HA7023 - Solicitor Apprenticeship Gateway Assessment (SQE1)

What will I learn on this module?

The combination of the assessment of your Professional Practice Portfolio and your result in Part 1 of the SRA Centralised Assessment: Functioning Knowledge Tests (SQE1) constitute the assessment known as ‘Gateway’, which must take place before the End-point assessment of your apprenticeship. The sole purpose of this module is to enable you to register the results of these two (in-programme) assessments.

There is no new teaching on this module. At the start of the semester, however, you will be required, if necessary, to work with your university tutor in order to revise or reinforce your Professional Practice Portfolio, before it is assessed by your Workplace Mentor. You will, therefore, continue to apply the knowledge and skills pertaining to the collation of your Portfolio, as developed in throughout the duration of your apprenticeship.

How will I learn on this module?

The combination of the assessment of your Professional Practice Portfolio and your result in Part 1 of the SRA Centralised Assessment: Functioning Knowledge Tests (SQE1) constitute the assessment known as ‘Gateway’, which must take place before the End-point assessment of your apprenticeship. The sole purpose of this module is to enable you to register the results of these two (in-programme) assessments.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

The sole purpose of this module is to enable you to register the results of the assessment of your Professional Practice Portfolio and your result in Part 1 of the SRA Centralised Assessment: Functioning Knowledge Tests (SQE1).

The successful assessment of your Professional Practice Portfolio, on which you have been working for the duration of the apprenticeship, and the successful result in SQE1 are requisites for taking SQE2, which is the synoptic End Point Assessment of your apprenticeship.

In year 5 of your apprenticeship, you will be given a submission date for the Professional Practice Portfolio. This will be a date at the start of year 6. On submission of the declaration, a member of the academic staff within the university will review the relevant evidence logs for each competency (as set in the solicitor competence statement). You will work with university tutor to revise the Portfolio if needed, by adding evidence or producing a further evidence log. Once your university tutor is satisfied you have evidence for each competency, your Work Based Mentor or a suitably qualified person from your organisation will review your portfolio and will confirm that in their view you have sufficiently evidenced each competency and are working to the Threshold Standard.

SQE1 is an examination conducted by an independent assessment organisation. It consists of two assessments each of 180 questions. Each assessment takes place on a separate day. Each day is split into two sessions with 90 questions in each session, and a 60-minute break between the sessions. You will then be notified about the result. Year 5 of your apprenticeship comprises a non-credit-bearing SQE1 preparation course, with online revision guides and support materials referring to subjects you have studied during your apprenticeship and their connection with the Functioning Legal Knowledge Areas assessed in SQE1. Additionally, the preparation course will be reinforced by face-to-face sessions with tutors addressing the various Functioning Legal Knowledge Areas (FLK1&2) assessed in SQE1.

The University will continue to support you with an excellent library, access to on-line legal databases, resources and appropriate software. Programme support will be provided through the e-Learning Portal (eLP) and resources through the University Library.

You will continue to be supported by the Programme Leader, your Workplace Coach and your Personal Tutor, who can be contacted in with regards to any issues you encounter for the duration of this module.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. Demonstrate the knowledge required of solicitors at the point of qualification, covering the following areas:
(a) Business Law and Practice; Dispute Resolution; Contract; Tort; Legal System of England and Wales; Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law; Legal Services.
(b) Property Practice; Wills and the Administration of Estates; Solicitors Accounts; Land Law; Trusts; Criminal Law and Practice.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

1. Demonstrate the ability to perform the solicitor’s roles and tasks as set by the Statement of solicitor competence

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

1. Demonstrate the ability to act honesty and with integrity, and in accordance with the SRA Standards and regulations

How will I be assessed?

1. Successful completion of Professional Practice Portfolio to the level of competence specified in the Threshold Standard.
Your Work Based Mentor or a suitably qualified person from your organisation will review your Portfolio and will confirm that in their view you have sufficiently evidenced each competency and are working to the Threshold Standard.

2. Successful completion of SRA Centralised Assessment: Part 1 – Functioning Knowledge Tests (SQE1). The SQE1 exam is administered and assessed by an external organisation and not the university. It is part of the gateway assessment of your apprenticeship. The SQE1 involves two Functioning Legal Knowledge assessments in (a) Business Law and Practice; Dispute Resolution; Contract; Tort; Legal System of England and Wales; Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law and Legal Services (FLK 1), and (b) Property Practice; Wills and the Administration of Estates; Solicitors Accounts; Land Law; Trusts; Criminal Law and Practice (FLK 2). Additionally, ethics and professional conduct are examined across all subject areas.

The SQE1 FLK assessments are closed book. The questions in the assessments are designed to test the application of fundamental legal principles which can be expected of a newly qualified solicitor of England and Wales without reference to books and notes. They are not designed to test matters of detail which a newly qualified solicitor would be expected to look up.
SQE1 consists of two assessments each of 180 questions. Each assessment takes place on a separate day.

Pre-requisite(s)

None

Co-requisite(s)

None

Module abstract

The sole purpose of this module is to enable you to register the results of the assessment of your Professional Practice Portfolio and your result in Part 1 of the SRA Centralised Assessment: Functioning Knowledge Tests (SQE1).

Successful assessment of your Professional Practice Portfolio, and successful result in SQE1 are requisites (‘Gateway’) for taking SQE2, the End-Point Assessment of your apprenticeship. Your Work-Based Mentor or a qualified person from your organisation will review your portfolio and will confirm that you have sufficiently evidenced each competency and are working to the Threshold Standard. Your assessor will complete a form to confirm the result. SQE1 is conducted by an independent assessment organisation. It consists of two assessments each of 180 questions, taking place on separate days. The independent assessment organisation will notify you about the result.

You will submit both results on this module, enabling the university to take record of them.

Course info

Credits 0

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 6 years Part Time

Department Northumbria Law School

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2025

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing.

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Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

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All information is accurate at the time of sharing.

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

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