How to read the SRA's SQE statistics

Every time the SRA releases a new set of SQE results, one number does the rounds on social media and forums: the overall pass rate. It's the easiest figure to quote and the least useful one on its own.

The actual document the SRA publishes, its statistical report for that sitting, has far more in it: overall versus first-time figures, breakdowns by candidate characteristic, comparisons across previous sittings. Most candidates never open it and just repeat whatever headline number someone else already extracted.

This is a short guide to reading that report properly: what's in it, which numbers matter for your situation, and where the data can mislead you at face value.

What the SRA actually publishes

After each SQE1 and SQE2 sitting, the Solicitors Regulation Authority releases a statistical report covering that sitting's results, published on a per-sitting basis. You'll find a separate report for, say, the January SQE1 sitting and a different one for July.

That per-sitting structure matters. Every report is a snapshot of one specific group of candidates, sitting one specific version of the exam, at one point in time. It is not a running average, and it isn't automatically comparable to the report before it without a bit of care on your part.

Each report typically includes:

• The overall pass rate for that sitting
• The first-time pass rate, shown separately
• A breakdown of candidate numbers
• Data broken down by candidate characteristics, including diversity data such as ethnicity, gender, and other demographic factors reported to the SRA
• Comparison figures against earlier sittings

If you want the source document rather than a secondhand summary, the SRA publishes these directly, and it's worth bookmarking the page rather than relying on articles that quote a single figure out of context (this one included, though we've tried not to).

First-time versus overall: the distinction that changes everything

This is the single most important thing to understand before you look at any SQE statistical report.

The overall pass rate includes every candidate who sat that exam part in that sitting, regardless of whether it was their first attempt, second, or third. The first-time pass rate isolates only the candidates sitting that part for the first time.

These two numbers are always different, and the gap is not trivial. Resit candidates, by definition, are people who didn't pass on an earlier attempt. As a group, they pass at a lower rate than first-timers do. Blend them into an "overall" figure and the combined number sits somewhere below what a first-time candidate on their own would experience.

If this is your first sitting of SQE1 or SQE2, the overall pass rate is not really your comparison group. The first-time figure is closer to describing candidates in your position. Skimming past that distinction and anchoring on the overall number alone means anchoring on a figure diluted by a different population than yours.

Our companion piece, cohort pass rates decoded, goes further into how cohort composition shapes a sitting's headline rate.

Cohort effects: why one sitting doesn't predict the next

A statistical report describes the group that sat that particular exam, on that particular date. It does not describe some fixed, underlying difficulty level of "the SQE" that holds steady from one sitting to the next.

A few things shift the numbers from sitting to sitting, none of which are about the exam getting objectively harder or easier:

• Who chooses to sit. Candidates decide when to sit based on their own readiness, training contract deadlines, visa timelines, and personal circumstances. That self-selection changes the mix of preparedness in the room each time.
• The proportion of resits. A sitting with more resit candidates in the mix will show a lower overall pass rate than one with fewer, even if the exam itself and the underlying cohort quality haven't changed at all.
• Question set rotation. Question banks rotate between sittings. Standard-setting is designed to keep the pass mark comparable across different versions of the exam, but some sitting-to-sitting variation should still be expected.

Treat each statistical report as a description of that sitting, not a forecast for the next one. A low pass rate in one sitting doesn't mean the next sitting will be equally tough, and a high one doesn't guarantee an easy ride either.

Reading the diversity data without over-reading it

The SRA's statistical reports also include a breakdown by candidate characteristics, sometimes called diversity data: figures split by categories such as ethnicity, gender, disability, and other reported demographics.

This data exists to track whether the SQE produces different outcomes for different groups of candidates, and to hold the profession accountable for addressing any gaps that show up. It's a genuinely useful transparency measure, worth taking seriously rather than skipping past.

A few things to keep in mind when you're actually looking at it, though. Group figures describe groups, not individuals: a gap between two demographic groups in aggregate data tells you something about that group's average outcome, not anything about any one person's likely result, including your own. Sample sizes also vary by category and by sitting, and smaller breakdowns move around more from one sitting to the next, so a gap in a smaller subgroup can look more dramatic than a stable, underlying pattern. And the report shows outcomes, not causes: a gap between groups is a starting point for asking why, not an answer in itself.

If diversity data in SQE outcomes is something you want to follow closely, going to the SRA's own published reports directly, rather than a single quoted statistic from social media, is the more reliable route.

A short checklist for reading any new report

Next time a new SQE statistical report lands, work through it in this order:

1. Find the first-time pass rate before the overall figure, especially if this will be your first attempt at that exam part.
2. Note which sitting it is and resist comparing it directly to a different sitting without accounting for cohort differences.
3. Check the candidate numbers behind any breakdown. A smaller subgroup moving by a few points is a different thing than the headline rate moving by the same amount.

None of this means the statistics don't matter. They're genuinely useful for understanding the shape of the exam and holding it accountable over time. Reading past the single headline figure is what turns a scary-looking social media post into an actually useful data point.

Where this fits with your own planning

Statistical reports are backward-looking. They tell you what happened to a previous cohort; your own preparation timeline is a separate question, and one where the SRA's data can only offer limited guidance.

If you're mapping out when to sit relative to booking deadlines and results timelines, a free SQE study planner is a more direct way to work backward from your target date than trying to extract a study schedule out of a pass-rate table. If cost is part of your sitting-timing decision, what the SQE costs and SQE dates for 2026-27 cover the fee and calendar side. For more on interpreting the numbers themselves, cohort pass rates decoded is the natural next read.

Frequently asked questions

How often does the SRA publish SQE statistics?

The SRA releases a statistical report after each sitting, so SQE1 reports appear roughly twice a year (following the January and July sittings) and SQE2 reports appear after each of its sitting windows. Check the SRA's own site for the exact current publication schedule, since timing can shift.

What's the difference between the overall and first-time pass rate?

The overall pass rate includes everyone who sat that exam part in that sitting, including resits. The first-time pass rate only counts candidates sitting that part for the first time. The first-time figure is usually higher and is the more relevant comparison if you're a first-time candidate yourself.

Does the SRA publish pass rates by ethnicity or other characteristics?

Yes. The statistical reports include a breakdown of candidate outcomes by characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, and disability, alongside the headline pass rates. This is intended as a transparency and accountability measure for the assessment.

Why do SQE1 pass rates change so much between sittings?

A mix of factors, including the proportion of first-time versus resit candidates, who chooses to sit based on their own readiness, and normal variation between rotating question sets. No single published figure fully explains a swing on its own.