A sergeants' mock exam is the closest you can get to the real thing before the day: 150 questions, three hours, no notes, scored against 55%. This guide explains how to sit a full mock under proper conditions, how to score it and read the split between crime, evidence and procedure, and general police duties, and when mocks belong in a 14-week revision plan. The first full sergeants' mock exam on this site is free, with no account needed.
For the dates, eligibility and registration windows, see the main sergeants' exam guide. This page is about practice.
What a sergeants' mock exam should be
Short quizzes are useful while you read the manuals. They are not mocks. A real sergeants' mock exam has to reproduce the conditions that make the actual paper hard: length, time pressure and topics mixed together with no warning.
| Feature | Real sergeants' exam | Our full mock |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 150 multiple-choice (140 scored) | 150 multiple-choice (all scored) |
| Options | Four, one correct | Four, one correct |
| Time | 180 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Pass mark | 55% (77 of 140) | 55% (83 of 150) |
| Topics | Mixed across all three manuals | Mixed, weighted like the College's published breakdown (about 45/21/34%) |
| Results | Overall percentage plus subject areas | Overall, by area, by topic, with explanations |
The real exam's figures come from the College of Policing's NPPF step two page, checked on 30 October 2026.
What our mocks are, and what they are not
Every question in our mocks is original, written from the primary law on legislation.gov.uk and the PACE Codes, and cites its Act and section. They are not College questions. The College does not publish past papers, and anyone claiming otherwise should make you cautious. This site is an independent revision aid with no affiliation to the College of Policing or Oxford University Press. Check every legal point against your 2027 Blackstone's manual.
Police sergeant practice test or full mock
People search for a "police sergeant practice test" when they mean anything from 10 questions to a full paper. On this site:
- the diagnostic is 20 questions in 24 minutes, for a quick read of where you are;
- the quick practice is 20 untimed questions for revision days;
- topic quizzes, such as detention and custody, drill one area;
- full mocks are the 150-question, three-hour papers described here.
Key fact: A practice test tells you what you know. Only a full mock tells you whether you can keep it up for three hours.
How to sit a sergeants' mock exam under real conditions
The exam is online and usually taken at home or at a force venue. Copy that set-up exactly. A mock done in three sittings with the manual open measures nothing.
- Book three uninterrupted hours on a rest day, at the time of day you plan to sit the real exam.
- Use the device you will sit the exam on, in the room you will use.
- Clear the desk. No manuals, notes or phone. The real rules forbid help from people and AI tools.
- Start the timer and don't stop it. In the real exam a comfort break doesn't pause the clock, so it shouldn't in a mock either.
- Answer every question. A blank scores the same as a wrong answer.
- Flag and move on. If a question takes more than about 90 seconds, pick your best option, flag it and return at the end.
- Submit when the time runs out, even if you have flagged questions left.
Pacing a 150-question paper
You have 72 seconds per question. In practice, short knowledge questions take 30 to 40 seconds and long scenarios two minutes or more. Check your progress at fixed points:
| Time elapsed | Target questions answered |
|---|---|
| 45 minutes | 40 |
| 90 minutes | 80 |
| 135 minutes | 120 |
| 165 minutes | 150, with 15 minutes for flagged questions |
Exam tip: If you are behind at 90 minutes, stop rereading scenarios. Read the question line first, then the scenario for the facts it needs.
Scoring a sergeants' mock exam against 55%
Our mocks score all 150 questions and set the pass at 83 of 150, which is 55%. The real exam scores 140 after the College removes 10, and the pass is 77 of 140. The percentages line up, so compare percentages, not raw scores.
| Mock score (of 150) | Percentage | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Below 68 | Under 45% | Large gaps. Go back to the manuals before another mock |
| 68–82 | 45–54% | Close but failing. Target the weakest area hard |
| 83–97 | 55–64% | Passing, but with little margin |
| 98–112 | 65–74% | Ready range, if repeated on different mocks |
| 113+ | 75%+ | Exceptional-pass territory |
Reading your crime, E&P and GPD split
The results screen shows your score in each of the three areas. Your total can hide a serious weakness: a candidate scoring 70% in crime, 65% in general police duties and 40% in evidence and procedure averages around 58%, which is a pass on paper and a risk on the day.
Use the split this way:
- Any area under 50%: that area is your next fortnight. Read the chapters again, then do its topic quizzes.
- All areas between 55% and 65%: your knowledge is broad but thin. Spend the time on active recall (see the revision plan).
- One area well above the others: stop revising it for now. Put your hours where the marks are.
Reading the topic breakdown
Below the areas, you see scores by topic: detention and custody, public order, theft, and so on. Pick the three lowest topics with at least five questions behind them and drill those with topic quizzes: for example public order, theft offences or disclosure. Ignore a topic score built on one or two questions; it is noise.
Exam tip: Keep a one-line log after every mock: date, score, the three weakest topics. After three mocks the pattern is obvious.
Reviewing a mock: where the learning happens
Sitting a mock takes three hours. Reviewing it properly takes another two to three, and that is where your score improves.
- Go through every wrong answer. Read the explanation and the Act and section it cites.
- Go through every guess you got right. A lucky guess is a gap you haven't found yet.
- Sort each error into one of four types:
- didn't know the law;
- knew it but misread the scenario;
- fell for a distractor (rank, time limit, a single word like "may" or "must");
- ran out of time.
- Fix the cause, not the question. A knowledge gap means rereading the chapter in your 2027 manual. A misreading means slowing down on the question line. A timing problem means more practice under the clock.
- Write one flashcard per error in your own words and add it to your daily review.
Our police sergeant exam questions guide shows how distractors are built and how to eliminate them, which cuts the "fell for it" category quickly.
When to sit mocks in a 14-week plan
Full mocks belong in the second half of your revision. Before that you are still reading the manuals for the first time, and a mock mostly confirms what you haven't covered. Our full sergeants' exam revision plan sets this out week by week; the mock schedule within it is:
| Week | Mock activity | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20-question diagnostic | Baseline by area |
| 2–9 | Topic quizzes only | Test each chapter as you finish it |
| 10 | Full mock 1 | First full-length benchmark |
| 11 | Full mock 2 | Check the fixes from mock 1 |
| 12 | Full mock 3 | Confirm progress, find remaining gaps |
| 13 | Full mocks 4 and 5 | Build stamina, aim for 65% |
| 14 | Light review, no new mock in the last three days | Rest and consolidate |
If you have fewer weeks, keep the gap of at least four or five days between mocks. You need that time to review and fix what the last one showed.
How many mocks is enough
There is no magic number, but three different mocks at 65% or more is our readiness rule: the pass mark plus a 10-point buffer. Repeating the same mock inflates your score because you remember the answers, so it doesn't count towards that rule.
Key fact: The readiness meter on this site only counts different mocks. Your best score on a repeated paper is not evidence that you are ready.
Mock day versus exam day
A well-run mock gets you most of the way, but the real sergeants' exam adds pressures you can only partly rehearse. Plan for them.
- Nerves cost marks. Plan on scoring below your best mock on the day, not above it. That is why the readiness rule sits 10 points above the pass mark.
- Unfamiliar wording. College questions are written by trained question writers to the College's own style. Expect phrasing you have not seen before, even on law you know well. Focus on the facts in the scenario and the exact question being asked.
- The removed 10. You will not know which questions are dropped from marking. A question that seems oddly ambiguous may be one of them, so give it your best answer and move on rather than burning five minutes.
- Technical checks. Do the College's device check and familiarisation exercise in the week before, not on the morning.
Sit at least one mock at the same time of day as your booked slot. If you are allocated a morning session, a 7pm mock after a late shift is poor rehearsal.
Exam tip: In the last week, swap new mocks for reviewing your error log and flashcards. Fresh knowledge sticks better than one more three-hour paper.
Free mock 1, then Pro
Mock 1 is free for everyone: 150 questions, 180 minutes, full results by area and topic. It is the right first full mock for most candidates around week 10.
If you want more, Pro unlocks every other mock, every question in every topic and every explanation in the end-of-test review. Plans are £12.99 a month, £29.99 for three months or £44.99 for six months, including VAT, and you can cancel anytime. One plan covers the sergeants' exam, the inspectors' exam and the National Investigators' Exam.
Mocks are generated from the topic weights, so every paper keeps the same balance across the three areas while drawing a different set of questions. That is what makes several mocks a fairer test of readiness than one.
Common mistakes with sergeants' mock exams
- Sitting mocks too early. Before you have read all three manuals once, a mock is a reading list, not a test.
- Pausing the clock. It hides the stamina problem that sinks candidates in the last hour.
- Open-book mocks. Looking things up mid-mock feels productive and tells you nothing.
- Skipping the review. The score is the least useful part of a mock.
- Chasing one high score. One 70% followed by two 54%s means you are not yet safe.
- Revising only strong areas. It feels good and moves the total least.
- Treating any mock as a preview. No one outside the College knows what is on the paper. Mocks test your law, not your luck.
Use the official PACE Codes of Practice and your manual to settle any disagreement between a mock explanation and your notes. Every question cites its Act and section so you can check it at source.
Test yourself
- Take the free sergeants' diagnostic now: 20 questions, 24 minutes, a score by area.
- Revise from your 2027 manuals using the Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027 guide and the topic quizzes.
- Around week 10, sit the free full mock 1 under the conditions above and review it the same week.
- Keep going until you reach 65% on three different mocks, then read the exam-day checklist in the sergeants' exam guide.
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. 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?
- A. 35 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 80 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
- B. 50 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 100 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
- C. 35 microgrammes per 100 ml of breath, 107 milligrammes per 100 ml of blood, and 80 milligrammes per 100 ml of urine.
- 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. 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?
- A. WOOD cannot be convicted solely on one witness's opinion evidence of his speed.
- B. WOOD can be convicted, because two officers' opinions are required only on motorways.
- C. WOOD can be convicted, because police officers are trained and experienced in estimating vehicle speeds.
- 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.
3. Which of the following is correct regarding the offences of encouraging or assisting crime under Part 2 of the Serious Crime Act 2007?
- A. The offence applies only where the anticipated offence is triable on indictment
- B. The offence is committed only if the anticipated offence is at least attempted by the person encouraged
- C. It can be committed whether or not the offence encouraged or assisted is ever committed
- 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. 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?
- A. IRWIN commits the s.12(1) offence of taking a conveyance without authority
- B. IRWIN commits the separate summary offence under s.12(5) relating to pedal cycles
- C. IRWIN commits theft, because a pedal cycle is not a conveyance
- 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. 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?
- A. DAVIES can be convicted of possessing a Class A drug; not knowing which controlled drug it was is no defence.
- B. DAVIES can be convicted only of possessing a Class B drug, as the class he believed he had determines the offence.
- C. DAVIES should be charged with attempting to possess amphetamine, as that was the drug he intended to buy.
- 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.
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?
- A. Withdrawal can never be a defence once a person has given any assistance
- B. XU has a complete defence, because he left before any blow was struck
- C. Whether XU effectively withdrew is a question of fact and degree for the jury
- 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.
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?
- A. A police officer of inspector rank or above, or the local authority.
- B. Only a police officer of at least the rank of chief inspector, or the chief executive of the local authority.
- C. Only a magistrates' court, on a complaint made by a constable and supported by evidence of nuisance.
- 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. 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?
- 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.
- B. HARRIS commits no offence, because lager is beer and the s.146 offence applies only to wines and spirits.
- 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.
- 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. Which of the following is correct regarding the offence of strangulation under s.75A(1)(a) Serious Crime Act 2015?
- A. It requires an intentional act of strangulation, but no injury of any kind need be proved
- B. It may be committed recklessly, in the same way as a battery or common assault
- C. It requires proof that the victim's breathing or blood circulation was impeded
- 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. What is the maximum penalty on indictment for aggravated vehicle-taking under s.12A of the Theft Act 1968?
- A. Five years, or life imprisonment if a death is caused
- B. Six months, as the offence is triable only summarily
- C. Two years, or 14 years where an accident caused a death
- 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
+Is there a free sergeants mock exam?
Yes. Mock 1 on this site is a full 150-question, three-hour sergeants' mock and is free with no account needed. It is scored against 55% and shows your result by area and by topic. Further mocks come with Pro.
+How many mocks should I do before the sergeants exam?
Most candidates benefit from four to six full mocks in the last five to six weeks, with a full review after each. Fewer than three gives you too little evidence about your level; more than one a week leaves too little time to fix what the mocks reveal.
+What mock score means I'm ready for the sergeants exam?
We use a simple rule: 65% or more on three different full mocks, which is the 55% pass mark plus 10 points. That margin absorbs exam-day nerves and unfamiliar wording. A single high score on a repeated mock does not count.
+Are mock questions like the real sergeants exam?
Good mocks copy the format: scenario questions with four options, people named in capitals and the same three areas. No mock contains real College questions, because the College does not publish its papers. Use mocks to test knowledge and timing, not to predict the paper.
+How long is the sergeants mock exam?
Our full mock lasts 180 minutes for 150 questions, the same as the real exam. That is 72 seconds per question. The free diagnostic is shorter: 20 questions in 24 minutes.
+Should I sit a mock before I have finished revising?
Sit the short diagnostic at the start, but save full mocks until you have covered all three manuals at least once. A full mock taken too early mostly tells you what you haven't read yet.
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.
Keep reading
- Sergeants' Exam 2027: Dates, Format, Pass Mark and ResultsSergeants exam 2027 guide: March and October dates, registration windows, 55% pass mark, format, eligibility and results. Plan your sitting now.
- Police Sergeant Exam Questions: How They Work, with 50 Free ExamplesPolice sergeant exam questions with answers: how scenario questions work, how to beat distractors, worked examples and 50 free practice questions.
- Sergeants' Exam Revision Plan: 14 Weeks to March 2027Sergeants exam revision plan for March 2027: a 14-week timetable from December, hours around shifts, active recall and when to sit mocks. Start this week.
- Blackstone's Police Manuals 2027: What They Cover and How to Use ThemBlackstones police manuals 2027 explained: the three volumes, why only the 2027 edition counts, the officer discount, and manuals vs Q&A vs question banks.