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Broad General Education

Senior Phase

BGE · S3

S3 Leading towards National 4

Practical maths with a clear route to qualification.

  • CfE Third/Fourth Level → SCQF 4
  • 4 units
  • 8 practice questions
  • 5 key dates
Start practising View key dates

Overview

About this course

This S3 course completes the Broad General Education while deliberately preparing pupils for National 4 Mathematics or National 4 Applications of Mathematics in S4. The emphasis is on confident numeracy, real-life applications and building the resilience needed to succeed in the Senior Phase.

Course structure

What your child will learn

The course is organised into 4 units. Topics are usually taught in the order shown, though teachers may adapt the sequence for their class. Select a unit to see its topics.

1 Numeracy5 topics
  • Percentages in finance – wages, discounts, VAT
  • Fractions and ratio in context
  • Rounding and estimation
  • Time, distance and speed
  • Reading scales and converting units
2 Expressions & Formulae5 topics
  • Simplifying expressions
  • Evaluating formulae
  • Expanding brackets
  • Solving simple equations
  • Gradient of a slope
3 Relationships5 topics
  • Coordinates and straight lines
  • Pythagoras' Theorem
  • Angle properties
  • Scale drawings
  • Simple trigonometry
4 Geometry & Statistics5 topics
  • Area and volume of 2D/3D shapes
  • Interpreting graphs and charts
  • Averages and spread
  • Probability
  • Budgeting and foreign exchange

Assessment

How the course is assessed

01

Topic checks

Regular short checks with immediate feedback.

02

Termly assessments

Three assessments modelled on National 4 unit assessments.

03

S3 Profile assessment

A May assessment feeding into the S3 Profile and S4 course confirmation.

Assessment practice

Practise for forthcoming assessments

8 questions worth 13 marks, matched to the assessments on this course. Try each question on paper first, then select it to reveal the worked solution. You can also print a blank set for revision.

Set 1 · November

Numeracy Assessment

4 questions · 6 marks

Print this set

  1. Q1

    Amir earns £11.50 per hour and works 32 hours. Calculate his weekly pay.

    2 marks
    Show solution

    Solution

    11.50 × 32 = £368.

  2. Q2

    A TV costs £450 plus VAT at 20%. Find the total cost.

    2 marks
    Show solution

    Solution

    20% of £450 = £90; total £540.

  3. Q3

    Convert £250 to euros at a rate of £1 = €1.16.

    1 mark
    Show solution

    Solution

    250 × 1.16 = €290.

  4. Q4

    A bus leaves at 08:47 and arrives at 10:15. How long is the journey?

    1 mark
    Show solution

    Solution

    1 hour 28 minutes.

Set 2 · May

S3 Profile Assessment

4 questions · 7 marks

Print this set

  1. Q1

    Expand 4(3y − 2).

    1 mark
    Show solution

    Solution

    12y − 8.

  2. Q2

    Solve 3x + 5 = 20.

    2 marks
    Show solution

    Solution

    3x = 15; x = 5.

  3. Q3

    Find the area of a triangle with base 9 cm and height 6 cm.

    2 marks
    Show solution

    Solution

    ½ × 9 × 6 = 27 cm².

  4. Q4

    A ramp rises 1.2 m over a horizontal distance of 8 m. Calculate its gradient.

    2 marks
    Show solution

    Solution

    1.2 ÷ 8 = 0.15.

Key dates

Important dates for this course

Session 2025–26. Dates marked * are indicative pending the official SQA timetable; items marked TBC will be updated as soon as they are confirmed. Select “+ cal” on any date to add it to your own calendar.

  • Prelim
  • SQA Exam
  • Parents' Evening
  • Assessment
  • Information

w/c 10 Nov 2025

Numeracy block assessment

Assessment + cal

w/c 2 Feb 2026

Expressions & Formulae assessment

Assessment + cal

Thu 30 Apr 2026

S3 Parents' Evening

Parents' Evening + cal

w/c 11 May 2026

S3 Profile assessment

Assessment + cal

Jun 2026

S4 course confirmed (N4 Maths or N4 Applications)

Information

Progression

Where this course leads

Pupils progress to National 4 Mathematics or National 4 Applications of Mathematics in S4, with the opportunity to move to National 5 in S5.

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Have a question about S3 → National 4?

The department is happy to help — we reply within two working days.

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