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Covered isn't the same as tested: four things worth tracking before your SQE
Last updated: 4 November 2026 · The Legal Blueprint
Short answer: hours studied and topics ticked don’t show where your SQE preparation stands. Four measures do: coverage (how much of the specification you’ve started), retrieval (how much you’ve tested yourself on, not just read), mastery (how recent practice has gone) and spacing (what’s due a review). None of them predicts a pass, but together they show what to do next.
Ask a candidate how their preparation is going and you’ll usually hear one of two numbers: hours studied, or topics “done”. Neither tells you much. A hundred hours spent rereading notes isn’t the same as a hundred hours of practice questions, and a topic ticked off in March isn’t in the same state in December.
The four measures at a glance
Measure | The question it answers | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
Coverage | How much of the specification have I started? | Subjects left far behind the others |
Retrieval | How much have I tested myself on, not just read? | A big gap between topics read and topics tested |
Mastery | How has recent practice gone, topic by topic? | Weak topics hidden inside a decent average |
Spacing | What’s due a review? | A growing list of topics untouched for weeks |
What is coverage in SQE preparation?
Coverage is the share of the SRA specification you’ve studied at least once. It’s the first gap to close: a subject you haven’t started is a guaranteed loss of marks, and it’s easy to keep returning to comfortable subjects while others wait.
How to track it: list every topic in the specification and mark the date you first studied each one. Count how many are started, overall and by subject.
What is retrieval, and why does it matter more than rereading?
Retrieval is the share of your started topics where you’ve done more than read: recall from memory, flashcards, questions, a practice answer, a timed task. Testing yourself strengthens memory more than rereading does, one of the most consistent findings in research on learning. It’s also the measure most candidates neglect, because reading feels productive.
How to track it: for each topic, note whether you’ve ever tested yourself on it. Count the topics you’ve started but never tested. If you’ve read 120 topics and tested yourself on 40, the next weeks should go to the other 80, not to new reading.
What is mastery, and how is it different from an average score?
Mastery is how well your recent practice on each topic has gone, from your scores and how confident you felt. It separates topics you’ve practised from topics you know: a topic tested once, badly, needs different work from one tested three times, well.
How to track it: record your score each time you test yourself (for MCQs, how many attempted and how many correct), and look at the most recent results per topic rather than an overall average. An average of 70% can include a whole subject in the 40s.
What is spacing, and how often should you review a topic?
Spacing is how recently you’ve returned to each topic, measured against how long it can safely be left. Memories fade, and reviewing at spaced intervals holds on to them far better than cramming. A topic you’ve studied once needs reviewing sooner than one you’ve practised several times, and as the exam gets closer, those gaps should shrink.
How to track it: keep a “last studied” date for every topic and check the list of topics you haven’t touched for weeks, especially ones you only studied once.
How do you read the four measures together?
High coverage, low retrieval: you’ve read widely but haven’t tested yourself. Switch to questions.
High retrieval, low mastery in places: testing is showing you where the weak topics are. Go back to those.
Good on everything except spacing: your earlier work is fading. Book reviews before adding anything new.
Can these measures tell you whether you’ll pass the SQE?
No. They describe the work you’ve put in, not your chances. The SRA sets and marks the assessments, and no tracker can predict a result. What the measures can do is show you where your preparation is thin while there’s still time to act.
Where StudyFlow fits
You can track all four by hand, but it takes a column per measure and a weekly half hour to keep up.
StudyFlow, made by The Legal Blueprint, is a study app for SQE1 and SQE2 candidates built around these four measures. You log each session against the topic it covers, from any course, book or question bank. StudyFlow shows your Coverage, Retrieval, Mastery and Spacing for every topic and subject, and suggests what to study each day, with the reason for each suggestion. A plain-words Guide explains how every measure is worked out.
StudyFlow is opening to a first group of candidates in November 2026, with a 14-day free trial. Join the waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I’m ready for the SQE?
No single number tells you. Look at four things: how much of the specification you’ve started, how much you’ve tested yourself on, how recent practice has gone topic by topic, and what’s due a review.
Is it better to reread notes or do practice questions for the SQE?
Research on learning consistently finds that testing yourself strengthens memory more than rereading. Use reading to start a topic and questions to make it stick.
How often should I review an SQE topic?
Sooner for topics you’ve studied once, less often for topics you’ve practised several times, and more often as the exam approaches.
Can a study app predict whether I’ll pass the SQE?
No. A study app can show the work you’ve put in and where it’s thin. It can’t tell you whether you’ll pass.
Related reading: How to self-study for SQE1 without a prep course
Sources
Roediger, H. L. and Karpicke, J. D. (2006), “Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention”, Psychological Science 17(3), 249 to 255
Cepeda, N. J. et al. (2006), “Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: a review and quantitative synthesis”, Psychological Bulletin 132(3), 354 to 380
