The pass marks
| Exam | Pass mark | Exceptional grade | Low-band fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeants | 55% (77 of 140) | 75% and above | Below 30% |
| Inspectors | 65% (91 of 140) | 85% and above | Below 35% |
The Inspectors' pass mark is higher because the exam tests the same syllabus at a more senior level. The College of Policing's debrief panel can change the pass mark in exceptional circumstances, and there is no system for adding marks to near misses.
How the marking works
You answer 150 questions, but after the sitting the 10 questions that performed least well are removed. Your score is out of the remaining 140. You are not told which questions were removed, so treat every question as if it counts.
There is no negative marking, so never leave a question blank. With three hours for 150 questions you have about 72 seconds each.
What are the pass rates?
The College of Policing does not publish a single national pass rate on its exam page, but figures released by forces show that many candidates do not pass. For example, the Metropolitan Police said in a freedom of information response that 30.2% of its candidates passed the Sergeants' exam in 2019 and 37.5% passed in 2022.
The officers who struggle are often experienced and capable. The exam is not about operational common sense. It tests whether you know the exact wording of the law: the precise rank that must authorise something, the exact time limit, or the specific test the courts apply.
What score should you aim for in practice?
The real exam has its own difficulty, so practice scores are only a guide. A sensible target is to score comfortably above the pass mark on mixed, timed practice: for Sergeants, consistently above 65 to 70%, and for Inspectors, consistently above 75%. If you are below that, look at your weakest topics rather than simply doing more questions.
You can try free questions on every topic to see where you stand.