ie-hairdressing-craft-l6 exam-day guide
ie-hairdressing-craft-l6 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original document you registered with (passport, driving licence or national ID). The name must match your booking exactly; if you have recently changed your name, confirm with the provider in advance which supporting documents they will accept. Do not rely on a photocopy or a photo on your phone.
Booking confirmation and candidate number
Print or download the confirmation email showing your candidate number, test centre address and arrival time. Confirm with the provider whether printed copies are required or a digital copy is accepted.
Your kit list as specified by the provider
Practical hairdressing assessments usually require you to bring your own scissors, combs, clips, sectioning tools, gowns, towels and styling equipment. The exact list, and whether tools must be inspected or sanitised beforehand, is set by the provider - confirm it and check every item the night before.
Professional uniform and closed-toe footwear
Wear clean, professional salon attire as described in the provider's dress code. Avoid loose sleeves, dangling jewellery and strong fragrance, which can interfere with safe tool handling and with other candidates' working space.
Models or clients arranged and briefed
Many practical hairdressing tests require you to supply models for cutting, colouring or styling tasks. Confirm with the provider how many models are needed, what each task requires, whether models must arrive at a set time, and what consent or patch-test paperwork is required in advance.
Patch test and allergy documentation
If your test includes colour services, confirm the provider's rules on patch testing and on when consent forms must be submitted. Do not assume a test carried out at your own salon will be accepted - check the requirement in writing.
Health, safety and hygiene supplies
Bring appropriate personal protective equipment (gloves, apron) and any sanitising materials the provider expects. Confirm whether the centre supplies disinfectant, towels and laundry, or whether you must bring your own.
Written task brief and timings
Re-read the task brief for each practical station and note the time allowance, the required finish and the marking criteria. If any part of the brief is ambiguous, ask the provider for clarification before test day, not during it.
Refreshments, water and any medication you need
Practical tests are physically demanding and can run for several hours. Bring water and a snack if the provider permits, and confirm their policy on bringing medication and on access to food and drink in the practical area.
Travel plan with a backup route
Check the test centre location, transport disruption and parking in advance, and aim to arrive with margin. Confirm with the provider what happens if you are delayed, since late arrival rules vary and are not something to guess.
Emergency contact and model contingency
Have a backup model or client contact in case your arranged model cancels. Confirm with the provider whether a substitute model is allowed on the day and what notice they need.
Provider's candidate handbook or regulations
Read the current version of the provider's candidate regulations covering conduct, ID, absence and results. Policies change, so use the version issued for your test series rather than an older copy.
Plan the day
Re-read the task brief and marking criteria for every practical station, then rehearse the full sequence of each service against the clock, including set-up and clean-down. Identify the steps where you habitually lose time and plan a fixed timing for each stage.
Confirm arrangements with your models: arrival time, the service they will receive, any patch test or consent form they must complete, and what they should wear. Send a written reminder and ask them to confirm back.
Check your kit against the provider's list, sharpen or service scissors, and replace anything worn or missing. Confirm with the provider whether tools are inspected on arrival and whether any equipment is supplied by the centre.
Confirm the test centre address, arrival time, parking and transport plan, and check the provider's rules on late arrival and on what you may bring into the practical area.
Pack your kit bag in one place, with the kit list ticked off item by item, plus ID, booking confirmation and PPE. Lay out your uniform and closed-toe shoes.
Reconfirm with each model that they are still attending and give them the arrival time and location. Have a backup contact ready in case of a cancellation.
Read the provider's candidate regulations once more, focusing on conduct, ID, breaks, mobile phone rules and the process for raising a problem on the day.
Eat properly, avoid a late night, and set two alarms. Do not schedule a full day of salon clients the day before a long practical test.
Eat a proper meal and arrive at the centre with time to spare. Allow extra margin for transport disruption rather than cutting it fine.
Dress in clean professional uniform, secure long hair, remove dangling jewellery and avoid strong fragrance. Check that your kit bag contains everything on the list before you leave.
Follow the centre's registration and ID check process, and ask staff where to wait, where to store belongings and where models should report. Confirm any rules you are unsure about with a member of staff before the test begins.
Work to your planned timings, set up your station methodically and keep hygiene and safe tool handling visible throughout. Announce or record any required safety checks in the way the provider's marking criteria expect.
If equipment fails, a model is delayed or you are unsure of an instruction, raise it with the invigilator or assessor immediately rather than improvising silently. Confirm with the provider in advance how such incidents are recorded.
Manage your clean-down time as part of each station, leaving the working area in the condition the provider requires. Do not rely on borrowing tools or products from other candidates.
Check with staff before leaving that your work has been assessed and that you have handed in anything required. Ask how and when results will be issued, and note any deadline for appeals or special consideration.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID you registered with and present it when asked. If your ID is unavailable or details do not match, staff will follow the provider's identity policy - confirm that policy in advance rather than assuming an alternative document will be accepted.
Follow the provider's rules on what may be taken into the practical area. Mobile phones, smart watches and notes are commonly restricted; confirm the exact rule with the provider before test day.
Treat models, other candidates, staff and the assessment environment with professional respect. Unprofessional or unsafe conduct can be recorded and may affect your result, so check the provider's conduct policy for specifics.
Observe all health, safety and hygiene requirements, including PPE, safe tool handling and correct disposal of waste. If you are unsure whether a technique is permitted, ask the assessor before you begin the task.
Breaks are set by the provider and may differ between stations. Do not leave the practical area without permission; confirm the procedure for comfort breaks and for leaving the room during a timed task.
Do not communicate with other candidates about the content of tasks during the test, and do not share task details with candidates who have not yet been assessed. Confirm with the provider what counts as malpractice.
Scoring is carried out by the provider's assessors against published criteria. You are generally not permitted to discuss marks during the test; confirm with the provider how and when feedback and results are released, and the deadline for any appeal or review.
If you are ill, injured or unable to attend, contact the provider as soon as possible and ask about deferral, special consideration or refund rules. These policies vary, so confirm the current terms in writing rather than relying on what you have heard from others.