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Sitting the November 2024 registration assessment

Useful tips to help you plan for your final registration assessment in November.

If you are sitting the registration assessment in June, you will naturally be anxious to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day. Here are our top tips on sitting the exam and also, what to do if things go wrong on the day:

Top up your energy levels

Have a selection of healthy snacks on hand to keep your energy levels topped up between paper one and paper two. Think fruit, dried nuts and water rather than crisps, cake and too much caffeine.

Advance preparation

Make sure you have everything prepared in advance. Plan your route and journey time. If you have a long way to travel and are concerned about not arriving in time, you might consider booking into a hotel near the assessment venue the night before. This will cut down on your travel time on the day and keep your stress levels to a minimum.

Pack your bag the night before ensuring you have included essentials such as your GPhC approved calculator and proof of identity.

Fit to Sit

On the day, do not sit the assessment unless you feel well enough. You can withdraw at any point before you sign the non-disclosure agreement at your workstation. If you stay at your workstation after you have completed the non-disclosure agreement, you can no longer withdraw from the assessment. You will not lose your registration fee if you withdraw, the fee will be refunded within 28 days of the exam to the card from which the initial payment was made.

Reasonable adjustments

If you have been granted adjustments for the GPhC assessment, you should remember that you still need to prepare and plan for your exam sit. Getting your adjustments is only step one in the process of getting ready for an exam. Advance planning is the key to feeling confident on exam day. Knowing that you are well prepared will mean you are less liable to panic on the day. You can find out more about reasonable adjustments here.

Calculators

You will be able to use calculators in part one of the registration assessment. Do not rely on the exam venue to provide calculators, you must bring your own. It must be one of these models:

  • Aurora DT210
  • Aurora HC133
  • Casio MX 8B-WE/MX 8B
  • Casio MX 8S-WE/MX 8S

You are allowed to bring two calculators, your main one and a spare. Alternatively, you can opt to use the on-screen calculator if preferred.

Take a spare calculator just in case your main calculator breaks.

Useful tips to help you plan for your final registration assessment in November.

Arrive early

Timings may vary between assessment test centres, so be sure to double-check what time your assessment starts. It is a good idea to arrive early, but you should check with your centre to see when they will be opening prior to the start of the exam. Please do not worry if you find your test centre is not open when you arrive; just wait outside until the centre opens and the staff invite you inside. 

If you are late for the assessment, you will not be given additional time and you run the risk of having insufficient time to complete the assessment. If you do arrive late, you might wish to consider withdrawing as an alternative to sitting the assessment with less time than all the other candidates.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the start time, you will not be able to sit the assessment and you will be asked to leave the test centre. If you are too late to attempt the exam you will need to complete a withdrawal form. Failure to do this will result in the exam being counted as one of your three attempts although you did not sit the exam.

Withdrawal request forms can be downloaded from the GPhC website. You should send your withdrawal form to   withdrawals@pharmacyregulation.org.uk If you do not complete the form, the November sit will count as one of your three attempts at the exam.

The deadline for requesting a withdrawal is 5pm, 19 November 2024.

Travelling by train

If you had planned to travel to your exam venue by train, you should keep an eye out for any potential strike dates from train operators. You may need to make new plans for travelling to your venue, and you should check with your train operator before booking any tickets to ensure that they can provide a normal service on the day of the exam.

If things go wrong during the exam

If you experience a problem or become unwell during either paper, you must raise any issues with a Test Invigilator immediately. The invigilator will help you to resolve the issue and provide you with a case report number. This will allow the GPhC to confirm the issue(s) you have experienced. If you feel that your performance may have been adversely affected, it is essential that you log the incidents with a Test Invigilator. Do also make sure that you receive a case reference number. You may want to consider requesting a nullification.

You will need to fill in a nullification request form.  You must also provide suitable evidence to support your request, for example, medical evidence if you were taken ill. If your nullification request is upheld, you will not receive your results and your assessment attempt will not count towards your three attempts at the exam.

Nullification forms will be available on the GPhC assessment webpage. Completed forms should be sent to regexam@pharmacyregulation.org The deadline for sending in a nullification request is 5pm, 19 November 2024.