Resitting the GPhC Assessment in November: A Plan That Works

If you are sitting the Common Registration Assessment again on 10 November, you are in good company. Last November, nearly half the room was not on a first attempt.

This post covers what the numbers actually show, the rules on attempts, and how to make this attempt different rather than just longer.

What the numbers show

The GPhC publishes a breakdown of every sitting. In November 2025, 1,174 trainee pharmacists sat the assessment:

Attempt	Candidates	Share	Passed
First	602	51%	60%
Second	439	37%	68%
Third	133	11%	47%

The overall pass rate was 62%.

Two things stand out. In November 2025, second-time candidates passed at a higher rate than first-time candidates, so a resit is far from a lost cause. That is not a rule: in June 2026 the pattern ran the other way, with 85% of first-time sitters passing against 59% of second-time sitters, so what counts is what you change before this attempt. And the third attempt is where the stakes are highest, so the work you do before it matters most.

The November sitting is also not only for resitters. About half the candidates are sitting for the first time, mostly trainees who started their training in the autumn.

The rules on attempts

You can sit the assessment at most three times, within the time limit you have to apply for registration. The regulations are clear that this means you are not guaranteed or entitled to three attempts if the time limit runs out first.
Marks are not carried forward. You need to reach the pass mark in both parts at the same sitting, whatever you scored last time.
A withdrawal before you start does not count as an attempt. You can withdraw any time before you begin and sign the fit-to-sit declaration on screen.
A granted nullification does not count either, though the fee is not refunded. Nullification is for things that go wrong on the day, such as a technical failure reported to the invigilator. The deadline for this sitting is 17:00 on Thursday 12 November 2026.

If you are not well enough to sit, the GPhC's advice is not to sit. An illness you already knew about on the day cannot be used later as grounds for nullification or appeal.

Start with your last result, not your notes

Under the GPhC's regulations, every result includes the pass mark for each part and your own mark for each part. That is the most useful piece of information you have.

Below the pass mark in Part 1 only? Calculations are a skill problem more than a knowledge problem. Daily timed practice across all nine calculation types will move your score more than rereading anything. Start with the four calculations the June 2026 cohort found hardest.
Below the pass mark in Part 2 only? Work out whether you ran out of time, misread questions, or did not know the material. Each needs a different fix.
Below in both? Split your time, but keep calculations going every day: they respond quickly to practice, and you must pass both parts.

Change the method, not just the hours

The most common resit mistake is doing the same revision again, only more of it. If it did not get you over the line last time, more of it may not either.

Revise to the current framework. If your notes come from older guides, check them against the 2026 framework. There is no fixed weighting per clinical area, prescribing is not assessed, and extended matching questions now come in pairs. See what changed in 2026.
Do full papers under real timings. Part 1 at 10:00 and Part 2 at 14:15, on the same day. Stamina in the afternoon is part of the test.
Mark by area and keep a record. Your weakest high-prevalence areas (cardiovascular, central nervous system, endocrine and infection are assessed most often) are where marks come back fastest.
Read the explanation for every option, including the ones you got right by luck.
Talk to your designated supervisor. They know your practice and can point to areas you handle less often.

Our three-week revision plan sets this out day by day.

Look after yourself

Resitting is stressful, and it is easy to keep it to yourself. The independent charity Pharmacist Support offers free, confidential help for trainee pharmacists with wellbeing, finances and the pressures of the training year. Using it is a sensible part of preparing, not a sign that you are not coping.

A baseline this week

The best first step is a full paper under the real timings, marked by area, so you know exactly where your marks are. Our GPhC mock papers are built for this. If you want to try the style first, there are ten free GPhC practice questions, with no account needed.

Figures from the GPhC's announcement of the November 2025 results. Rules from the GPhC's regulations for sittings in 2026 and its Sitting the November 2026 guide, read on 18 October 2026. Dose Up is independent and is not endorsed by the GPhC.