SQE1 · Learn · 2 November 2026 · 5 min read
SQE1 scaled score explained: why 300 out of 500 is a pass
How the SQE1 scaled score works: standard setting, why 300 out of 500 is always the pass mark, how raw marks convert and why no raw pass mark is fixed.
SQE1 results are reported as a scaled score from 0 to 500, and the pass mark on that scale is always 300. Behind the scenes, the pass mark in raw marks is set separately for each paper at each sitting, because some papers are a little harder than others. That raw pass mark is then fixed at 300 on the scale, and every other raw mark is converted around it. This is why there is no single raw pass mark you can aim for: the number of correct answers needed changes from paper to paper, while the standard you need to reach stays the same.
This guide explains how the scale is built, why the SRA uses it and how to read your own practice scores.
Why there is no fixed pass mark
The SRA says the standard of performance needed to pass SQE1 is the same for every sitting. Papers, though, are not identical. One FLK1 paper may contain slightly harder questions than another. If the pass mark stayed at a fixed number of correct answers, candidates who sat a harder paper would be at a disadvantage.
So the SRA does it the other way round. The standard is fixed, and the pass mark moves:
- The pass mark for each sitting is set by the Assessment Board, under the SQE Marking and Standard Setting Policy.
- It is set independently for each paper, to allow for differences in difficulty.
- There are no quotas: no fixed share of candidates must pass or fail.
- The pass mark is published after each Assessment Board and included with candidates' results.
How the standard is set
According to the SRA's February 2026 SQE Update, setting the pass mark for an exam starts with Angoff panels: junior or newly qualified solicitors, with up to three years' post-qualification experience, who consider how many newly qualified solicitors would answer each question correctly. Their ratings are the starting point for the pass mark of that paper.
How the scale is built
SRA and Kaplan slides on scaled scoring set out the process step by step. In our own words:
- Set the standard for the paper and establish its raw pass mark.
- Fix that pass mark at 300 on the scale.
- Draw a line linking raw marks from zero up to the pass mark with scaled scores from 0 to 300.
- Draw a second line linking raw marks from the pass mark up to the maximum with scaled scores from 300 to 500.
- Convert each candidate's raw mark to a scaled score using those lines.
- Repeat for every separate paper in the assessment window.
- Award a pass to everyone with a scaled score of 300 or more.
The SRA says scaled scores have been used for SQE1 since January 2024.
A worked example
The slides use a paper with a maximum of 180 raw marks and a raw pass mark of 100. On that paper:
| Raw mark | Scaled score |
|---|---|
| 80 | 240 |
| 100 | 300 (pass mark) |
| 120 | 350 |
The same slides show two papers in one window, one with a raw pass mark of 90 and one with 110. Both are scaled so that their pass mark sits at 300. A candidate with 100 raw marks would pass the first paper and fail the second, but on the scaled score both results are directly comparable.
Note that the example uses the old 180-question paper. From January 2027 each FLK assessment has 170 questions, but the method is the same.
Why two lines?
Because the lines below and above 300 are drawn separately, a raw mark does not convert to a scaled score by one simple percentage. One raw mark below the pass mark and one raw mark above it may move your scaled score by different amounts. What matters is which side of 300 you land on.
Why the SRA uses scaled scores
According to the SRA and Kaplan:
- they give a common standard across papers and assessment windows;
- they make results easier to interpret, because 300 always means the pass mark;
- they make all the assessments directly comparable;
- they change only how results are shown: the outcome for every candidate is the same as it would be using raw marks.
Pass rates are not pass marks
Do not confuse the two. Pass rates tell you what share of candidates passed. For example, the SRA reports that in July 2026, 42% of candidates passed overall and 47% of first-time sitters passed; in January 2026, 53% overall and 58% first-time. These figures say nothing about the raw mark needed on any paper.
Raw pass marks for recent sittings appear in statistical reports on the SQE website, which blocks automated access from our network. We do not quote a raw pass mark percentage, and you should be wary of any figure that claims to be "the" SQE1 pass mark.
How to read our practice scores
Our SQE1 practice sets show a percentage correct and a breakdown by subject. They never show a pass, because the real pass mark is set per paper and is not fixed.
To use them well:
- Track the trend, not single scores. Steady improvement across several sets is a better sign than one high mark.
- Find weak subjects. A 45-question set gives a few questions per subject, so look at patterns across sets.
- Read the wrong-option explanations. Every question explains why each wrong option fails, which is where most learning happens.
- Aim high. Because the pass mark is unknown in advance, the safest approach is to build a comfortable margin rather than aim for a guessed line.
Start with SQE1 practice set 1 (FLK1) or practice set 5 (FLK2), and see our guides to the January 2027 format and FLK1 and FLK2 subjects. Everything is on the SQE1 hub.
Key points
- Scaled score 0 to 500; pass mark always 300.
- Raw pass mark set independently for each paper at each sitting.
- Used for SQE1 since January 2024.
- No fixed raw pass mark; no quotas.
- Pass rates are not pass marks.
Official sources: SRA "Questions and answers: SQE" (updated 28 January 2026), SRA/Kaplan slides "SQE: scaled scoring and SQE1 results" (2024), SQE Update June 2025, SQE Update April 2026, SQE Update February 2026 and SRA news on July 2026 results (29 September 2026), sra.org.uk, read on 1 November 2026.