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Sergeants' Exam Revision Plan: 14 Weeks to March 2027

Good sergeants' exam revision for March 2027 starts in early December 2026 and runs for 14 weeks: about nine weeks reading the three 2027 Blackstone's manuals with a topic quiz after each chapter, then five weeks of timed mocks and targeted review. Plan on 8 to 12 hours a week around shifts, in short daily sessions built on active recall.

Updated 2026-10-30 · 9 min read · Checked against official sources

Sergeants' exam revision works best as a plan you can actually keep while working shifts. This page gives you one: a week-by-week timetable for the March 2027 sitting that starts in early December 2026, a realistic number of hours, the study method that holds up under exam pressure, and a checklist you can print. For the format, dates and eligibility, start with the sergeants' exam guide.

The March 2027 sergeants' exam runs 16–18 March, with registration from 18 January to 6pm on 18 February 2027 (checked on the College of Policing's NPPF step two page on 30 October 2026; check the dates again before you plan). The October sitting is 5–7 October 2027; shift the plan below to start in late June.

Before you start, take the free sergeants' diagnostic. Twenty questions in 24 minutes gives you a baseline by area, and tells you where to begin.

Sergeants' exam revision: the shape of the plan

The plan has three phases.

Phase Weeks Dates (March 2027 sitting) Goal
Learn 1–9 7 Dec 2026 – 7 Feb 2027 Read all three 2027 manuals once, with a topic quiz after each chapter
Test 10–13 8 Feb – 7 Mar 2027 Full timed mocks, error review, second pass on weak topics
Consolidate 14 8 – 14 Mar 2027 Review only, device check, rest

Christmas falls in weeks 3 and 4. The plan treats them as light weeks; if you work through the holidays, swap them with any heavy-duty fortnight in January.

How many hours a week

Plan on 8 to 12 hours a week, about 120 to 150 hours in total. A realistic pattern around a four-on, four-off shift rota:

Day type Time What you do
Early or late shift 45–60 minutes Flashcards and 15–20 quiz questions
Night shift 0–20 minutes Flashcards only, or rest
Rest day 2–3 hours New reading, with a topic quiz at the end

If you only have 6 hours a week, extend the plan to 18 weeks rather than skipping chapters.

Exam tip: Book your study time in your diary like a duty. A plan that says "when I get time" turns into nothing by week 5.

The method: active recall and spaced repetition

Reading and highlighting feel productive and are the weakest way to revise for a recall exam. The sergeants' exam asks you to retrieve precise rules from memory under time pressure. Practise exactly that.

Active recall in four steps

  1. Read one section of the manual, around 10 to 15 pages.
  2. Close the book. Write down, from memory, the offence or power, its points to prove, any ranks, time limits and the mental element.
  3. Check against the manual and correct in a different colour.
  4. Turn each correction into a flashcard with a question on the front, such as "Who authorises delay in access to a solicitor, and for how long?", and the answer on the back in your own words.

Spaced repetition

Review each flashcard on a widening schedule: the next day, three days later, a week later, then two weeks later. Any card you get wrong goes back to the start. A paper box with dividers works; so does any flashcard app with spaced review. Keep the cards in your own words: copying manual text onto cards is slow and does not help you remember it.

Questions as a test, not a textbook

After each chapter, do the matching topic quiz. For example, after the custody chapters, do the detention and custody quiz. Every wrong answer becomes a flashcard. Our police sergeant exam questions guide explains how distractors are built so that you learn from each mistake.

Key fact: The College's handbook says questions are drawn solely from the edition of the Blackstone's manuals named for that year. Revise from the 2027 manuals, not a colleague's older set.

The 14-week sergeants' exam revision timetable

The order below starts with crime, which many candidates find the most familiar, and puts evidence and procedure in the middle so that the PACE Codes get the longest spaced-review period before the exam. If your diagnostic shows one area far below the others, start there instead.

Week Dates Read Practise
1 7–13 Dec Get the 2027 manuals; general principles of criminal law Diagnostic; principles quiz
2 14–20 Dec Incomplete offences; homicide Topic quizzes
3 21–27 Dec Light week: assaults, including non-fatal strangulation Assaults quiz
4 28 Dec – 3 Jan Light week: sexual offences; child protection Topic quizzes
5 4–10 Jan Theft, robbery, burglary; fraud; criminal damage Theft quiz
6 11–17 Jan Drugs; modern slavery; offences against justice. Crime review Mixed crime set
7 18–24 Jan Detention and custody (Code C); interviews. Register for the exam Custody quiz
8 25–31 Jan Identification (Code D); search and seizure; disclosure Topic quizzes
9 1–7 Feb Evidence; bail and charging; courts and youth. Start general police duties Evidence quiz
10 8–14 Feb Powers; public order; harassment and communications Full mock 1 at the weekend
11 15–21 Feb Weapons; civil orders; mental health; standards. Confirm registration before 18 Feb Mock review; topic quizzes
12 22–28 Feb Road policing; terrorism and computer misuse Full mock 2
13 1–7 Mar Second pass on your three weakest topics Full mocks 3 and 4
14 8–14 Mar Flashcards, error log, PACE Code sections you keep missing One last mock early in the week, then stop

General police duties is squeezed into weeks 9 to 12 alongside mocks. That is deliberate: by week 10 the reading load drops and the mocks start telling you where to spend time. If you fall behind, take time from week 13's second pass, not from the mocks.

Registration falls in the middle of revision

Registration opens on 18 January 2027 (week 7) and the College deadline is 6pm on 18 February (week 11). Your force deadline may be earlier. Register in week 7 and get your force's confirmation; don't leave it until the final week.

Exam tip: Put a reminder for registration in your diary today. Missing the window is the one revision mistake you can't fix with extra hours.

Which areas to prioritise

Each paper follows a blueprint built from a national survey of serving sergeants, weighting areas they consider important and meet often. After each sitting the College publishes a subject area breakdown of the scored questions: in October 2026 that was 63 crime, 30 evidence and procedure and 47 general police duties. Use it to weight your time, not to skip chapters: the College says past breakdowns don't predict the next paper, and there is no safe chapter to skip.

What that blueprint suggests, in practice, is to give extra time to the law a custody or response sergeant uses every week:

  • PACE and the Codes: detention, reviews, rights, interviews, identification and searches. The handbook says you are expected to know Code provisions that the manual refers to directly. See our PACE Code C guide and the official PACE Codes of Practice.
  • Police powers: stop and search, entry, arrest and seizure. See section 1 PACE.
  • Everyday offences: assaults, theft, criminal damage, public order and domestic abuse offences such as coercive control.
  • Recent law changes in the 2027 edition, since question writers update the bank when the law changes.

Our mocks follow the College's published balance (about 45% crime, 21% evidence and procedure, 34% general police duties), so your results show where you are weakest against a realistic paper.

If you are starting late

Not everyone can start in December. If you have eight weeks or fewer, change the plan rather than trying to cram 14 weeks into fewer hours.

Weeks left What to change
10–12 Read each manual once at a faster pace; start mocks at week 6 of your plan
8 Read actively but skim chapters your diagnostic shows you already know; sit three full mocks in the last four weeks
6 or fewer Work from questions first: do topic quizzes, then read only the sections behind your wrong answers; sit at least two full mocks

What not to cut

  • The review after each mock. It is where most of the improvement comes from.
  • The PACE Codes. They run through custody, interview, identification and search questions, so a gap here costs marks in several topics at once.
  • Sleep in the final week. Tired recall is slow recall, and the exam is three hours long.

Should you defer to October

If you have less than six weeks and large gaps across all three areas, consider whether the October 2027 sitting is the better target. A fail does not stop you resitting (there is no national limit, though your force may set one), but it costs you a sitting and six months, and recent handbooks say forces are charged for candidates who register and don't sit, and may set their own penalties for absence. Decide before you register, not after. Talk to your force examinations officer before you decide.

Exam tip: A late start is best spent on questions and reviews, not on reading every page once. Let your wrong answers decide which pages you read.

Using mocks in the plan

Full mocks start in week 10. Sit them under exam conditions: three hours, no notes, timer running. After each one, spend at least as long reviewing as you spent sitting it. Our sergeants' mock exam guide explains how to read your area and topic scores and how to sort your mistakes.

Readiness on this site means 65% or more on three different full mocks, the 55% pass mark plus 10 points. Mock 1 is free; further mocks come with Pro.

Sergeants' exam tips for revising around shifts

  • Use dead time. Flashcards fit into refreshment breaks and the commute if you're not driving.
  • Protect rest days. Do your new reading on rest days when you can concentrate; keep working days for review.
  • Revise with a colleague once a week. Explain a chapter to each other from memory. If you can't explain it, you don't know it yet.
  • Link law to jobs. After a shift, think of one job you attended and name the power you used and its section. This makes the law stick.
  • Don't discuss exam content after the day. The College's rules forbid sharing questions, including on social media.
  • Look after yourself. Sleep matters more than a late-night hour of reading, especially before nights.

Your printable revision checklist

Print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser. Tick each item as you go.

  1. Bought or ordered the three 2027 Blackstone's manuals (see our manuals guide).
  2. Confirmed step one eligibility with your line manager and force examinations officer.
  3. Sat the free diagnostic and noted your weakest area.
  4. Blocked study time in your diary for 14 weeks.
  5. Finished the crime volume and its topic quizzes (week 6).
  6. Registered for the exam when the window opened (week 7).
  7. Finished evidence and procedure and its topic quizzes (week 9).
  8. Sat full mock 1 and reviewed every error (week 10).
  9. Finished general police duties, including road policing (week 12).
  10. Scored 65% or more on three different mocks.
  11. Completed the College's device check and familiarisation exercise.
  12. Read the College's candidate handbook and online exam guide.

For practice on paper, print the sergeants' question sheet.

Your revision plan

  1. Take the free sergeants' diagnostic this week.
  2. Order the 2027 manuals and start week 1 with general principles and its topic quiz.
  3. Register with your force as soon as the window opens on 18 January 2027.
  4. In week 10, sit the free mock 1 and follow the review steps in the mock exam guide.
  5. Browse the law guides on the guides page when a topic quiz shows a gap.

This site is an independent revision aid, not affiliated with the College of Policing or Oxford University Press. Check every legal point against your 2027 manual.

10 free Sergeants' exam practice questions with answers

Try each one, then open the answer. For a timed experience use the free mock exam.

  1. 1. What are the prescribed alcohol limits for the purposes of ss.3A to 10 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, as they apply in England and Wales?

    1. A. 35 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 80 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
    2. B. 50 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 100 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
    3. C. 35 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 80 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
    4. D. 22 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 50 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 67 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
    Show answer

    A. 35 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 80 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.

    Section 11(2) defines 'the prescribed limit' as 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes in 100 millilitres of blood, or 107 milligrammes in 100 millilitres of urine. Regulations may prescribe other proportions, and lower limits apply in Scotland.

    Source: Road Traffic Act 1988, s.11(2)

  2. 2. WOOD is prosecuted for speeding. The only evidence is from a single police officer, who estimated by eye that WOOD was travelling at about 50 mph in a 30 mph zone. Which is correct?

    1. A. WOOD cannot be convicted solely on one witness's opinion evidence of his speed.
    2. B. WOOD can be convicted, because two officers' opinions are required only on motorways.
    3. C. WOOD can be convicted, because police officers are trained and experienced in estimating vehicle speeds.
    4. D. WOOD can be convicted if the officer gives his evidence on oath and is not shaken in cross-examination.
    Show answer

    A. WOOD cannot be convicted solely on one witness's opinion evidence of his speed.

    Section 89(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides that a person shall not be convicted of speeding solely on the evidence of one witness to the effect that, in that witness's opinion, the person was driving at a speed exceeding the limit. Corroboration is needed, for example a second witness or a speed-measuring device.

    Source: Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.89(2)

  3. 3. Which of the following is correct regarding the offences of encouraging or assisting crime under Part 2 of the Serious Crime Act 2007?

    1. A. The offence applies only where the anticipated offence is triable on indictment
    2. B. The offence is committed only if the anticipated offence is at least attempted by the person encouraged
    3. C. It can be committed whether or not the offence encouraged or assisted is ever committed
    4. D. The offence is committed only if the person encouraged is aware of the encouragement
    Show answer

    C. It can be committed whether or not the offence encouraged or assisted is ever committed

    Section 49(1) SCA 2007 provides that a person may commit an offence under Part 2 whether or not any offence capable of being encouraged or assisted by his act is committed. The Part 2 offences are inchoate. Liability depends on D's act and state of mind, not on the outcome.

    Source: Serious Crime Act 2007, s.49(1)

  4. 4. IRWIN takes a pedal cycle from outside a library without the owner's consent and rides it home, intending to return it the next day. Which of the following is correct?

    1. A. IRWIN commits the s.12(1) offence of taking a conveyance without authority
    2. B. IRWIN commits the separate summary offence under s.12(5) relating to pedal cycles
    3. C. IRWIN commits theft, because a pedal cycle is not a conveyance
    4. D. IRWIN commits no offence because he intended to return the cycle
    Show answer

    B. IRWIN commits the separate summary offence under s.12(5) relating to pedal cycles

    Section 12(5) of the Theft Act 1968 provides that s.12(1) does not apply to pedal cycles. Instead it creates a separate summary offence of taking a pedal cycle without consent or lawful authority for one's own or another's use, or riding one knowing it has been so taken, punishable by a fine not exceeding level 3. An intention to return the cycle does not matter for this offence, but it does mean there is no theft.

    Source: Theft Act 1968, s.12(5)

  5. 5. DAVIES buys tablets believing them to be amphetamine (Class B). Analysis shows they are MDMA (Class A). He accepts he knew the tablets were a controlled drug of some kind. Which is correct?

    1. A. DAVIES can be convicted of possessing a Class A drug; not knowing which controlled drug it was is no defence.
    2. B. DAVIES can be convicted only of possessing a Class B drug, as the class he believed he had determines the offence.
    3. C. DAVIES should be charged with attempting to possess amphetamine, as that was the drug he intended to buy.
    4. D. DAVIES has a complete defence under s.28, because he did not know or suspect that the tablets were MDMA.
    Show answer

    A. DAVIES can be convicted of possessing a Class A drug; not knowing which controlled drug it was is no defence.

    Section 28(3)(a) states that the accused is not to be acquitted merely because he did not know or suspect that the substance was the particular controlled drug alleged. As DAVIES knew it was a controlled drug and believed it was one he could not lawfully possess, s.28(3)(b) does not help him. He is charged with possessing the drug he actually had.

    Source: Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, s.28(3)

  6. 6. XU agrees with two others to attack a man and gives them a baseball bat. As they approach the man, XU says quietly 'I'm off' and walks away. The others carry on and seriously injure the man with the bat. Which of the following is correct?

    1. A. Withdrawal can never be a defence once a person has given any assistance
    2. B. XU has a complete defence, because he left before any blow was struck
    3. C. Whether XU effectively withdrew is a question of fact and degree for the jury
    4. D. XU is liable only if he was physically present when the injuries were inflicted
    Show answer

    C. Whether XU effectively withdrew is a question of fact and degree for the jury

    A secondary party is not liable if he withdraws from the joint venture before the offence is committed. Whether he has withdrawn is a question of fact and degree for the jury. Relevant factors include the nature of the assistance given (here, supplying the weapon), how imminent the attack was, and how the withdrawal was communicated (R v O'Flaherty [2004]). A quiet remark as the attack is about to start may not be enough.

    Source: CPS Secondary liability guidance (withdrawal)

  7. 7. Neighbours report constant drug-related visitors, noise and fights at a house. Who may issue a closure notice under s.76 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014?

    1. A. A police officer of inspector rank or above, or the local authority.
    2. B. Only a police officer of at least the rank of chief inspector, or the chief executive of the local authority.
    3. C. Only a magistrates' court, on a complaint made by a constable and supported by evidence of nuisance.
    4. D. Any police sergeant, if the premises are residential and the local authority has been consulted.
    Show answer

    A. A police officer of inspector rank or above, or the local authority.

    Section 76(1) allows a closure notice to be issued by a police officer of at least the rank of inspector, the local authority or, since 26 October 2026 (Crime and Policing Act 2026), a registered social housing provider, which may act only for premises it owns or manages (s.76(1A)). The issuer must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that use of the premises has resulted, or is likely soon to result, in nuisance to the public, or in disorder near the premises associated with their use. The notice must be necessary to prevent this.

    Source: Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, s.76

  8. 8. HARRIS, a bar worker, sells a pint of lager to a customer who is 17. HARRIS says he thought the customer looked about 20, but he did not ask for identification. Which is correct regarding s.146 of the Licensing Act 2003?

    1. A. HARRIS has a complete defence, because he genuinely and honestly believed the customer was about 20, even though he did not ask for proof of age.
    2. B. HARRIS commits no offence, because lager is beer and the s.146 offence applies only to wines and spirits.
    3. C. He has a defence only if he believed the buyer was 18+ and took all reasonable steps, or nobody could reasonably have suspected otherwise.
    4. D. HARRIS commits no offence, because only the premises licence holder or the designated premises supervisor can commit it.
    Show answer

    C. He has a defence only if he believed the buyer was 18+ and took all reasonable steps, or nobody could reasonably have suspected otherwise.

    Section 146(1) makes it an offence to sell alcohol to an individual aged under 18. Under s.146(4), the seller has a defence if he believed the individual was 18 or over and either took all reasonable steps to establish age, or nobody could reasonably have suspected from the individual's appearance that they were under 18. Reasonable steps means asking for evidence of age that would convince a reasonable person (s.146(5)).

    Source: Licensing Act 2003, s.146

  9. 9. Which of the following is correct regarding the offence of strangulation under s.75A(1)(a) Serious Crime Act 2015?

    1. A. It requires an intentional act of strangulation, but no injury of any kind need be proved
    2. B. It may be committed recklessly, in the same way as a battery or common assault
    3. C. It requires proof that the victim's breathing or blood circulation was impeded
    4. D. It requires proof that the victim suffered at least actual bodily harm
    Show answer

    A. It requires an intentional act of strangulation, but no injury of any kind need be proved

    Section 75A(1)(a) is committed where A intentionally strangles B. The CPS guidance states that strangulation does not require any particular level of force, any injury, or proof of a consequence such as impeded breathing. It requires an intentional act and cannot be committed recklessly. Suffocation under s.75A(1)(b) is the limb that can be committed recklessly, through a battery.

    Source: Serious Crime Act 2015, s.75A; CPS Strangulation and suffocation guidance

  10. 10. What is the maximum penalty on indictment for aggravated vehicle-taking under s.12A of the Theft Act 1968?

    1. A. Five years, or life imprisonment if a death is caused
    2. B. Six months, as the offence is triable only summarily
    3. C. Two years, or 14 years where an accident caused a death
    4. D. Ten years, whatever the consequences of the driving
    Show answer

    C. Two years, or 14 years where an accident caused a death

    Section 12A(4) of the Theft Act 1968 sets a maximum of two years on indictment. Where it is proved that, in circumstances within s.12A(2)(b), the accident caused the death of the person concerned, the maximum rises to 14 years.

    Source: Theft Act 1968, s.12A(4)

Frequently asked questions

+How long should I revise for the sergeants exam?

Most candidates need three to four months alongside full-time shifts. Fourteen weeks at 8 to 12 hours a week is a realistic plan. If you start later, cut reading time, not mock and review time.

+How many hours a day should I study for the sergeants exam?

Aim for 45 to 90 minutes on working days and two to three hours on rest days, totalling 8 to 12 hours a week. Consistency matters more than long sessions: short daily recall beats a single eight-hour day.

+When should I start revising for the March 2027 sergeants exam?

Early December 2026 gives you 14 weeks to the 16–18 March 2027 sitting. Buy the 2027 manuals first, take a diagnostic, then start with the crime volume or your weakest area.

+What is the best way to revise for the sergeants exam?

Read a chapter, close the manual and write down what you remember, then do a topic quiz the same week. Review every wrong answer against the Act. Space your reviews out over the following weeks, and move to full timed mocks in the last five weeks.

+Which parts of the sergeants exam syllabus carry the most marks?

Crime carries the most. The College's breakdown of the October 2026 paper showed 63 of 140 scored questions on crime, 47 on general police duties and 30 on evidence and procedure. Within crime, criminal law principles, assaults, weapons and theft came up most. Every chapter is still examinable.

+Can I pass the sergeants exam by only doing questions?

Unlikely. Questions show you what you don't know, but the manual is where you learn it. Use questions to direct your reading and to test recall, not to replace it.

+What should I do in the last week before the sergeants exam?

Stop sitting new full mocks three or four days out. Review your error log and flashcards, reread the PACE Code sections you keep missing, do the College's device check and familiarisation exercise, and sleep properly.

Revision aid, not legal advice. The College of Policing exams follow the 2027 Blackstone's Police Manuals, so check every point against your manual and the current law on legislation.gov.uk. Police Sergeant Exam is independent and not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or Oxford University Press.

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