CDACC Hairdressing exam-day guide
CDACC Hairdressing · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring your national ID or passport and your admission or appointment letter
Assessment centres verify identity before you enter the practical area. Carry the original document, not a photocopy, plus the letter or message confirming your date, time and venue. If you have lost your ID, contact the provider before the day rather than turning up without it; the accepted alternatives are set by the provider, so confirm with the provider what substitute evidence they accept.
Confirm your reporting time, venue and arrival instructions with the provider
Practical assessments often start earlier than the stated test time for registration, briefing and station setup. Ask whether you should arrive with hair already washed or whether models must arrive at a set time. Confirm the exact building entrance and who to report to. Do not assume details from a colleague's past experience; schedules and venues change, so confirm with the provider.
Arrange your model or mannequin head as required by the assessment
Many hairdressing practicals are performed on a live model or a specified mannequin head. Ask the provider which is required for each task and whether you must supply your own model or the centre supplies one. If you bring a model, brief them on the date, duration, expected chemical services and the possibility of sitting for several hours, and get their consent for any cutting or colouring. Confirm model rules with the provider.
Pack your professional tool kit and check every item works
Typical requirements include scissors, cutting comb, tail comb, tint brush and bowl, sectioning clips, cape and towels, spray bottle, hairdryer, brushes, foils or papers, straighteners or curling irons, clippers, and sanitising spray. Test electrical items and check plug type and voltage against the venue. Label your tools. The provider publishes a definitive kit list, so confirm with the provider which items are mandatory, which are supplied, and which are prohibited.
Bring appropriate personal protective equipment
Expect to need an apron or work tunic, closed-toe non-slip shoes, and gloves for colour and chemical work. Some centres require gloves and a mask for specific services. Bring spare gloves. Confirm with the provider whether a uniform is required and whether PPE is supplied or must be brought.
Carry your portfolio, logbook or evidence records if the assessment requires them
Some practical assessments include a professional discussion or evidence review alongside the practical tasks. If your programme requires a portfolio, logbook, client record cards or witness testimony, bring them organised in the order the assessor will expect. Confirm with the provider exactly which documents must be presented on the day and in what format.
Prepare your model or mannequin according to the brief
Read the task brief in advance if the provider releases it. Note the required starting condition, for example freshly shampooed and towel-dried hair, or hair left unwashed for a specified period before a chemical service. Arriving with hair in the wrong starting condition can cost you time or marks. If the brief is not released beforehand, confirm with the provider what preparation is expected.
Plan your travel and arrive with a time buffer
Aim to arrive ahead of your reporting time to allow for registration, changing and setting up. Check transport routes and parking in advance. Late arrival may be recorded and could affect your assessment, so build in a buffer and keep the provider's contact number with you in case of delay.
Bring water, a snack and any personal medication
Practical hairdressing assessments can run for several hours with limited breaks. Bring water and a light snack you can eat quickly, and any prescribed medication. Tell the invigilator in advance if you need to take medication or manage a health condition during the test.
Leave unnecessary valuables and phones as instructed
Most centres restrict phones and bags in the assessment area. Plan where to leave valuables. Confirm with the provider whether phones must be switched off and stored, and whether smart watches are prohibited.
Know the sanitation and station-setup expectations
Assessors observe hygiene from the moment you start. Expect to sanitise your hands, clean your station and tools, use a fresh cape and towels, and dispose of waste correctly. Bring your own sanitiser if the kit list requires it. Confirm with the provider what cleaning materials the centre supplies.
Read the assessment criteria and task brief again before the day
Know what each task is marked on: consultation, sectioning, tension, accuracy, finish, hygiene, client care and timing. Practise the full sequence within the time limit at least once before the assessment. If the criteria have not been shared, ask the provider for the assessment plan, so confirm with the provider what information can be released.
Plan the day
Re-read the task brief and assessment criteria and list every task, its time limit and its key quality points. Do one full timed rehearsal on a mannequin or a practice model, including consultation, setup, the service and clean-down, and note where you lost time. Check your kit against the provider's list, test electrical tools, sharpen or check scissors, and replace consumables such as foils, gloves and sanitiser. Confirm your model's attendance, arrival time and consent, and send them the practical details. Confirm your own travel plan and reporting time with the provider. Protect your sleep in these three days; cramming new techniques at this stage tends to cost more than it gains.
Pack your kit bag in full and place your ID, appointment letter and any portfolio by the door. Lay out your uniform or apron and closed-toe shoes. Reconfirm with your model and have a backup contact in case they cancel. Check the weather and transport disruptions for the morning. Eat properly and avoid late nights. Do not start a new colour formulation or unfamiliar technique the night before; consolidate what you already do reliably. If anything about the schedule, venue or model rules is unclear, contact the provider now rather than on the morning.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the reporting time with a buffer. Go through registration and identity checks, then set up your station exactly as you practised: tools laid out in order of use, sanitiser ready, cape and towels to hand, waste bag in place. Listen carefully to the briefing and ask clarifying questions before the clock starts, not during a task. Sanitise your hands and station, check your model's comfort and scalp condition if a chemical service is planned, and do a final mental run-through of your first task sequence.
Work to your rehearsed sequence and keep an eye on the clock; give each task its full time and do not let one section overrun. Narrate or demonstrate client care and consultation where required, since assessors mark what they can see and hear. Maintain hygiene throughout, keep your station tidy, and handle tools safely. If something goes wrong, such as a tool failure or a model issue, stay calm and tell the assessor or invigilator immediately rather than trying to hide it. Before each task ends, check your finish against the criteria and clean down your station. Use breaks only as permitted and return on time.
Rules to check
Bring original photo identification and your admission or appointment documentation. You may be refused entry without them, and the accepted forms of ID are set by the provider, so confirm with the provider in advance if you have any doubt about what you hold.
Follow all health, safety and hygiene instructions given at the briefing. This includes safe use of electrical tools, correct handling of chemicals, patch testing where required, safe disposal of waste and keeping walkways clear. Repeated unsafe practice can be recorded against you or can stop a task.
Treat models, clients, assessors and other candidates with professional respect. Obtain your model's consent before cutting or chemical services, explain what you are doing, and protect their comfort and dignity. Unprofessional conduct may be recorded and could affect the outcome.
Phones, smart watches and other devices must be switched off and stored as directed during the assessment. Do not photograph tasks, other candidates or assessment materials. Ask the invigilator if you need to contact someone urgently.
Breaks and rest periods are set by the provider and announced on the day. Do not leave the assessment area without permission, and return within the stated time. If you need to take medication or manage a health condition, tell the invigilator at the start of the day.
Assessment decisions are made by the assessor against the published criteria. Do not argue with the assessor during a task; raise any concern through the provider's appeals or enquiries procedure afterwards. Ask the provider for the exact appeals process, so confirm with the provider how and when to appeal.
If you are ill, injured or unable to attend, contact the provider as early as possible to ask about deferral or special consideration. Do not attend if you have a condition that puts models or others at risk. The rules on deferrals, fees and evidence are provider-specific, so confirm with the provider.