Assessments

Online Test

After submitting your application you completed the online scenario-based test, which was the first stage of the assessment process. This presented you with different behavioural and numerical scenarios that you may face as a prison officer.

We need you to demonstrate basic numerical skills as part of the role. You will be required to account for the prisoners in your care. This means you may have to count the number of prisoners moving from one location to another, or at roll checks account that all prisoners are where they should be, by declaring and signing documentation for them.


This involves completing three assessments online within approximately 2.5 hours. We test to see if you have the abilities, behaviours and strengths to be a prison officer. There will be short breaks in between each assessment, but not during assessments. The assessments are designed to reflect the reality of the prison officer role. Therefore, they will contain strong language and cover sensitive topics that could be potentially distressing.

Interview


Role Play


Written Assessment


Assessment Criteria

During the online assessment centre you will be assessed on the behaviours, strengths and abilities outlined below.

Behaviours

Abilities and Strengths


Youth Justice Worker Additional Assessment

For those applying to be a youth justice worker you will complete all the assessments set out under the online assessment centre section. At your online assessment centre you will complete an additional role play.

YJW Role Play


Women’s Prisons Additional Assessment

For those applying to be a prison officer in a women’s prison, once successful at the online assessment centre you will be asked to provide written responses to three behaviour-based questions, each of which requires a 250-word answer.

These questions have been designed to explore your understanding of the prison officer role in a women’s prison and why you are interested in the role. For each question you will be asked to consider a situation you may face as a prison officer in a women’s prison.

You will be invited to complete this assessment via email and will be able to access this via the Careers Portal. You will have 5 days to complete these questions and so can complete these at a time that suits you best. Further information about this assessment, what to expect and how to prepare can be found in this document.