How to Revise for SQE1 — A Step-by-Step Plan

Learning how to revise for SQE1 is mostly about doing the right things in the right order. SQE1 is two papers (FLK1 and FLK2) of single-best-answer multiple-choice questions — 360 in total — testing functioning legal knowledge across roughly fourteen subject areas. It rewards breadth, speed and pattern recognition over the deep essay-writing the LLB trains. This guide gives you a concrete, repeatable plan.

Caselaw is not affiliated with or endorsed by the SRA or Kaplan. “SQE” refers to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and is used descriptively.

Step 1 — Map the syllabus. Start with the SRA Assessment Specification and Annex 4 weightings so you know how many questions each subject carries. Build a one-page topic map covering both papers. Our FLK1 topics guide and FLK2 topics guide lay out every subject so you can see the whole landscape before you start.

Step 2 — Build a realistic schedule.Count backwards from your assessment window. Most candidates need three to six months part-time. Allocate the most time to high-weighting, rules-heavy subjects (Business Law, Dispute Resolution, Property Practice, Solicitors Accounts) and protect time at the end for full mocks. Block specific subjects to specific weeks rather than “revise SQE1” vaguely.

Step 3 — Learn actively, not passively. Re-reading notes feels productive but barely moves your score. Use active recall and spaced repetition: turn each topic into questions and answer them from memory. Our flashcard decks are built for exactly this — case names, statutory references and procedural rules drilled with spacing so they stick.

Step 4 — Drill single-best-answer questions under time. This is the heart of SQE1 prep. Do questions in timed blocks, then read the rationale for every option — including the ones you got right — to understand why the best answer beats the near-miss distractors. Log the topics you keep missing. Choosing the right bank matters: see our best SQE1 question bank comparison. Drill by subject on the SQE1 revision hub.

Step 5 — Close the loop on weak areas. Practice only helps if you act on it. Each week, take your list of missed topics back to your notes, relearn them, then re-test. This diagnose-relearn-retest loop is what separates candidates who improve from those who plateau.

Step 6 — Sit full, timed mocks. In the final weeks, sit complete 90-question sittings under exam conditions to build stamina and calibrate pacing — you have roughly 1 minute 42 seconds per question. Use our past papers with model answers to rehearse the format and timing.

Step 7 — Final review and exam-day strategy. In the last week, do light review of your weakest topics rather than cramming new material. On the day: read the actual question line before the long facts, eliminate obviously wrong options, never leave a blank (there is no negative marking), and flag-and-return rather than stalling. For the general principles behind this plan, see our broader revision strategy guide and exam revision strategy guide.

Deciding whether SQE1 is even your route? Compare it with the degree path in our SQE1 vs LLB guide, and see what comes next in SQE1 vs SQE2.