One of the most common questions from SQE1 candidates is: what score do I need to pass? The honest answer is that the SRA does not publish a fixed percentage pass mark — but understanding how the pass mark is set, and what it typically means in practice, is essential for calibrating your revision targets.
How the SQE1 Pass Mark is Set
The SQE1 pass mark is set using a process called standard setting. After each exam, a panel of experienced legal professionals reviews the questions and determines the minimum score that a “borderline competent” newly qualified solicitor should achieve.
This approach — known as criterion-referenced assessment — means the pass mark can theoretically vary between sittings. It is not fixed at, say, 60%. Instead, it reflects the difficulty of that particular paper.
In practice, the pass mark has typically fallen in the range of approximately 56–65% of questions answered correctly, though the SRA expresses results as a scaled score rather than a raw percentage.
What is a Scaled Score?
The SRA reports SQE1 results as a scaled score on a standardised range. This scaling accounts for minor variations in question difficulty between sittings, ensuring that a pass in one sitting is equivalent to a pass in another. A candidate’s scaled score, and the scaled pass mark for that sitting, are both reported in results letters.
The SRA publishes aggregate pass rate data after each sitting. Pass rates have generally ranged from around 50% to 65% of candidates, varying by cohort and sitting. This underlines that the exam is genuinely demanding — but also that most well-prepared candidates do pass.
What This Means for Your Revision Target
Because the pass mark is not fixed in advance, you cannot revise to a specific percentage target with certainty. However, the practical implication is clear: aim to achieve a consistent score of 65–70% or above on practice questions and mock exams, and you will be in a strong position to pass.
Candidates who consistently score below 55% on full mock exams in the final weeks before sitting should take that as a signal to delay, rather than risk a resit.
No Negative Marking: Always Answer Every Question
There is no penalty for incorrect answers in the SQE1. This has an important strategic implication: you should never leave a question blank. On every question where you are genuinely uncertain, eliminate the options you are confident are wrong and make your best guess from the remaining choices.
Even guessing randomly across five options gives you a 20% chance per question. In a borderline situation, those extra marks can be the difference between a pass and a narrow fail.
Resit Rules and Limits
As of the current SRA regulations:
- You can resit each of FLK1 and FLK2 independently — a fail in FLK2 does not invalidate a pass in FLK1
- There is no formal limit on the number of resits permitted
- Results are valid indefinitely — a pass achieved in an earlier sitting does not expire
These rules mean that a first-time fail is not catastrophic. However, resits are expensive and time-consuming, and should be planned for only if your mock exam performance genuinely suggests you are not yet ready.
How to Use Mock Scores to Gauge Readiness
A sensible readiness benchmark: if you are achieving 62% or above on full-length practice papers in conditions that approximate the real exam (timed, no notes, no breaks beyond what the real exam allows), you are likely to be in pass territory. If you are consistently at 58–62%, you are borderline and should assess which specific subject areas are dragging your average down.
Sqewise’s progress dashboard gives you a real-time mastery score by topic, so you can identify precisely where your gaps lie rather than revising blindly. Combine this with regular full mock exam sessions in the final three weeks.
Practise This Topic on Sqewise
Understanding the pass mark is only one piece of the puzzle. The real work is building the knowledge and exam technique to clear it comfortably. Start with free practice questions today, explore our plans for full mock access, or read more about how Sqewise prepares you.