How to pass the sergeants' exam

The sergeants' exam (the NPPF Step Two legal exam) tests your knowledge of the 2027 Blackstone's Police Manuals through 150 multiple-choice questions in three hours. To pass, you need 55%, which is 77 of the 140 marked questions. This page sets out a practical revision plan you can fit around shifts.

Exam facts on this page are from the College of Policing 2027 candidate handbook, checked on 30 September 2026. The revision plan is suggested guidance, not official College advice.

Before you start

• Check you are eligible. You need two years' service as a regular constable, completed probation and to meet your force's Step One criteria by the exam date. See the sergeants' exam guide.
• Pick your exam and register on time. Registration closes about a month before each exam, and your force may close it earlier. See the 2027 exam dates.
• Get the right manuals. Questions come only from the 2027 edition of the Blackstone's Police Manuals. Older editions may contain out-of-date law.
• Read the candidate handbook. It sets out the rules for the online exam, including what you can and cannot have with you.

A suggested revision plan

Give yourself as long as you can. The free revision planner has dated 8, 12 and 16-week versions. Adjust the stages to the time you have before your exam.

Stage 1: Map the syllabus

List every chapter you need to cover. The syllabus covers crime, evidence and procedure, and general police duties, and chapter 1.8 is for the sergeants' exam only. Use a revision tracker so you can see what is left at a glance.

Stage 2: First read-through

Read each chapter of the manuals once, steadily, without trying to memorise everything. The aim is to understand how each area fits together. Tick "Read" on your tracker as you go.

Stage 3: Notes and active recall

Go back through each topic and condense it. Write short notes on the points to prove, powers, time limits and definitions, or work through a set of revision notes. Then test yourself from memory rather than re-reading. Tick "Notes".

Stage 4: Practice questions

Answer multiple-choice questions under time pressure. The exam gives you about 72 seconds per question. The College provides free practice questions on its Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub. Tick "Self-test" once you can answer a topic's questions reliably.

Stage 5: Final weeks

Revisit your weakest topics, re-test the areas that carry the most marks, and sit at least one full timed paper. In the last few days, review your notes rather than starting anything new.

Making it work around shifts

• Short, regular sessions usually work better than occasional long ones. Set a target number of topics per week rather than hours.
• Keep flashcards or notes on your phone for refs and quieter moments.
• Plan lighter revision around nights and rest days, and heavier sessions when you are fresh.
• Tell your supervisor and family your exam date early, so you can protect time in the final weeks.

Common mistakes

• Revising from an older edition of the manuals.
• Only re-reading, without testing yourself.
• Leaving practice questions until the end.
• Skipping topics because they have come up less often in the past. Any part of the syllabus can be tested.
• Missing your force's registration deadline.

On the day

• You can sit the exam on any day in the three-day window, between 8am and 8pm. Choose the day and time you are most alert.
• Before the day, check your device and browser and complete the familiarisation exercise if the College provides one.
• Follow the handbook's rules on your room and equipment. Using AI tools during the exam is prohibited.
• Keep an eye on the clock. Three hours for 150 questions works out at 50 questions an hour.

After the exam

Results are due within three weeks, with a feedback report by subject area. If you pass, the result is valid for five years (less one day), in which time you need to reach Step Three. If you do not pass, use the feedback report to target your weaker areas before your next attempt. There is no national limit on resits, but your force may set one.

Revision resources