Exam day kit checklist
None of this replaces the revision. It's for making sure nothing unrelated to the actual answers costs marks on the day.
17 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Exam timetable and seat number checked the night beforeWrong room or wrong time has nothing to do with revision and ruins everything anyway.
- Student ID or exam candidate numberSome exam boards require it to be shown before you're allowed to sit down.
- Black pens×3More than one — a pen running out mid-answer isn't the moment to discover the spare wasn't packed.
- Pencils, a sharpener and an eraserFor diagrams and anything marked in pencil specifically — check which parts of the paper require it.
- Ruler
- Calculator, checked against the allowed model listSome exams ban certain models outright — check the current rules rather than assume last year's is still fine.
- Spare batteries for the calculatorOr a spare calculator entirely — a dead battery mid-exam isn't something an invigilator can fix.
- Clear pencil case or a transparent bagSolid pencil cases are banned in a lot of exam halls specifically so nothing can be hidden inside one.
- Water in a clear, label-free bottleLabels are removed or the bottle refused in a lot of halls, in case notes are hidden underneath one.
- A watch that isn't a smartwatchSmartwatches are banned outright, and a hall clock isn't always visible from every seat.
- Tissues
- A jumper, even in summerExam halls run either freezing or airless, and leaving to fetch one isn't an option.
- A snack for a break between papersSomething quiet to eat that isn't going to be a distraction to anyone else.
- Phone switched off and left outside the exam roomBeing found with a phone anywhere near the desk is treated as an attempt to cheat, regardless of intent — leave it in a bag at the front, not in a pocket.
- Confirmation of any extra time or access arrangementsIf arranged in advance, bring the paperwork confirming it — invigilators don't take it on trust on the day.
- Route and timing to the venue checkedArriving flustered from a delayed bus costs more focus than the minutes saved by leaving later.
- Arrival planned for well before the doors closeSome exam boards refuse entry after a fixed point, with no exception for traffic.
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- Can I bring my phone into the exam if it's switched off?
- No — leave it outside the room or in a bag at the front, not in a pocket. Being found with one anywhere near the desk is treated as an attempt to cheat, regardless of intent.
- What if my calculator model isn't on the allowed list?
- Check the exam board's list well before the day and borrow one that is — some models are banned outright, and an invigilator can't make an exception on the spot.
- What should I do if I'm running late?
- Contact the school or exam centre immediately rather than waiting to arrive — some boards refuse entry after a fixed point, so the call matters more than the last few minutes of the journey.