Functional Skills Maths Level 2 past papers and answers (official sources)

Free, official Functional Skills Maths Level 2 past papers with answers are published by the awarding bodies, mainly as sample assessments with mark schemes: Open Awards publishes a full Level 2 paper and mark scheme as one PDF, NCFE publishes free practice question banks and an in-browser sample, City & Guilds publishes a Level 2 example exam and familiarisation test, and VTCT Skills (formerly Skillsfirst) publishes five Level 2 practice exams with mark schemes. All follow the same Department for Education content, so they are useful whichever awarding body you sit with. Lift College's Functional Skills Maths Level 2 course prepares you for the TQUK on-screen exam (qualification number 610/2624/4), includes one exam sitting, costs £39.99 a month, and starts with a 7-day free trial, nothing charged until day 8. Here is what each official source offers, checked on 9 October 2026.

Why "past papers" mostly means sample assessments

Since the reformed qualifications were introduced in 2019, most awarding bodies run Level 2 maths as an on-screen, on-demand exam drawn from a question bank. Live papers are not released the way GCSE papers are, and paper-based past papers are usually behind a centre login. What is openly published is a sample assessment with its mark scheme, plus practice question banks, written to the same standard as the live exam.

Official sources, awarding body by awarding body

Open Awards. A complete Level 2 maths sample assessment with mark scheme in one PDF: Section A (15 marks, non-calculator, 30 minutes) and Section B (45 marks, calculator, 1 hour 30 minutes), 60 marks in total. No login needed.

NCFE. Free "underpinning skills" and "problem solving" question banks for Section A and Section B, plus older chief examiner reports. The full sample paper and practice paper are password protected for centres. Its online practice assessments page lists an in-browser Level 2 maths sample.

City & Guilds. The Functional Skills (4748) page links a "Functional Skills Maths Level 2 - Example exam" and a familiarisation test that run in a browser. Full sample exams and past papers sit on the Open Assess platform, which needs a centre account.

VTCT Skills (formerly Skillsfirst). Maths Level 2 practice exams 1 to 5 as downloads, with a zipped folder of mark schemes.

Pearson Edexcel. The maths page carries the Level 2 specification, but Pearson's past papers search returned "There are no past papers currently available" on the day we checked, and recent papers are locked for teachers.

TQUK. The awarding body for Lift College's course does not publish open Level 2 sample papers on its website. Lift College learners use timed mocks inside the course.

Highfield. No openly published Level 2 maths sample paper was found on 9 October 2026, so none is linked.

How to use past papers properly

1. Do one paper cold, timed, at the start. Mark it with the scheme and sort every lost mark into number, measures and shape, data, or "misread the question".
2. Fix the weakest area before the next paper. Papers show you where you are; they do not teach.
3. Practise Section A without a calculator every week. NCFE's underpinning skills bank is ideal.
4. Mark like an examiner. Mark schemes award method marks in multi-step questions, so always show working.
5. Save one full paper for a final timed mock before your tutor confirms you are ready to book. With Lift College one sitting is included and a resit fee applies, so a comfortable mock score is worth having.

How the TQUK on-screen exam differs from paper

• Format. One 120-minute on-screen sitting: Section A (30 minutes, no calculator) then Section B (90 minutes, calculator). Paper samples show the same split, but you must get used to typing answers.
• Working. You still earn method marks, but you type your steps into the answer box. Practise writing working in short, clear lines.
• Navigation. You can flag and return to questions. Use the City & Guilds familiarisation test to learn the controls.
• Invigilation. With Lift College you sit at home under remote invigilation, with a computer, webcam and quiet room, or at a TQUK-approved centre.

For what the exam tests, read is Functional Skills Maths Level 2 hard, or compare courses on the Functional Skills hub.

Official past paper and sample assessment links

• Open Awards, Level 2 maths sample assessment and mark scheme (PDF): https://openawards.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/level-2-sams-maths-v11.pdf
• Open Awards, Level 2 Functional Skills Qualification in Mathematics page: https://openawards.org.uk/qualifications/open-awards-level-2-functional-skills-qualification-in-mathematics/
• NCFE, Level 2 maths assessment materials (free practice banks; sample paper needs login): https://www.ncfe.org.uk/qualification-search/qualification-detail/ncfe-level-2-functional-skills-qualification-in-mathematics-1609?tab=AssessmentMaterials
• NCFE, UPS and PS practice materials guidance (PDF): https://www.ncfe.org.uk/media/vemftjq5/ups-and-ps-practice-materials-guidance-document-v1-0.pdf
• NCFE, online practice assessments for English and maths (in-browser samples): https://www.ncfe.org.uk/customer-and-learner-support/delivery-support/functional-skills/online-practice-assessments-english-maths/
• City & Guilds, Functional Skills (4748) page with Level 2 maths example exam and familiarisation test: https://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifications-and-apprenticeships/skills-for-work-and-life/english-mathematics-and-ict-skills/4748-functional-skills
• VTCT Skills (formerly Skillsfirst), Functional Skills practice papers, Maths Level 2 exams 1 to 5 and mark schemes: https://www.vtctskills.org.uk/qualifications/functional-skills-practice-papers/
• Pearson Edexcel, Functional Skills Mathematics page (specification): https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-functional-skills/maths-2019.html
• Department for Education, Functional Skills maths subject content: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/functional-skills-subject-content-mathematics/subject-content-functional-skills-maths