SOLAS Bricklaying exam-day guide
SOLAS Bricklaying · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the original, valid photo ID the provider requires for admission (typically a passport or government-issued photo card). Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a copy is sufficient - do not assume.
Appointment or confirmation letter
Print or save the booking confirmation showing your name, test date, time, and venue. Some centres ask to see it at reception. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Practical bricklaying assessments normally require safety boots, eye protection, and hearing protection where applicable. Confirm the exact PPE list and any dress code with the provider in advance, as requirements vary by centre.
Hand tools
Bring the trowel, level, line and pins, club hammer, bolster, jointing/pointing tools, tape measure, and square you are used to working with. Confirm with the provider whether tools are supplied or must be brought, and whether any tool types are restricted.
Pencil, marker, and notebook
Useful for setting out, recording dimensions, and noting the assessor's instructions. Confirm whether notes may be taken into the assessment area.
Calculator (if permitted)
May help with setting-out calculations and material quantities. Confirm with the provider whether calculators are allowed and whether a specific type is required.
Review the assessment specification
Re-read the units, tolerances, and completion criteria you were given so you know what the assessor will measure (for example plumb, level, square, joint thickness, and finish). Confirm the current version with the provider.
Rehearse the practical tasks under time
Practise the likely tasks - setting out, laying to line and level, forming corners, and finishing joints - against the clock so your pace matches the assessment window.
Plan travel and arrival time
Check the venue location, parking, and public transport, and aim to arrive with margin before your reporting time. Confirm the reporting time and late-arrival policy with the provider.
Arrange food, water, and medication
Practical assessments are physically demanding. Bring water and a snack if the centre permits, and any medication you may need. Confirm with the provider what may be brought into the assessment area.
Read the centre's conduct and safety briefing
Understand the site safety rules, emergency procedures, and behaviour expectations before the day. Confirm with the provider where this briefing is published or when it is delivered.
Confirm results and appeals process
Know how and when results are issued and how to query a result. Confirm the specifics with the provider rather than relying on second-hand information.
Plan the day
Re-read the assessment specification and mark the criteria the assessor will check. List the tools and PPE you need and check each item is present and serviceable - a worn trowel or damaged level will cost you accuracy. Confirm your booking, venue, and reporting time with the provider.
Run one full timed rehearsal of the practical tasks using the same tools you will take. Note where you lost time - usually setting out, plumbing corners, or finishing joints - and plan how to tighten those steps. Check the weather and travel plan if the venue is some distance away.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, PPE, tools, pencil, and any permitted calculator. Lay out clothing and footwear. Avoid heavy physical work or late nights. Eat and sleep well; bricklaying assessment performance depends heavily on steady hands and concentration.
Eat a proper breakfast and hydrate. Arrive at the venue with margin before your reporting time. Present your ID and confirmation at reception, attend the safety and conduct briefing, and listen carefully to the assessor's instructions about the task, dimensions, and time allowed.
Check your workstation, materials, and tools before starting. Confirm any ambiguity in the brief with the assessor at the point it is permitted, rather than guessing. Set out carefully - errors in setting out are expensive to correct later.
Work steadily and check plumb, level, and square as you go rather than only at the end. Keep your work area tidy and manage your materials so you do not run short. Watch the clock and reserve time for jointing, cleaning down, and final checks.
Finish joints, clean the face of the work, tidy your area, and make a last check of the criteria you were given. Stop when instructed. Hand in or leave the work as the assessor directs.
Return or store tools as directed, collect your belongings, and note anything you want to improve. Confirm with the provider when and how results will be issued.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid photo ID in the form the provider accepts. If you do not have it, you may be refused admission - confirm the accepted ID types with the provider in advance.
Follow all site safety rules and the assessor's instructions at all times. Wear the required PPE throughout the practical work; failure to do so can lead to removal from the assessment.
Work only on your own station and your own work. Do not ask other candidates for help or copy their setting out or techniques; the assessment must reflect your own competence.
Use only the tools and materials permitted by the provider. Confirm whether tools are supplied or must be brought and whether any items are restricted.
Breaks are normally at the assessor's discretion and within the time allowed. Confirm the break policy with the provider, as stopping the clock is not standard.
Ask the assessor only for clarification of the brief, not for technical guidance on how to complete the task. Requests for help with the work itself may be declined or recorded.
Scoring is against the criteria in the assessment specification, including dimensional tolerances and finish. Confirm the marking scheme, pass requirements, and any compensation arrangements with the provider.
If you believe the assessment was conducted unfairly or you disagree with the result, follow the provider's appeals procedure. Confirm the deadline and process with the provider.