The College of Legal Practice – June SQE Spotlight
Many congratulations to those who passed Januarys SQE2! Alongside the results, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) released the official SQE2 statistical report. Here are the headline outcomes:
- Overall pass rate: 80% – up from 78% in October 2025
- First-time pass rate: 79%
- Candidates graded: 1,141
A strong overall pass rate continues the trend of relatively high SQE2 outcomes. However, the report again highlights notable differences in performance across candidate groups:
- Ethnicity: Pass rates ranged from 88% for White candidates to 53% for Black candidates
- Age: 88% pass rate for candidates aged 16–24 compared to 61% for those aged 35-44
- Degree classification: 92% pass rate for first-class degree holders compared to 53% for candidates with a 2:2
- First language: 84% pass rate for candidates whose first language is English compared to 61% for those whose first language is not English
While SQE2 outcomes remain strong overall, the report shows that attainment gaps across different groups continue to be a significant feature of the assessment landscape.
Other SRA updates include:
- The SRA has confirmed it will publish detailed rationales for the correct answers to its existing SQE1 sample questions later this year, providing candidates and training providers with additional guidance on question style and assessment expectations
- A spell-check tool will be trialled in the July 2026 SQE2 written assessments, helping candidates identify spelling errors while maintaining the existing assessment approach to grammar, language and legal drafting standards
Read parts one and two of our handy guide focusing on the skills, behaviours and mindsets law firms are looking for in future trainees:
- Part one - what firms are really looking for in their future trainees
- Part two - how to make your application stand out
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