The SIA Door Supervisor multiple-choice papers look deceptively simple. Four answer options per question, one correct answer, no negative marking. What candidates discover too late is that two of the four options are usually almost right — they're worded just enough to mislead anyone who relies on memorisation rather than understanding. This article walks through example questions in the style used by the major awarding bodies and shows how to think through them confidently. You can then try the full free SIA Door Supervisor mock test 1 at the end.
How the questions are written
Awarding bodies (Highfield, Pearson, NCFE) write to a published syllabus called the SIA Specification for Learning and Qualifications. Every multiple-choice question maps to a specific learning outcome. The examiner's job is to test whether you can apply the rule, not just recall it — so most questions are framed as short scenarios rather than facts.
Worked question 1 — Powers of arrest
"A door supervisor sees a customer pick up another customer's phone from a table and walk towards the exit. Under section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the door supervisor may:"
- A. Detain the suspect and search them for the phone.
- B. Arrest the suspect and hand them to the police as soon as is reasonably practicable.
- C. Issue a banning order from the venue.
- D. Confiscate the phone and return it to the owner.
The correct answer is B. PACE section 24A gives any person — not just police — the power to arrest where an indictable offence is being committed and where it is not reasonably practicable for a police officer to do so. Searching (A) and confiscating (D) are powers door supervisors do not have. A banning order (C) is a venue policy decision, not a legal arrest power.
Worked question 2 — Conflict management
"Which behaviour is most likely to escalate a conflict?"
- A. Standing at a 45-degree angle to the customer.
- B. Maintaining steady eye contact and a calm tone.
- C. Pointing at the customer while speaking.
- D. Using the customer's first name.
The correct answer is C. Pointing is interpreted as aggressive non-verbal behaviour and is consistently identified in SIA training as an escalator. The other options are de-escalation techniques.
Worked question 3 — Drug awareness
"A customer's pupils are very dilated, they are sweating heavily and they appear hyperactive. Which class of drug are they most likely to have taken?"
- A. Depressant.
- B. Stimulant.
- C. Hallucinogen.
- D. Opioid.
The correct answer is B. Stimulants such as cocaine and MDMA cause dilated pupils, sweating and hyperactivity. Depressants and opioids generally cause the opposite — drowsiness and constricted pupils.
How marking works
Each unit is marked out of its total questions with a fixed pass mark — there is no scaling and no compensation between units. If you fail one paper, you only re-sit that paper, usually within 28 days, for an admin fee of around £25–£45 with your training provider.
Free practice
Start SIA Door Supervisor Mock Test 1
45 mixed-unit questions, instant marking, full explanations.
Start mock test 1Tips for tackling MCQs
- Read the stem twice before reading the options. Many candidates pick the first plausible answer and miss a qualifier.
- Look for absolute words such as always and never — they often signal an incorrect option.
- Eliminate the two clearly wrong answers first, then choose between the remaining two on the basis of policy or law, not gut feeling.
- Flag and revisit any question you take more than 60 seconds on. Don't lose easy marks by running out of time.
Where to keep practising
Visit the Security & Door Supervision practice hub for more free mocks. Related reading: our complete 2026 SIA Door Supervisor guide and how to pass the SIA Door Supervisor exam first time.
Quick study plan
If you only have a fortnight to prepare, split your time into three blocks. Spend the first few days reading any official handbook or syllabus straight through — don't try to memorise yet, the goal is familiarity. Move on to topic-by-topic revision, focusing on the areas you found least intuitive on the first read. In the final week, switch to timed mock tests under exam conditions; mark every paper ruthlessly and read every explanation, including for questions you got right by guessing. Most candidates improve by 8–12 marks between their first and third mock simply by closing knowledge gaps this way.
Common myths to ignore
Three myths trip up more candidates than any single topic. The first is that "if I sit enough mocks, I'll spot the real questions on test day" — modern UK exam banks contain hundreds of items and the question you see on the day will probably be brand new to you. The second is that you can cram the night before; most assessments reward calm focus more than recent recall, and tired candidates make basic mistakes. The third is that the pass mark is the only thing that matters: aiming for a comfortable buffer of 5–10 marks above the threshold is the single best insurance against an unlucky paper.
What to do on test day
Plan to arrive 15–20 minutes early with valid photo ID — usually a UK driving licence or passport — and any booking confirmation you've been emailed. Eat something light beforehand, drink water but not so much that you'll need a comfort break mid-paper, and silence your phone before you walk through the door. Read every question twice, flag anything you're unsure of, and never leave a blank — there's no negative marking on the assessments most readers of this site sit, so a considered guess is always better than no answer at all.
The SIA Door Supervisor multiple-choice papers look deceptively simple. Four answer options per question, one correct answer, no negative marking. What candidates discover too late is that two of the four options are usually almost right — they're worded just enough to mislead anyone who relies on memorisation rather than understanding. This article walks through example questions in the style used by the major awarding bodies and shows how to think through them confidently. You can then try the full free SIA Door Supervisor mock test 1 at the end.
How the questions are written
Awarding bodies (Highfield, Pearson, NCFE) write to a published syllabus called the SIA Specification for Learning and Qualifications. Every multiple-choice question maps to a specific learning outcome. The examiner's job is to test whether you can apply the rule, not just recall it — so most questions are framed as short scenarios rather than facts.
Worked question 1 — Powers of arrest
"A door supervisor sees a customer pick up another customer's phone from a table and walk towards the exit. Under section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the door supervisor may:"
- A. Detain the suspect and search them for the phone.
- B. Arrest the suspect and hand them to the police as soon as is reasonably practicable.
- C. Issue a banning order from the venue.
- D. Confiscate the phone and return it to the owner.
The correct answer is B. PACE section 24A gives any person — not just police — the power to arrest where an indictable offence is being committed and where it is not reasonably practicable for a police officer to do so. Searching (A) and confiscating (D) are powers door supervisors do not have. A banning order (C) is a venue policy decision, not a legal arrest power.
Worked question 2 — Conflict management
"Which behaviour is most likely to escalate a conflict?"
- A. Standing at a 45-degree angle to the customer.
- B. Maintaining steady eye contact and a calm tone.
- C. Pointing at the customer while speaking.
- D. Using the customer's first name.
The correct answer is C. Pointing is interpreted as aggressive non-verbal behaviour and is consistently identified in SIA training as an escalator. The other options are de-escalation techniques.
Worked question 3 — Drug awareness
"A customer's pupils are very dilated, they are sweating heavily and they appear hyperactive. Which class of drug are they most likely to have taken?"
- A. Depressant.
- B. Stimulant.
- C. Hallucinogen.
- D. Opioid.
The correct answer is B. Stimulants such as cocaine and MDMA cause dilated pupils, sweating and hyperactivity. Depressants and opioids generally cause the opposite — drowsiness and constricted pupils.
How marking works
Each unit is marked out of its total questions with a fixed pass mark — there is no scaling and no compensation between units. If you fail one paper, you only re-sit that paper, usually within 28 days, for an admin fee of around £25–£45 with your training provider.
Free practice
Start SIA Door Supervisor Mock Test 1
45 mixed-unit questions, instant marking, full explanations.
Start mock test 1Tips for tackling MCQs
- Read the stem twice before reading the options. Many candidates pick the first plausible answer and miss a qualifier.
- Look for absolute words such as always and never — they often signal an incorrect option.
- Eliminate the two clearly wrong answers first, then choose between the remaining two on the basis of policy or law, not gut feeling.
- Flag and revisit any question you take more than 60 seconds on. Don't lose easy marks by running out of time.
Where to keep practising
Visit the Security & Door Supervision practice hub for more free mocks. Related reading: our complete 2026 SIA Door Supervisor guide and how to pass the SIA Door Supervisor exam first time.
