What Happens If You Fail the SMSTS Course?

Worrying about the exam is one of the most common reasons people put off booking SMSTS. Here is the honest picture: assessment is based on an end of course exam plus a trainer assessment across the week, the course itself is built to prepare you for both, and delegates who do fall short can usually arrange a resit or retake with the provider. This guide explains how it works and what to do if it goes wrong.

How SMSTS is assessed

SMSTS is the 5 day CITB Site Safety Plus course for site managers. To pass, two things need to go right:

• The exam at the end of the course, which checks your understanding of the material covered across the week.
• The trainer assessment, where the tutor considers how you have engaged with the course, including the exercises and discussions along the way.

Full attendance is expected. If you miss sessions, you may not be able to complete the course at that sitting, whatever your exam result would have been.

Can you actually fail?

Yes. SMSTS is a genuine assessment, not a certificate for turning up. That said, the exam is there to confirm you have understood the course, not to catch you out. Everything it covers is taught during the 5 days, the tutor knows what the exam requires, and delegates who attend every session, take part and review their notes give themselves a strong chance. Nobody can promise you a pass, but failing is not a dead end either.

What happens if you fail the exam

If you do not pass, no certificate is issued, but you are not barred from the qualification. The first step is to speak to the trainer or the provider before you leave, while the detail is fresh. Delegates who fail can usually discuss a resit or a retake with the provider. Exactly what is offered, how soon, and whether there is a fee varies from provider to provider, so ask rather than assume. In most cases failing means a delay and possibly an extra cost, not the end of your plans.

What happens if you miss a day

Attendance is part of completing the course. If something urgent pulls you away partway through, contact the provider straight away. Depending on the circumstances you may be able to make up the missed session on a later course, but that is at the discretion of the provider and is never guaranteed. The safest plan is to treat the course as 5 protected days: arrange cover on site before you start, and do not book anything around the edges of the training days.

How to give yourself the best chance

• Pick the format that suits you. If you concentrate better in a room, book a classroom course. If travel would wear you down, book online instructor led, which is taught live by a tutor over video call and carries the same certification.
• Protect the week. Tell the site you are unavailable, hand over properly, and switch the phone off in sessions.
• Take part. The trainer assessment runs across the whole course, and the discussions are where the material sticks.
• Review your notes each evening. Twenty minutes a night beats a panic on the last day.
• Flag concerns early. If English is not your first language, or written exams are a known weak spot, tell the provider when you book so support can be discussed.

Is SMSTS the right course in the first place?

Some delegates struggle because they are on the wrong course. SMSTS is aimed at site managers and others responsible for a whole site. If you supervise a gang or a package of work under a site manager, the 2 day SSSTS course is pitched at your role and takes less time away from site. If your responsibilities centre on temporary works, look at the Temporary Works Coordinator course instead. Booking the right course first time is the cheapest way to pass.

Common questions

Do I get anything if I fail? No certificate is issued until you pass both the exam and the trainer assessment. Once you pass, the certificate is valid for 5 years.

Does a resit cost extra? It depends on the provider. Ask what their resit arrangements are before or during the course.

Does failing count against a future attempt? No. You can sit the course or the exam again as the provider allows, and a pass then carries exactly the same certificate.

My old SMSTS has expired. Is that treated as a fail? No, but the outcome is similar: once a certificate expires you must retake the full 5 day course. If yours is still in date, book the 2 day SMSTS Refresher before the expiry date instead.

Ready to get booked in? Compare every SMSTS date, venue and price here, with live availability and instant confirmation. Putting 4 or more people through the course? Request a group quote here.