How to make a First Stage Appeal

What is a First Stage Appeal?

A First Stage Appeal is the process used to challenge a decision made by the Assessment Board. The Board makes decisions regarding candidate results, mitigating circumstances applications, and allegations of malpractice or improper conduct.

Grounds for appeal

A first stage appeal can only be made on the following grounds:

• There were mitigating circumstances that you could not submit in time (4.2.1, Appeals Policy)
• The Assessment Board's decision, or manner in which the decision was reached involved material irregularity and/or was manifestly unreasonable and/or irrational (4.2.2)
• You disagree with a finding of malpractice or improper conduct (4.2.3)

• 1

  I am ready to make a first stage appeal

  Submitting your appeal

  To submit your appeal, please use the First Stage Appeal Form available in your SQE account. When completing your appeal, please refer to the Appeals Policy and FAQs for guidance.

  Things to consider:

  • The grounds for your appeal.
  • The evidence you provide in support of your appeal.
  • The submission deadline.

  Please note that your first stage appeal will only be considered as submitted once the form and the appeal charge of £350 has been made.

  The deadline for submitting the appeal, including the appeal charge, is 16:00 on the tenth working day after you receive the outcome of the Assessment Board decision which you are appealing against.

  If you have trouble submitting your form, please contact the Quality Team via email at equality.quality@sqe.sra.org.uk as soon as possible.

• 2

  I am ready to make payment

  • Once you have submitted your appeal form you will receive an email with a copy of your appeal form within 30 minutes. If you do not receive this email, please contact equality.quality@sqe.sra.org.uk to confirm receipt of your appeal.
  • You will receive a formal confirmation email from the Quality Team within two working days, with a deadline for payment.

  How to make payment

  To proceed with payment, please contact the Candidate Services Team by telephone between 8:00 - 16:00, Monday to Friday, at 0203 486 3080.

  Please note that payments can only be taken by telephone.

• 3

  I have submitted my appeal

  • You will receive an email to confirm your appeal has been submitted in full.
  • If additional information is required, a member of the Quality Team will contact you by email.
  • The team will prepare your appeal for consideration by the First Appeal Panel.
  • The First Appeal Panel will meet within 25 working days of the appeal submission deadline.
• 4

  I want to know the outcome of my appeal

  • The outcome of your appeal will be communicated to you via email within 35 working days of the appeal submission deadline.
  • This email will be sent to the address registered on your SQE account.
  • For any queries regarding the content of your outcome letter, please contact the Quality Team via email at equality.quality@sqe.sra.org.uk
  • For questions related to refunds or bookings please contact the Candidate Services Team via email at enquiries@sqe.sra.org.uk or by telephone on 0203 486 3080.

Supporting evidence

It is your responsibility to provide all supporting evidence for your claim. We are unable to advise on specific evidence required. Evidence should be relevant to the basis on which you have appealed.

Examples of evidence that could support your claim:

• Illness: Medical certificate detailing the diagnosis, dates when the illness started, and its duration.
• Bereavement: Death certificate, proof of relationship, and evidence of the effect on you (e.g. medical evidence as described above).
• A reason, supported with independent evidence, as to why you were unable to submit a mitigating circumstances claim at the time.
• If your appeal is made in respect of circumstances existing before you signed the 'fit to sit declaration' it will not usually be accepted unless you are able to clearly evidence why you attempted the assessment and signed the 'fit to sit' declaration.
• If your appeal is made in respect of circumstances existing prior or during your assessment, you must provide clear evidence as to why a mitigating circumstances was not made before the deadline.

Please note that these are examples and not a definitive list of required evidence.

Outcomes of a first stage appeal

The Panel cannot change a pass mark or change a candidate's mark.

SQE1 - Accepted appeal

• The attempt will be discounted, meaning it won't count towards your three attempts to pass SQE1.
• You will receive a refund of the assessment fee in accordance with the SQE Terms and Conditions.
• You will also receive a refund of the appeal charge.

SQE2 - Accepted appeal

• SQE2 consists of 16 individual assessment stations but is considered a single assessment of competence. You will not be permitted to retake individual assessment stations.
• The attempt will be discounted, meaning it won't count towards your three attempts to pass SQE2.
• Where an appeal has been accepted under ground 4.2.1, your appeal may be referred to the Assessment Board who will decide whether the one directly impacted station should be removed, or where more than one station is affected, the lowest scoring station for which the claim has been accepted should be removed, and your mark recalculated based on 15 stations.
• You will receive a refund of the assessment fee in line with the SQE Terms and Conditions.
• You will also receive a refund of your appeal charge.

Appeal rejected

Your results will stand, and your attempt will be recorded on your candidate account.