Laboratory classes are an important component of most programmes in the Faculty of Medical and Veterinary Sciences in Bristol. Student learning is broad and includes exposure to the issues of experimental design and data gathering as well as an opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills. Laboratory classes tend to develop in scope and complexity as students progress from year to year and culminate for many with the final year laboratory research project. Most departments value the practical dimension to their programmes very highly. Within UK HE, there are significant pressures in terms of funding, student numbers and the apparent preparedness of first year students in terms of experience of practical work (at secondary level) and their confidence with relevant (GCSE) mathematics. Many life science degree programmes have reduced the number of contact hours spent in laboratory classes (Hughes, 2001). Compounding this, a common consequence of the increase in student numbers has been the gradual reduction in the scope and arguably, the quality of written feedback on student practical reports. It is common that students are entering university with few laboratory skills, experiencing reduced opportunity to build on these skills and receiving less feedback to guide their laboratory-based learning. It is hard to escape the conclusion that many students derive less satisfaction and less value from laboratory classes than students in the 1980’s and 90’s. To improve student preparation before the laboratory class and their engagement during the practical work, we have developed a series of quizzes that we intend to require all first year physiology students to complete to a satisfactory level BEFORE each laboratory practical class. These are being piloted this academic session and will be mandatory in the 2006_7 academic session. The quizzes are presently hosted by the web-application, Perception (see http://www.qmp.ac.uk ). These quizzes focus on four broad areas: 1. Health and Safety – posing questions that are answered in the text of the laboratory handbook. 2. Basic numeracy and literacy in the context of the practical work 3. Experimental design and data acquisition 4. Data handling, plotting, description, testing and contextual comprehension At present the quizzes are popular, although we have not had opportunity test the hypothesis (by cohort analysis) that student learning is improved by satisfactory completion of the pre-laboratory tests.