account for at least 20% of the marks available on each paper. 

We've put the common questions from each exam series into three lots of common question tests. Please use the links on the left hand side menu to look at the common questions tests for each exam series. 

How can common questions support your students?

For foundation tier students, common questions tests can be helpful in building familiarity with some of the more challenging questions on a foundation paper. 

For higher tier students, they can help to ensure students have the necessary foundations to perform well on the higher paper.

Performance on common questions tests can also be used to help inform tiering decisions. Fay Sheppard, Director of Maths for United Learning, has written a blog explaining how she uses common questions across a large multi-academy trust. Click the link below to download the blog post.