FE-1 Law of Torts exam-day guide
FE-1 Law of Torts · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket / confirmation email
Print or download the admission document the provider issued when your booking was confirmed. It carries your candidate number and centre details. If you have not received one, confirm with the provider before travel day.
Valid photo ID matching your registration name
Bring the original document (typically a passport or photocard driving licence). The name must match your booking exactly; a discrepancy can bar entry. Confirm with the provider which ID types they accept and whether a signature is required.
Confirmation of the exam format and permitted materials
FE-1 law papers are generally closed-book, but rules vary by sitting and centre. Confirm with the provider whether any statute extract, calculator, or annotation is permitted before you pack anything.
Analogue watch or silent timer
Many centres have no visible clock and smart devices are prohibited at the desk. A basic non-smart wristwatch lets you pace the three-hour paper. Confirm with the provider whether wristwatches are allowed in your centre.
Clear pencil case with pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener
Bring at least two black or blue pens plus a pencil for any multiple-choice answer sheet. Loose items in a clear pouch speed up desk checks.
Printed summary sheet for last-minute review
One or two sides of A4 covering negligence duty-breach-causation, occupiers' liability, nuisance, defamation defences, and limitation periods. Leave it in your bag; it is for the queue, not the desk.
Route plan and arrival time
Work out the journey in advance and aim to arrive well before the stated reporting time; late arrivals are commonly refused entry. Confirm the exact reporting time and building access with the provider.
Bag and phone plan
Assume phones must be switched off and stored away from the desk. Plan for a small bag you can leave in the designated area; valuables may not be securable, so travel light.
Water and a light snack for afterwards
Drinks at the desk may be restricted to clear bottles. Keep hydration and food for the break and post-exam period unless the centre confirms otherwise.
Accommodation and travel booking confirmation
If travelling to a distant centre, keep booking references on your phone and a paper copy in your bag in case of delays.
Rest plan for the night before
Protect sleep over extra revision. A tired candidate misreads 'which is FALSE' stems and loses easy marks.
Access or adjustments confirmation
If you have approved extra time, a separate room, or other adjustments, bring the written approval. Confirm with the provider that the centre has been notified.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own condensed notes and build a one-page map of the syllabus: negligence (duty, breach, causation, remoteness, defences), occupiers' liability, trespass and nuisance, strict liability, defamation, economic torts, and remedies including limitation. For each topic write the single test or case name you would use to open an answer.
Do one full timed paper under exam conditions: three hours, no notes, no phone. Mark it honestly and list every lost mark by cause (unknown rule, misread stem, ran out of time, weak application). This diagnosis drives the last two days.
Check logistics: confirm the centre address, reporting time, and ID requirements with the provider; print your admission document and travel bookings; check the weather and any transport disruption.
Target your two weakest topics from the mock. For each, write a skeleton answer plan: issue, rule with authority, application to facts, conclusion. Practise applying the rule to a short hypothetical rather than reciting it.
Revise the high-frequency distinctions that examiners test: duty of care tests and policy factors; breach standard and professional practice; 'but for' versus material contribution; novus actus interveniens; contributory negligence versus volenti; private versus public nuisance; defences to defamation including truth, honest opinion, and privilege; limitation periods for tort and personal injury claims.
Do a light review only: your one-page map, your skeleton plans, and a list of ten recurring mistakes from the mock. No new cases, no full papers.
Pack the bag: admission document, ID, pens, pencil, eraser, sharpener, clear pouch, watch, water, printed summary sheet, and adjustment approval if applicable. Lay out clothes. Charge nothing you cannot take in; leave the phone plan to the morning.
Confirm the alarm and transport plan, set two alarms, and go to bed at a normal hour. Avoid late-night cramming; recall and reading speed both fall sharply with short sleep.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the centre early. Skim only your summary sheet in the queue; do not attempt new topics. Switch the phone off before entering the building.
At the desk, check that your question paper and answer materials are complete and that your candidate details are correct. Report any defect to an invigilator immediately. Read the instructions on the front page, including whether negative marking applies and how answers must be recorded.
First five minutes: scan the whole paper and note question lengths and any choice. Allocate roughly 1.8 minutes per mark, leaving ten minutes at the end. Start with a question you can answer confidently to settle nerves.
For essay questions, use issue-rule-application-conclusion and cite authority by name. For problem questions, apply the law to the given facts explicitly; a correct rule with no application earns few marks. Underline the operative word in every stem (advise, discuss, which is FALSE).
If a question stalls you, write a two-line plan and move on; return later. Keep answers legible and clearly numbered, and cross out rough work so it is not marked. In the last ten minutes, check that every question has an answer and that numbering matches the paper.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and ensure the name matches your registration. If your ID is expired, lost, or in a different name, confirm with the provider well before the exam; centres may refuse entry and there is usually no discretion at the door.
Electronic devices, including phones, smart watches, and earbuds, must be switched off and stored away from the desk. Possession at the desk is commonly treated as misconduct even if unused. Confirm with the provider where devices must be left.
Closed-book conditions are typical for FE-1 law papers, but permitted materials vary. Do not bring statute books, annotations, or notes unless the provider has confirmed in writing that they are allowed.
Follow invigilator instructions on timing, toilet breaks, and leaving the room. Breaks are usually escorted and may not extend your time. Confirm with the provider whether breaks are permitted and how they affect the clock.
Do not communicate with other candidates once in the exam room, and do not read or copy another candidate's work. Suspected cheating or disruptive behaviour can lead to removal and cancellation of results under the provider's misconduct procedure.
Scoring and pass standards are set by the provider and may change between sittings. Do not rely on rumour about pass marks or scaling; confirm the current assessment scheme with the provider.
If you feel unwell or face an emergency, notify an invigilator at once. Illness during the exam may be handled under a special consideration or extenuating circumstances procedure; ask the provider for the deadline and evidence required.
Keep your answer materials and any rough paper in the room; removing exam materials is usually prohibited. Check the provider's rules on what may leave the room before you pack up.