Welcome to our police aptitude test practice, fire service aptitude test practice and train driver aptitude test practice, Welcome to Mosaic‘s feature with specialist contributions from Rob Williams Assessment,
Police aptitude test practice
How to become a police officer
(1) Entry-level requirements
For becoming a police officer in the UK, one needs to be a UK citizen for more than 3 years and must be above 18 years of age. It also has to pass through severe background checks and health test. One has to undertake Professional Policing Degree from University before giving application for joining a force. One can also get a degree in police Now graduate leadership scheme. 2 to 3 A level is also considered as an equivalent degree requirement.
(2) Day-in-the-life
The job duties include responding to public calls, investigating offences and crimes and interviewing suspects before making an arrest. A police officer also presents evidence in the court and controls traffic in public events. Responsibility also includes advising the public on crime prevention and personal safety.
(3) Career path
One has to spend two years working as a student officer before being promoted to a police constable. This can be followed by specialising in specific policing such as the criminal investigation department (CID), road traffic, counter-terrorism, firearms. With experience and training, one might also get promoted to the position of sergeant or inspector.
(4) Job opportunities
Online job portal such as ‘Find a job service’ can help search Police Officer jobs. Indeed.co.uk and prospects.ac.uk are other online job portals full looking for vacancies.
(5) Where to find more information
One can contact the ‘local police force’ for application to different force and to know about the recruitment rules. ‘College of Policing’ can be contacted for career information in the police force.
Police situational judgement and aptitude career tests
If you’re applying to become a police officer, as well as fitness tests, you’re likely to encounter tests covering language, numeracy and information handling.
Numeracy tests – similar to numerical reasoning tests.
Language tests – the language test is not quite the same as verbal reasoning it is more testing knowledge of the language. Although some of the tests are tests comprehension skills, similar to our verbal reasoning tests.
The information handling tests – can contain elements of numerical and verbal reasoning along with data analysis.
POLICE SJT Rating Scale
- Very effective: this is the most Productive response since it can give the best possible outcome.
- Fairly effective: this is a reasonable choice but is slightly flawed.
- Ineffective: this is the response that does not help in improving the situation in any manner.
- Counter-productive: this is the worst response because it does not improve the situation and in the due course of time it makes it worse while leading to more problems.
There are a number of online assessments and aptitude tests that need to be carried out to determine the personality and skills of the candidate. The police numerical reasoning test is the most common that measures the arithmetical understanding of the candidate. It also helps the assessors to interpret the data analysis capabilities of the candidate.
police verbal reasoning test intro
The police verbal reasoning test allowed the candidates to show a keen understanding of the English language and the way they interpret the information. Questions in the Police verbal reasoning test are either comprehension or situational. In the first instance, the candidates will be required to respond in a true or false manner. In the second case, the candidates will have to determine the inferences or the conclusions that can be made based on the evidence that is provided. The police competency-based interviews and situational judgement test and other important ways through which the aptitude of the candidates are evaluated.
police officer test prep summary
Any candidate who is preparing for police officer tests needs to know the competency and value framework based on which the tests are developed. The candidates have to have a key set of behaviours, abilities, and values to become successful applicants.
How to become a firefighter
(1) Entry-level requirements
One can undertake Level 2 or 3 Diploma in the public services for applying for the position of a Firefighter. Entry requirements also include at least 2 GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) or any equivalent requirement for level 2 course. 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or any equivalent requirement would be needed for level 3 course. One also has to pass an online test for the assessment of judgement ability in real work settings and reading and number tests.
(2) Day-in-the-life
The job duties of a firefighter include inspection and maintenance of equipment and undertaking practice drills for fire services. It also has to be responsive to emergency calls and rescue people, animals from accidents sides and burning buildings. They also have to deal with floods and bomb alerts and put out property fires. They also inspect buildings for ensuring that they are meeting regulations of fire safety.
(3) Career path
A Firefighter can work its way up to being a crew manager or station manager with experience and training. One can also move between different services and become Brigade manager or area manager. You can undertake professional qualifications to become a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE).
(4) Job opportunities
Apprenticeship vacancies are available online job portals and ‘Find an apprenticeship service’ can be helpful to find firefighter related jobs and to get alerts about new apprenticeships.
(5) Where to find more information
For further information, ‘local fire and rescue service’ can be contacted for careers and firefighters and the recruitment packs.
Fire-fighter Career Tests
Firefighters call their tests ‘working with numbers’, ‘understanding information’ and ‘situational awareness and problem-solving’ – but these all align very much with the standard tests mentioned above. If you’re going through the Fire-fighter selection process you will also need to partake in physical ability tests. Some fire brigades also require candidates to sit a personality
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Police skills
One of the most important aspects of becoming a successful police officer is being able to make good decisions. Police officers in any part of the world are required to act efficiently in different positions where they need to make lawful, logical, and politically correct decisions.
Additional situational judgment test tips are available in Rob Williams Assessment Ltd’s latest Career Builder articles. In particular, you may find this article useful, What you need to know about situational judgement tests.
Police officers are also required to comply with the code of conduct, Core competencies, and the values of the police force.
In this blog, we can identify what is this situational judgement test, how it helps the police force to take important decisions.
Certain example questions can help candidates to get a glimpse of the test to help them crack it successfully.
What is in the police situational judgement test?
So what is a situational judgement test? In layman’s terms, the police situational judgement test is an aptitude test that provides the candidate with a series of passages describing police-based scenarios.
Each of the situations has a series of answers that allows the police officers to decide how to respond to the particular scenario.
For example, A candidate might be given a situation where a person has moved from her employer because her partner has been made redundant and they were struggling to support their family expenses.
In such a situation, the policeman is informed that the one who has stolen the cheque has not cashed them and they are ready to repay the employer.
Another solution can be to return the check and take no legal action because no harm has been performed.
The candidate has to thank the answers in terms of effective, fairly effective, ineffective, counter-productive, and very effective categories.
Numerical reasoning police skills
Specifically, the math portion of the exam contains 20 questions, the reading comprehension section contains 25 questions, the language skills portion contains 20 questions, and the writing sample contains 10 questions. In order to score 75% on the entire exam, at least 57 questions must be answered correctly.
Therefore, given the limited time in which to answer questions, examinees should focus their time and attention on the questions that they find easier.
Spending too much time on one question can result in the examinee running out of time and not being able to answer other questions.
Police numerical reasoning skills tests’ question examples
Q1 – Bail for Mr. Anders was set at £250,000. To be released, he must pay 10% of this in cash. How much must Mr. Anders pay? £250 £2,500 £20,500 £25,000
Q2 – A car skidded 800cm before coming to a complete stop. The accident report must list the distance in metres only. Whats the distance? .8m 8m 80m 800m
Q3 – An Amazon wearehouse loses 21 iPads valued at £10,500. What is their average value?
£105 £500 £550 £1055 £220,500
What are the Police entry verbal reasoning test formats?
Different regional police services across the UK use different types of verbal reasoning test.
- To reach a car accident from her police station, a police officer travel 3km down one Road, 4km after the next turning, then 14.5km on the motorway. Whats the distance to get to the accident and back?
Police aptitude test example Type 1
- Police entry examinees may need to read passages relating to police duty and will then answer questions based on these passages. All the information needed to answer the questions will be provided in the passage. The passages present potential rules and laws relating to police work.
Type 2
- True/false questions. The statement will be either accurate and true based on the passage or form, or the statement will be inaccurate and false according to the passage or form.
Police aptitude test example Type 3
- Choose the correct answer according to the information presented in the passage or on a sample report form.
Type 4
- Find alternative that best completes the sentence.
Verbal reasoning police skills
SKills test question Type 5
- Incomplete sentences are presented.
- The examinee must choose the alternative that best completes the sentence.
Example police skills assessment type 6
Sentences with spelling errors are presented. Here, the examinee must choose the alternative that contains the misspelled
- A police officer must have high regard for his own appearence because police officers are public figures. Which word is spelt wrongly? officer regard appearance figures none of the above
- Officer Hill searched the suspect and found three ____ in the suspect’s backpack. (knife knifes knives)
- After arresting the suspect, Officer Carma _ the suspect for weapons and found a firearm in the suspect’s coat pocket. search searched searches searching
Premium Situational judgement test practice
Our free practice situational judgement test tips are listed after our premium situational judgement test practice links. Additional situational judgment test tips are available in Rob Williams Assessment Ltd’s latest Career Builder articles. In particular, you may find this article useful, What you need to know about situational judgement tests.
Example police aptitude test questions
Here are some police entry test sample quesitons from the USA: Specifically, the math portion of the exam contains 20 questions, the reading comprehension section contains 25 questions, the language skills portion contains 20 questions, and the writing sample contains 10 questions. In order to score 75% on the entire exam, at least 57 questions must be answered correctly.
Therefore, given the limited time in which to answer questions, examinees should focus their time and attention on the questions that they find easier.
Spending too much time on one question can result in the examinee running out of time and not being able to answer other questions.
police sample questions
Q1 – Bail for Mr. Anders was set at £250,000. To be released, he must pay 10% of this in cash. How much must Mr. Anders pay? £250 £2,500 £20,500 £25,000 Q2 – A car skidded 800cm before coming to a complete stop. The accident report must list the distance in metres only. Whats the distance? .8m 8m 80m 800m Q3 – An Amazon wearehouse loses 21 iPads valued at £10,500. What is their average value? £105 £500 £550 £1055 £220,500
What are the Police entry verbal reasoning test formats?
Q4 – To reach a car accident from her police station, a police officer travel 3km down one Road, 4km after the next turning, then 14.5km on the motorway. Whats the distance to get to the accident and back?
police aptitude test practice
Different regional police services across the UK use different types of verbal reasoning test. (type 1) Police entry examinees may needc to read passages relating to police duty and will then answer questions based on these passages.
All the information needed to answer the questions will be provided in the passage. The passages present potential rules and laws relating to police work.
(type 2) True/false questions. The statement will be either accurate and true based on the passage or form, or the statement will be inaccurate and false according to the passage or form. (type 3) Choose the correct answer according to the information presented in the passage or on a sample report form. (type 4) Find alternative that best completes the sentence.
police aptitude test practice
(type 5)
- Incomplete sentences are presented.
- The examinee must choose the alternative that best completes the sentence.
(type 6) Sentences with spelling errors are presented.
Here, the examinee must choose the alternative that contains the misspelled A police officer must have high regard for his own appearence because police officers are public figures. Which word is spelt wrongly? officer regard appearence figures none of the above Officer Hill searched the suspect and found three ____ in the suspect’s backpack. knife knifes knives After arresting the suspect, Officer Carma _ the suspect for weapons and found a firearm in the suspect’s coat pocket. search searched searches searching
What is in the police situational judgement test?
Category examples:
- Very effective: this is the most Productive response since it can give the best possible outcome.
- Fairly effective: this is a reasonable choice but is slightly flawed.
- Ineffective: this is the response that does not help in improving the situation in any manner.
- Counter-productive: this is the worst response because it does not improve the situation and in the due course of time it makes it worse while leading to more problems.
There is technically no wrong or right answer when choosing the options given in situations of judgement scenarios. However, the assessment identifies how the candidate reacts to a particular situation. Certain responsible responses are less favourable to the assessor. The candidate must ensure that it does not raise any red flags from its responses.
Police aptitude test
- Joining the police force is a very challenging task both mentally and physically since it comes with a wide range of challenges that every individual is not capable of effectively handling.
- The assessment process for hiring police candidates is highly competitive and is grouped into three major themes.
- These are aptitude, physical and administrative. In the United Kingdom, there are three routes through which a candidate can enter the police force.
- The two most common routes are the PCDA or police constable degree apprenticeship and the degree holder entry program or DHEP.
- These two tests have slight variations depending on the force which is applied by the candidate.
- In all the cases there is a Competency and Value framework based on which the candidates will be assessed.
- Behaviours, competencies, and values which are expected from the police profession are assessed based on the value framework.
POLICE ASSESSMENT PHASE 1
The police numerical reasoning test is the most common that measures the arithmetical understanding of the candidate.
It also helps the assessors to interpret the data analysis capabilities of the candidate. The police verbal reasoning test allowed the candidates to show a keen understanding of the English language and the way they interpret the information.
Questions in the Police verbal reasoning test are either comprehension or situational.
Any candidate who is preparing for police officer tests needs to know the competency and value framework based on which the tests are developed. The candidates have to have a key set of behaviours, abilities, and values to become successful applicants.
Police entry test
The Entry Test for police officers measures the basic skills necessary to perform successfully as a police officer.
How to become a police officer
What are the Police service entry routes?
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
This is a three-year apprenticeship that leads to a degree in Professional Policing Practice. This enables new recruits to join the police service as an apprentice police constables and earn while they learn.
The PCDA is a three-year programme combining operational duties with academic learning. On successful completion of your probation, you will achieve a BSc (Hons) degree in Professional Policing Practice.
If you do not already hold a degree and are looking for a career that offers first-class training, continuous development, unrivalled variety and unique challenges, the PCDA is the route for you.
police aptitude test practice
Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP)
New recruits who join through this route will undertake a two-year learning programme to enable them to perform the role of a police constable.
Successful completion results in the achievement of a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing.
If you’ve a degree this programme offers a fantastic opportunity for you to continue to learn beyond your initial degree, whilst earning a salary as a fully warranted police officer from day one.
How to become a police officer
- Can you still join the police without a degree?
Yes, as above, the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) does not require you to have a degree. You would need to meet the minimum entry requirements for the PCDA programme and pass the recruitment process set out by the City of London Police and Coventry University.
This will depend on the entry route you choose to join.
- To undertake the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) you will need:
If you do not currently hold a Level 2 in Maths, we will support you to achieve this alongside the first two years of training with us.