Headmaster/Headmistress exam-day guide
Headmaster/Headmistress · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket or registration confirmation
Print a paper copy as well as saving a digital version. The provider decides whether a printed copy is mandatory, so confirm with the provider before travelling.
Original photo ID
Bring the original government-issued document you registered with, and check that the name and spelling match your registration exactly. Copies are usually not accepted.
Two or more black or blue pens, plus a pencil, eraser and sharpener
Bring spares. Check the provider's instructions for which ink colour and writing instruments are permitted.
Clear or transparent bag or pencil case
Some centres require see-through storage. Confirm the permitted bag type with the provider in advance.
Simple analogue watch
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock, and smart watches are normally prohibited. Confirm whether any watch is allowed.
Water and a light snack
Check whether drinks and food are allowed at your desk or only during scheduled breaks, and whether labels must be removed.
Travel plan and venue details
Note the exact building and room, the arrival time and the check-in closing time. Do a route check the day before and allow extra time for traffic, parking or public transport disruption.
Confirmation of any approved access arrangements
Extra time, a separate room, a reader or other adjustments are usually arranged in advance and cannot be granted on the day. Confirm your arrangements in writing with the provider.
A plan for phones, smart devices and personal belongings
Assume these must be switched off and stored away from your desk. Confirm the centre's storage arrangements with the provider.
A copy of the provider's candidate instructions and marking scheme summary
Read the official guidance on question format, timing, whether all questions are compulsory, and how answers are marked. Do not rely on second-hand summaries.
Emergency contacts and a backup plan
Save the exam centre's contact number and identify a backup way of getting there in case of transport failure.
Identification of the format and permitted reference materials
Some leadership exams are open-book or permit certain framework documents, others do not. Confirm exactly what may be taken to the desk with the provider.
Plan the day
Re-read the official candidate instructions in full: timing, section structure, number of questions to answer and any choice within sections. Confirm the venue, arrival time, ID requirements and permitted items with the provider. Book travel and any childcare. Begin winding down heavy revision; instead rehearse the structure of a strong written answer, for example how you would frame a school improvement or staff management scenario: context, evidence, action, monitoring, impact.
If any instruction is ambiguous, for example whether part marks are available for wrong answers, whether there is negative marking, or what the pass standard is, contact the provider now rather than guessing.
Pack your bag: ID, admission ticket, pens and spares, watch, water, snack, directions. Check the provider's website and your email for late changes to venue or timing. Confirm your transport and set two alarms. Do no new learning. Stop studying by early evening, eat a normal meal and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a proper breakfast and hydrate. Arrive at the venue well ahead of the stated check-in time so that you have a margin for delays. Keep last-minute review to a short skim of your own summary notes on structure and timing, not new content. Switch your phone off before entering the building.
Have your ID and admission ticket ready, follow the invigilator's instructions exactly, store belongings where directed, and use the facilities before the paper starts.
Read the front-page instructions and check the total number of questions, the marks available and any compulsory sections. Write your candidate details correctly. Work out your rough time per question or per mark and write the key checkpoints down.
Answer in the required format and keep an eye on the clock against your checkpoints. For scenario questions, be specific about actions, who is responsible and how you would measure impact. If you get stuck, leave a gap, move on and return. Leave several minutes at the end to check that you have attempted every required question and that your candidate details are correct.
Hand in all materials as instructed and check that you have taken your ID and personal belongings. Note down anything you were told about result dates and appeals before you leave the site.
Rules to check
Bring only permitted items to the desk. Phones, smart watches and notes are normally banned in the exam room. Confirm the storage and confiscation policy with the provider.
Your ID must match the name on your registration exactly, and you should bring the original document rather than a copy unless the provider states otherwise.
Arrival and late-admission rules vary by centre and a candidate may be refused entry after a cutoff. Confirm the exact check-in closing time with the provider and plan to arrive early.
Breaks: confirm in advance whether scheduled breaks are included in the total time and whether you may leave the room on request. Time lost to unscheduled breaks is generally not added back.
Scoring: confirm with the provider whether all questions carry equal weight, whether marks are awarded for partially correct answers, whether there is any negative marking or penalty, and what the pass standard is. Do not assume.
Access arrangements and adjustments must normally be requested well before the exam date and are unlikely to be granted on the day. Confirm your entitlements with the provider in writing.
Follow the invigilator's directions at all times. Any form of misconduct, including talking during the test or using an unauthorised device, can lead to your result being voided.
Answer in the language and format required by the paper, write legibly, and attempt every compulsory question, as unanswered questions usually score zero regardless of your wider knowledge.