For candidates doing any national online College exam including the NPPF sergeants’ and inspectors’ exams and the NIE.
How to use this guide
Use the slide over page contents menu or scroll down to see the different sections in this handbook.
Introduction
This guidance is to support you in preparing for your online exam this year. It will provide you with all the information you need before, during and after the exam, and will give you the best opportunity to understand the online platform before the exam day. This will help to limit your chances of experiencing any issues on the day. It is really important that you take the time to read and apply all the information in this document before taking the exam.
When will the exams be held?
Please refer to the relevant candidate handbook for the examination for specific exam dates and registration dates.
What time will my exam begin?
Candidates can take their chosen exam at a time to suit them between the hours of 8am and 8pm on their specified exam date. The exams will be removed from the platform at 8pm, so you need to ensure that you have started your exam by 8pm. If you have not done this, you will not be able to start your exam after this time.
What if I am unable to take the exam on the specified date?
We cannot provide alternative dates for candidates who are unable to sit their exam on the dates scheduled.
Preparing for your exam
Reading this candidate guide will help you know what to expect on the day and how to prepare effectively. If you follow all the instructions in this guide carefully, it will help to be as prepared as possible for taking your exam online. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have read all the guidance as well as the reevant candidate handbook ahead of taking the exam.
How can I make sure I have the latest information about my exam?
We will communicate regularly via force exams contacts, who will pass all information on to you. We will also ensure that updates are available on the relevant exam pages on the College of Policing website and on our social media pages.
We will not send information directly to candidates regarding the examinations so please ensure that you regularly check for updates via the above channels.
How should I revise for the online exam?
Revising for an online exam is no different to revising for an exam delivered by the traditional pencil and paper method. You still need to dedicate time to revising as the syllabus is large. The syllabus provides the material that has been deemed necessary for someone of that role to know and all aspects of the syllabus are potentially examinable. The syllabus is detailed in the candidate handbook relevant for your exam.
Everyone learns in different ways, and you have to find the method that works best for you. There are several questions that are worth considering. Do you:
- learn best using visual methods such as graphs, diagrams, mind maps and colour coding?
- learn best using auditory methods such as reading aloud, discussing topics with others and recording notes to listen back to?
- like to make notes to read back?
- find it helpful to apply the information you are learning to a practical scenario? For example, you could consider applying the information to scenarios that you or your colleagues have dealt with at work
- find using cue cards or mnemonics helpful to remember aspects of the law?
- find testing yourself on what you have read to be effective?
- find revising in small groups helpful?
Once you know your style, create a plan. A timetable that includes all the syllabus, broken down into manageable chunks, will help to instil a sense of progression and help you to stay positive. Understand and embrace your strengths and development areas. You may need to spend longer on some areas that you are less familiar with. Start your revision early so that you have enough time to dedicate to all the areas you need to.
Organise a suitable study environment, free from distractions, that will help you to concentrate and get the most from the time available. Consider what time of day is best for you to study. This is likely to be dependent on work and personal commitments. Everyone has busy lives, so when you schedule time to revise, make sure you use that time effectively. You may need to find opportunities in your day to build in short revision sessions around other commitments. If you use your time effectively, small, regular revision sessions can be more useful than building in long days of revision. Take short and frequent breaks during revision sessions. Don’t forget to give consideration to your work-life balance. Maintaining a healthy mental balance will help you during what can be a stressful time.
Can you provide me with a past exam paper to use for revision?
Since many of the questions in our exams are used multiple times, we don’t provide past papers or revision questions as this would affect the integrity of the exams. Therefore, you will not find any College-approved past papers or questions to use for revision. There are companies who provide revision materials and practice questions for the examination. However, these are not endorsed by the College of Policing and may differ in terms of content and difficulty level to the exam itself.
Registration
When can I register for the exam?
Specific registration periods for your exam can be found in the relevant candidate handbook. Registration dates will also be published on the College of Policing website and communicated via force exams contacts. It is your responsibility to ensure that you know when the registration period opens and closes, and to ensure that you schedule the time within this period to register. Registration will not be extended beyond the closing date and late registrations will only be considered in very exceptional circumstances.
How can I register for the exam?
You will register for your exam using the assessment information management system (AIMS), an online system that has been developed by the College of Policing to support the administration and delivery of national examinations. AIMS is an intuitive cloud-based system, which has been designed to work on a variety of mobile devices. You will use the AIMS candidate portal to register, to receive joining instructions of how to access your exam and to receive your results and feedback.
Your force exams contact will provide you with details of how to register, along with a link to access AIMS. It is a straightforward process and does not take long. You will be asked to enter your personal and biographical details and to confirm which exam you are registering for. Your force will then be asked to confirm that you are eligible to sit the exam.
Check your details are correct when registering
When registering please check that your name, email address, date of birth and national insurance number are all entered correctly. You will need to verify these to access your result and feedback report after the exam. Any errors in inputting these will result in a delay to receiving your result. If your email address is incorrect, you will not receive details of how to access your exam.
You will receive an email confirming your registration which should arrive within 24 hours of registering. If you do not receive this, please check your junk mail and then inform your force exams contact. They will be able to check that your registration has been completed correctly and resolve any issues for you to prevent delays later on.
Please ensure that you keep your confirmation of registration email in case there are any issues later on with your registration. Do not register more than once. If you have any concerns about your registration please contact your force exams contact.
You must not allow another person to gain access to AIMS or the examination platform using your login details, nor must you attempt to gain access via anyone else’s login details. Any attempts to do so will be classed as a breach of the rules and reported to your professional standards unit.
Can I use a personal email address when I register instead of a work email address?
Yes, you can enter your work or personal email address when you register for your exam on AIMS. You must ensure that your email address is correct. It is your responsibility to check this. Providing an incorrect email address will result in you not receiving the link to access your exam.
I missed the registration closing date – can I still register?
No, we cannot extend registration because the closing dates for registration are close to the exam dates and we need to ensure that all arrangements are made for each candidate. You must ensure that you register before the closing date. Forces may set their registration closing date earlier than the dates published by the College to allow time for them to verify your application and allocate you to the correct exam in time. Please check with your force exam contact for your force-specific closing date and ensure that you register ahead of this.
Reasonable adjustments and accommodations
How can I apply for a reasonable adjustment or accommodation?
Please contact your force exams contact as soon as possible if you require a reasonable adjustment or accommodation. You will need to provide supporting evidence with your request. Please note that registering your intention in AIMS to apply for a reasonable adjustment does not constitute applying for an adjustment. You must complete the request form and provide supporting evidence to your force exams contact ahead of the registration closing date.
For further information about how to apply for a reasonable adjustment or accommodation, as well as details of supporting evidence and how to access the request form, please refer to the College’s reasonable adjustments policy.
When should I apply for a reasonable adjustment or accommodation?
As soon as possible. You do not need to wait for registration for your exam to open. The sooner you can provide your force with details and supporting evidence of what you need for the exam, the sooner they can process your request and ensure that the adjustments you require can be put in place for you.
The closing date for applying for a reasonable adjustment or accommodation is the closing date for registration for your particular exam. Any requests submitted after this date cannot be guaranteed to be processed and be put in place for the exam. Please refer to the relevant candidate handbook for further information.
What adjustments can I have in the exam?
All adjustments will be considered on an individual basis, based on your circumstances and the evidence that you provide. Adjustments can be offered to support a range of individual circumstances. This includes disabilities, short-term medical conditions, maternity-related and other circumstances that may mean you would need a change to the standard conditions of the exam. For example, this may include additional time and/or scheduled breaks within the exam.
The following adjustments can be applied by any candidate. It is not necessary to apply officially to your force exams contact for:
- use of text to speech software
- use of software to change background colour of screen
- use of coloured screen overlay suitable for your device
The College of Policing is unable to provide the above software but the platform is compatible with most commonly used software for the above. The College of Policing can provide any candidate who wishes to use the above software in the exam with a practice question before the exam to test their software on.
We recommend testing the software used in the exam thoroughly by completing the familiarisation exercise before taking the exam. We would only recommend using the above software if you are using it generally in your day-to-day life. Attempting to use new software that you are unfamiliar with in an exam is likely to be unhelpful.
The platform has some built in colour changing options that candidates can use. These are explained in detail later in this guide.
If you have any queries about adjustments for the exam, please contact your force exams contact or the exams team at the College of Policing directly to discuss your individual circumstances in more detail.
Online exam platform
Which online platform will be used to deliver the exams?
We will be delivering the exams using a platform called Civica Assess, which is owned by a well-established testing company, Civica. The platform has undergone extensive testing with a high volume of test-takers. The exam platform will be accessed via a URL, which will be sent to you ahead of the exam. You will be sent a link to familiarise yourself with the exam platform a week before the exam.
What device will I need to take my exam on?
Your exam will be accessible from a number of devices including laptops, standalone computers and tablets. The device needs to be in landscape mode, not portrait. It is also accessible from a mobile phone but we recommend that candidates do not take their exam on their mobile phone or small tablet because a larger screen will offer you the best chance of viewing your exam in its entirety without having to scroll. Taking the exam on a larger screen will also show all functionality of the platform which smaller screen may not allow. The stability of the exam platform may also not be consistent on a mobile phone.
Using your force device or laptop means accessing the exam through their VPN (virtual private network), and you may be restricted by force bandwidth even if you have fast home broadband access.
You should also ensure that the device you are using is not set to clear their cache automatically. This is important because if you lose connection during your exam, it will continue offline and your responses will be saved in your cache. If the cache is automatically deleted, we cannot recover your answers. Please check with your force IT that this will not be an issue if you plan to use a force device.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have a suitable electronic device to access your exam on. If you do not have access to a personal or work device that you can use, we recommend speaking to your force exams contact to check whether your force could provide you with a suitable device to use for your exam. It is not a requirement for forces to do this, so it is a decision for individual forces to make.
If you are using a force device, please ensure that the URL has been approved by your force and that your device will not block any of the exam content (please be aware that some parts of the syllabus by their nature may be restricted words on some networks).
If you plan to use a force device to take the exam, please check that any software updates are carried out before the exam so that your exam is not interrupted. The College of Policing is unable to assist with any disruption caused to an exam due to a software update installing during the exam. It is your responsibility to ensure that software updates are in place before the exam and that you have tested your device sufficiently before the exam.
The College of Policing is unable to supply candidates with suitable devices for their exam. The URL for the online platform will be provided to you ahead of the exam.
Please ensure you have a strong internet connection as we are unable to accept appeals regarding local connection issues affecting your exam. The exam support page and this candidate guide will help you to ensure you are fully prepared.
Which browsers are supported by the platform?
You can use the following browsers (the software you use to access the internet):
- Google Chrome 100+
- Microsoft Edge 100+
- Safari 15+
You may experience issues if you access your exam in an old browser. Ensure you upgrade your browser to the latest version before the exam.
You can check the version of the browser you're using by opening it, navigating to the settings and viewing the 'about' information. This will display the browser version number.
You should avoid using any sort of InPrivate or Incognito browsers, as these will not retain any locally stored answers in their cache. This is important because if you lose connection during their exam, the exam will continue and your responses will be saved in your browser cache. If the cache is automatically deleted, we cannot recover your answers.
Can I check my browser is compatible with the exam platform?
It is very important that you schedule time to check your device and browser before the exam to ensure that you won’t encounter issues on the day.
Device check
You can log into the candidate platform as soon as you have the URL to test your device. Click on ‘Check System Requirements’ at the bottom right hand corner:
This will then check that the device you are using meets minimum requirements:
Familiarisation exercise
Approximately one week before your exam, you will be emailed a link to your familiarisation exercise to familiarise yourself with the exams platform. You can only access this exercise once and it will only be available to look at until 8pm on the day of your exam.
You will also be able to test whether you’d like to change the display scheme. Once you’ve logged in, you can click the toggle in the top left-hand corner as below and click on ‘Change Display Scheme’.
You will be presented with a high-contrast and high-visibility option. If you click on these options, the screen will change to reflect what you’ve selected.
Once you are in your exam, you cannot change the display scheme. Please ensure that once you are happy with your display scheme, you return back to the main menu.
For anyone using text-to-speech software or software to change the background colour, you can also check the compatibility of your assistive software ahead of the exam.
Exam venue
Where will I take my exam?
The online delivery of exams will enable you to take your exam in a convenient place, without the need to sit the exam at a physical exam centre alongside other candidates. You can choose where to take your exam so that it is suitable and convenient for you. This could include in your own home or at a venue provided by your force, if they choose to provide one for you.
Can I take the exam abroad?
Due to restrictions on firewalls and browsers, as well as the stability of internet connections, we cannot guarantee that candidates will be able to take the exam outside of the United Kingdom. If you are a currently serving officer on deployment in another country, who is being supported by your force or organisation to take the exam, you should inform your force exams contact. The College cannot provide support to officers who wish to take the exams abroad while on holiday.
Will my exam be supervised?
You will not be supervised while you take your exam. As a police officer taking a professional career examination, you are expected to act with integrity and in line with the principles and standards of behaviour set out within the Code of Ethics. There are a number of mechanisms built into the exam to detect cheating - see Maintaining the integrity of policing exams. Any candidate who is suspected of cheating or disclosing the content of the exam in any form will be investigated and could have their exam results nullified and/or be banned from entering the exam in future. Candidates suspected of cheating will be referred to their force’s professional standards unit.
Can I take my exam at a venue provided by my force?
Some forces may wish to provide a venue at which their candidates can take the exam. While this is not something the College requires, we will support forces to do this by offering guidance on providing a suitable testing environment. If your force decides to provide a venue at which you can sit your exam, your force will tell you this directly.
Do I have to sit the exam at a venue provided by my force?
The College does not require forces to provide a physical exam venue, although if forces wish to do this they can. Candidates may wish to consider why they would not want to attend a venue organised by their force if it is available to them and discuss their concerns with their force. Any concerns will be for the force and candidate to resolve directly.
How can I create a suitable exam environment for myself?
The move to online delivery means that you will be responsible for providing a suitable environment for yourself to take your exam. As such, the College of Policing will not, under any circumstances, accept appeals of unscheduled incidents relating to an unsuitable testing environment. This includes sitting the exam in a force-provided venue. Any concerns regarding the suitability of the testing environment of a force-provided venue should be directed to your force. The College will not be able to consider these appeals. Therefore, it is vital that you take the time to follow this guidance and ensure that you have a suitable testing environment for the exam.
You will need to plan this in advance and ensure that you have considered the following:
Venue
For many candidates, their home may be a suitable venue. If you are likely to be disturbed or interrupted during the exam, then your home may not be a suitable environment. If this is the case you may wish to consider speaking to your force to see if you could sit in a quiet room in force or consider a different venue from your own home. You must take the exam in one sitting and you will not be able to stop or pause the exam once started so choosing a distraction-free environment is essential.
Noise
The room that you choose to take the exam in should be free from distractions for the duration of the exam. Consider how you can ensure that you won’t be disturbed. This may involve putting a sign on the door if you are in a place accessed by others, wearing earplugs and considering the best time of day for you to take the exam. You should take your exam in a room on your own, unless you are sitting with other candidates in a venue organised by your force. You may also consider checking whether there will be any likely disturbances to the exam, for example, fire alarm tests or building works nearby..
Lighting
Ensure that the room you will take your exam in has suitable lighting to meet your needs. If you need additional lighting, arrange this prior to the exam. You may also need to consider your position in the room to avoid glare and reflections on your screen.
Temperature
Ensure that the temperature of the room will be suitable for your needs. If this is outside of your control, you may need to consider dressing appropriately for the environment so that this does not distract you. Heat and humidity should be maintained at levels that prevent discomfort and problems with dry or sore eyes.
Internet connection
Make sure that you have a strong internet connection. The minimum bandwidth needed is 2Mbps. We recommend connecting via an Ethernet cable to a broadband router wherever possible.
If your internet connection fails during the exam, the system will allow you to continue with your exam offline, in your internet cache. You should therefore not encounter any buffering or connection issues during your exam. If your device reconnects to the internet during this time, your answers will be saved and you can continue to work online. If your internet does not reconnect and you have completed your exam, the platform will notify you that it has not been able to upload your answers and will ask you to download an encrypted file with your answers.
Please ensure that you send the downloaded file, without altering it, to the following email address:
- [email protected] (for NIE exams)
- [email protected] (for NPPF exams)
If you do not forward this file, we will be unable to recover your exam.
If you do close the browser for any reason, you'll be asked to provide a reason for this before being able to continue with the exam. You can provide further evidence after the exam via your force contact officer and this must be provided within three days of the exam date to the College for review.
When you log back into the platform, the timer will pause and will restart where you were with the remaining time, so you should not lose time. If you experience any issues during your exam, please refer to the exam support page for assistance in the first instance.
Although an issue with your internet connection should not affect your exam experience, you should still ensure that you have a strong internet connection prior to taking the exam to have the best exam experience. The College will not be able to assist with connection issues, so it is important to ensure that your connection is strong and tested before the exam.
Browser
Ensure your chosen internet browser on your device is compatible with the exam platform. Ensure you have the latest version of your chosen internet browser installed.
Device
Ensure you have access to a suitable electronic device to take the exam on (see What device will I need to take my exam on?). Put the device on ‘do not disturb’ mode so that you are not distracted during the exam. Limiting access to other applications on the device will also help to ensure your connection remains stable during the exam and you will be less likely to face problems with connectivity during the exam.
Work station
We strongly recommend taking health and safety precautions to ensure you have a suitable work station for the exam where possible. This includes setting your work station up to prevent poor posture, using a separate keyboard and mouse if possible and ensuring you have sufficient space to change posture as required.
Consider using a suitable chair which allows you to adjust the height and back support to meet your needs and a desk which will allow you to sit comfortably for the duration of the exam. If you need to adjust your posture during the exam, you may want to consider a work station which allows you to stand and sit as required. If you do not have a suitable chair or desk to meet your individual needs for the exam, please speak to your force exam contact to see if they can assist.
Display screen
Ensure you have a display screen which is large enough for you to see the exam clearly. We do not recommend using a mobile phone as this will not provide you with a good testing experience.
A display screen which has adjustable brightness and contrast and can be tilted to meet your needs will help you remain comfortable during the exam.
Food and drink
You can consume food and drinks of your choice during your exam to meet your personal needs. If you are taking the exam at a shared venue provided by your force, please be mindful to bring food and drinks that will not disturb or distract others or potentially cause others to have an allergic reaction. Take care not to spill drinks or food onto your device as it may cause it to malfunction.
Personal requirements
If you have any personal requirements you will need during the exam, ensure you have these before the exam starts. This may include reading glasses, medication and easy access to a toilet.
Exam format
Will the questions be multiple choice?
Yes, the questions will still be multiple choice application questions. An example question is shown in the section below titled How will the exam be presented which shows the format of questions. Please note this question is provided as an example and not as a practice question. It has therefore not received recent legal review and the correct answer is not provided.
How will the exam be presented?
You will be presented with one question per page. The background screen will be white and the questions will be presented in Arial font, size 12 as standard. You will need to ensure you are using a large enough screen to be able to see the questions properly, otherwise font size will be affected. Using a mobile phone or tablet to take your exam will result in a different candidate experience. You should be able to use the standard zoom features on your device to make the question size bigger or smaller to suit your preference, depending on your device.
When you sign into the exam URL, you will be presented with the candidate declaration. You will be asked to confirm that you have read the declaration and privacy notice before you are able to access your exam and familiarisation exercise. Once you have clicked to confirm that you have read this, the live exam box will appear and you will have access to your exam. You will then be able to see which exam has been assigned to you. Your familiarisation exercise will also appear here and not in practice exams.
The next screen will detail the exams available to you and any reasonable adjustments applied. If you have been granted a reasonable adjustment in the exam, you should check that this has been added to your exam as expected before you begin. After agreeing to the confidentiality declaration on the first page, you will be presented with a screen like the one below. Click on the ‘i’ icon next to ‘Time Allowed’. This will provide details of any additional time and/or breaks applied to your exam. If the reasonable adjustment does not appear as expected, please contact us immediately before starting your exam. The College are unable to apply any changes to adjustments if you begin your exam. The College cannot accept any appeals if you choose to begin your exam without checking your adjustment is as you expected.
The screenshot below shows you how the questions will be presented.
(The screenshot reads:
Example question
1) Littler has found out that his wife is having an affair with Hunt. Littler abducts Hunt and drives him around Sandford. He has an imitation gun in the glove compartment. Littler tells Hunt that he has a firearm and that he will shoot Hunt if he does not promise to stop seeing his wife. Hunt is unconcerned by the threats so Littler drives his car in a dangerous manner intending to endanger both their lives.
Does Littler commit the offence of possessing a firearm with the intent to endanger life, contrary to Section 16 of the Firearms Act 1968?
A) No, because the firearm is an imitation firearm and it is not the means by which Hunt's life is endangered.
B) No, because Hunt does not believe that his life is endangered by the firearm.
C) Yes, because he is in possession of a firearm and he intends to endanger the life of Hunt.
D) Yes, because he intended Hunt to believe that his life was endangered by the firearm or otherwise.)
Can I change the font and size within the exam?
The font and size will be set as standard to Arial font, size 12 for all candidates. You should be able to use the standard zoom features on your device to make the question size bigger or smaller to suit your preference, depending on your device.
We recommend testing this prior to taking the exam to ensure that it meets your needs. If you have any concerns or queries regarding this, please inform us via your force exams contact.
Can I change the background colour of the exam?
You can change the background colour of your exam to high contrast or high visibility. The platform does not allow a change of the background colour to any other colours outside of high contrast or high visibility. The standard background colour will be white with black writing for all exams, with a blue border (as shown in the example above).
However, if you wish to change the background colour, you can alter the colour or brightness settings on your own device or use a coloured screen overlay of your own providing. You must ensure that you use a specific screen overlay that is suitable for use on an electronic device. There are also many colour-changing software packages that are compatible with the platform. It is your responsibility to provide this software and test it thoroughly before the exam.
We advise you to check any changes to background colour when you access the familiarisation exercise before your exam to ensure it is appropriate for your needs. If you have any concerns or queries regarding this, please contact us via your force exams contact.
How many questions will be in the exam?
Please refer to the relevant candidate handbook for specific details for your exam.
Will the exam be timed?
Yes, the exam will be timed. Please refer to the relevant candidate handbook for specific details for your exam.
Once you click ‘Start Test’, the timer will begin and must not be paused. Therefore, please ensure that you are in a suitable place and ready to take the exam before you press ‘Start Test’.
You must not attempt to pause the timer or close the browser during the exam. Closing the browser is logged on the system and any attempts to do this will be reviewed and treated as breach of exam rules, which could result in your exam attempt being nullified.
How can I manage my time in the exam?
There will be a countdown clock at the top of your screen to allow you to manage your time in the exam (as shown in the example below).
The time allowance on the clock is for the full exam (even if you have been granted scheduled breaks within the exam as part of an adjustment). It is recommended that you divide your time up in the exam to fully use the time available to you.
You will need to read each question carefully, and work quickly and accurately to ensure that you have time to answer all questions. You may wish to plan your time before your exam begins.
Can I revisit questions in the exam?
Yes, you can move back and forth in the exam to revisit questions and change answers if you wish to do so. You can use the assessment info panel on the left or the panel on the bottom of the screen to navigate to a particular question. Your exam will be split into the relevant subject areas, and you will be able click on this panel to help you navigate through the questions. Once you have answered a question, the circle will show as being filled in. You can still return back to the question by clicking directly on the question numbers. On this panel, you will also be able to see the total number of questions, as well as which questions are unanswered, answered or flagged.
The panel on the bottom of your exam can also be used to navigate through your exam. You can click directly on the circles to access the questions. If the circle is empty, that means you have not yet answered the question. If the circle is filled in, that means you have answered the question.
You will have the option to flag a question to review later in the exam. To do this, click on the flag in the top right-hand corner of each question, as shown in the example below.
If you choose to flag a question for review, the question will appear with a red flag on the assessment info panel.
If you have been granted scheduled breaks within the exam as part of an agreed reasonable adjustment, you will not be able to return to questions flagged for review in an earlier section at the end of the exam. Therefore, if you have been granted scheduled breaks, please ensure that for each section, you answer all questions before moving onto the next section.
If you do move back and forth in the exam, please take care to ensure that you do not change your previous answers if you do not wish to do so. Using a large screen will assist with this process.
At the end of the exam, you will be asked to confirm that you have finished and that you would like to submit your responses. The final page will also detail how many answered, unanswered and flagged questions you have left. If you have time remaining, you can click on ‘Return to Assessment’ and use the left-hand panel to navigate directly to questions you wish to revisit. If you would like to finish the assessment, you can click on ‘Finish Assessment’.
You will get a confirmation from the platform that your responses have been received. If you run out of time before you have completed your exam, the responses you have given up to that point will be automatically submitted and you will get a confirmation from the exam platform. You do not need to ask the College or your force exams contact whether your answers have been received, as they are automatically saved and submitted. If you have been disconnected from the internet during your exam, you will be informed of this at the end. Instructions of how to submit your answers will be explained to you (see section 6.6.5).
Will I be able to take breaks during the exam?
No, the exam must be completed in one sitting, unless you have been granted scheduled breaks within the exam as part of an agreed reasonable adjustment. If you want to take a comfort break during the exam, you can do so. However, you will not receive any additional time to do this. You must not close the browser or attempt to stop your timer during the exam.
When you close the browser, this is logged on the system and will be treated as a breach of exam rules. Any browser closures will be reviewed after the examination by the reports and disqualifications panel before results are released. Closing the browser is a breach of exams rules and could mean that your result is nullified.
If you do close the browser for any reason, you will be asked to provide a reason for this before being able to continue with the exam. You can provide further evidence after the exam via your force exams contact. This must be provided within three days of the exam date to the College for review.
What other functionality does the platform have?
Strikethrough
The platform also has functionality to allow you to strike through responses that you believe are incorrect. In order to use this functionality, you will need to click on the ‘S’ in the top-right corner of the screen:
You will be presented with the following message.
As stated, you can undo this function by clicking on the response again. You can still choose an answer that you have struck through as the correct answer. To turn off the strikethrough function, press the ‘S’ icon again.
Workings
The platform also allows you to make notes on a question if you wish. To access this functionality, click on the notepad icon at the top:
Your notes are not seen by anyone and are automatically deleted when you submit the exam. They are designed to allow you to add any thoughts for a question that you may wish to return to if you find this helpful. However, you must not copy any part of an exam question to keep or use in any way after the exam.
Subject order
The questions will be grouped by subject order for all candidates. Questions will be grouped into smaller sections and titled in the ‘Assessment info’ bar on the left-hand side.
This is designed to assist candidates when navigating through questions in the exam. You can answer questions from any sections of the exam and return to earlier questions, as previously described. If you have requested scheduled breaks, your exam will be broken down by one or more of these sections to allow a break in between. If you have breaks as part of an agreed adjustment, you cannot return to previous questions once you have completed a section.
Maintaining the integrity of policing exams
How will you make sure that officers taking the exam online do not cheat?
We expect all officers to act with integrity and in line with the principles and standards of behaviour as set out within the Code of Ethics and to not try to gain an unfair advantage in the exam by any means. The design of the exams and mechanisms that we have introduced into the delivery of the exam mean that attempts to cheat are likely to be ineffective and are easy to identify due to the way that the system records activity in the platform.
Any candidate who is suspected of cheating or disclosing the content of the exam in any way will be investigated and could have their exam results nullified and/or be banned from entering the exam in future. Candidates suspected of cheating will be referred to the reports and disqualifications panel and may have their result nullified. Candidates may also be referred to their force’s Professional Standards Unit or equivalent.
Can I look up answers during the exam or refer to reference materials?
We expect candidates to take the exam in the same way as they would in an invigilated environment without accessing reference materials. However, we appreciate that the move away from on-site invigilation for these exams means candidates may decide to access reference materials during the exam, which we would be unaware of. Other than asking people to act with integrity, we cannot prevent this.
However, the number of questions and timing of the exam is such that referring to reference materials is likely to be ineffective or counterproductive. The questions themselves test application of knowledge, so looking up individual facts is likely to be unhelpful, as you are still required to have an understanding of the legislation in order to apply it to the scenario. The exam is designed to test whether a candidate has the legal knowledge needed to perform successfully in the next rank or role. If a candidate chooses not to learn this information and to rely on looking it up, it is unlikely to be an effective way of passing the exam or embarking on a career at the next rank or role.
To ensure fairness for all, if you choose to access reference materials, it will not be reported to the Professional Standards Unit or classed as a means of cheating, as it is unlikely to provide you with any advantage. There is no ‘ban’ on taking reference materials into the exam, regardless of where it is sat. However, you are strongly discouraged from doing this, as it is will not be an effective way to pass the exam.
Attempting to pause the clock is a breach of examination rules and could mean your result is nullified. When you close the browser, this is logged on the system and will be recorded as a breach of exam rules. Any browser closures will be referred to the reports and disqualifications panel prior to the results being released for further consideration.
Can I make notes on blank paper during the exam?
There is a ‘workings’ function built into the exam to assist with any notes you wish to make on a question during the exam (see section 7.10.2). You should therefore not make any notes on blank paper regarding the exam questions.
You are not allowed to copy a question, or part of it, onto blank paper under any circumstances. Copying a question will be considered a breach of examination rules and will be reported to the reports and disqualification panel and your Professional Standards Unit.
What is there preventing candidates taking the exam together and helping each other?
We expect all candidates to act with integrity and in line with the Code of Ethics, and to complete the exam on their own without helping, or accepting help from, others. Candidates sharing information about exam questions and/or answers with another candidate will be deemed to have breached exam rules. Candidates are expected to take the exam on their own, except if they are taking it as part of an organised force delivery.
Candidates must not discuss any part of the exam questions or answers with anyone else before, during or after the exam. Any allegations of colluding between officers will be thoroughly investigated and detailed reports of performance will be analysed. Cases will be reported to the relevant Professional Standards Units, or equivalent.
Can I keep copies of the questions for my own use or to share with others?
No, making and/or keeping copies of the questions, or any part of the questions, in any format is prohibited. The questions remain the intellectual property of the College of Policing and we reserve the right to reuse questions. If people keep and share copies of questions it affects the future integrity of exams. Candidates can take the exam within a 12-hour window on the exam day. If the exam content is shared before a candidate has chance to take the exam, this could lead to them having an unfair advantage and affect the integrity of the exam. It is therefore paramount that you do not discuss exam content with anyone after the exam, including comments on social media, as this is likely to provide others with an unfair advantage.
Candidates must not take screenshots of questions for any reasons, including to send to the College to highlight a query. Any copying of questions for any reason is considered a breach of the rules and will be reported to the debrief panel.
Discussing the content of questions in any form, including on social media platforms, is prohibited and presents a huge personal risk for that candidate and their future career. Any candidate who is suspected of disclosing the content of the exam in any way will be investigated and could have their exam results nullified and/or be banned from entering the exam in future. Candidates suspected of keeping or sharing the content of the exam will also be referred to their force’s professional standards Unit. This includes entering into discussions after the exam has finished on social media in public or private forums.
Exam day
How will I access my exam?
Approximately one week before the exam, you will receive details to access the familiarisation exercise. You will receive the same details again a few days before the exam as a reminder. If you have not received this link 24 hours prior to your exam date, please contact your force exams contact. You will need to ensure that you can access this email on the day of the exam or make a note of the URL. You will have your own unique username to access the exam and must not share this with anyone else or use anyone else’s unique username to access the exam. You should copy and paste your unique username from the email you will receive into the exam platform to ensure that it is accurate. If an incorrect username is entered, your results will not be assigned to you.
You will use the same username and password to access your familiarisation exercise and exam. You will also receive a unique password – please ensure that you do not share this with anyone else. You will be asked to change your password when you first log into the platform. When you access the familiarisation exam, please ensure that you remember your new password, as you will need to use this to access the exam on the day. If you forget your new password, you will need to contact the College directly to reset this for you. This will cause a delay to starting your exam, as we are likely to receive a large volume of queries on the exam day. We cannot guarantee a quick reply, but will assist you as soon as we can.
When you log into the system, you will be asked to read and agree to the candidate declaration. Once you have agreed to this, you will be able to access the exam. The time for the exam will start when you access the first question, so no time will be lost for reading the candidate declaration and information before the exam. Please take your time and ensure that you have understood everything fully before you begin.
What support will be available if I have any problems when I take my exam?
Clear guidance around accessing the exam, opportunities to test the online platform in advance and managing the volume of candidates accessing the exams at a particular time will be put in place to minimise the chance of you encountering any difficulties on the day of your exam.
Read the information about exam support in the first instant and direct enquiries to the relevant email addresses on that page if you are unable to rectify the issue yourself.
Testing your device in advance
Clear guidance around accessing the exam and testing the online platform in advance will be sent to you in advance, to minimise the chance of you encountering any difficulties on the day of your exam. You must test your device in advance of your exam to ensure that it is suitable. You must follow all the advice in this guidance document to ensure that you minimise your chances of encountering difficulties on the day. You should also complete the familiarisation exercise, which will be sent to you a week before the exam. This will allow you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the platform and its functionality before the exam.
If you encounter difficulties on the day, you should refer to the dedicated website page for exam support in the first instance. If you need further assistance, please direct enquiries to the relevant email addresses on that page. Because there will be a high volume of candidates taking their exam online, we cannot guarantee an immediate response. However, we do respond to all queries that we receive as quickly as we can.
What happens if I lose connectivity/Wi-Fi during my exam?
The exam platform will automatically save your responses after each question. If you do experience issues during the exam, such as loss of connection, do not panic, as your responses will not be lost. If your connection drops out during the exam, the system will allow you to continue with your exam offline and you will likely be unaware of any connection issues. If your device reconnects to the internet during this time, your answers will be saved and you can continue to work online. If your internet does not reconnect and you have completed your exam, the platform will notify you that it has not been able to upload your answers and will ask you to download an encrypted file with your answers. Please send this file to the email addresses provided to you, ensuring that you do not alter the file in any way. The College will then upload your answers for you. You will not lose any information, so please do not panic if this happens.
If you follow all the instructions in this document before the exam, you will limit your chances of experiencing difficulties on the day.
Please ensure that you have a strong internet connection before you start the exam, as we are unable to accept appeals regarding local connection issues after the exam. You should close all other browsers and applications on your device to ensure that connectivity isn’t affected.
The exam support page and this candidate guide will help you to ensure that you are fully prepared.
What if I accidentally submit my responses before I have finished the exam?
Once you have completed the exam, you cannot re-access the questions. If your time runs out before you complete the questions, your responses will be automatically saved when the system closes. You will receive a confirmation that your responses have been submitted on the exam platform.
If you accidentally click ‘Finish Exam’ before you are ready, you will be asked if you wish to finish or return to the exam. If you choose to finish the exam early, the College is unable to provide you with a second chance to take the exam or give any time back. Please ensure that you only click to finish when you actually want to end the exam.
Results and feedback
Will the pass mark for exams be the same as in previous years?
Please refer to the relevant candidate handbook for specific details for your exam.
How long will it take to get my results?
Results will be available within two to three weeks after the exam. You will receive an email when results are available with a link to access your result and feedback report in AIMS (the platform that you registered for the exam on). You will need to follow this link and verify your email address, date of birth and national insurance number. Please ensure that these are all entered correctly when you initially register, as any errors will lead to a delay in being able to access your results. Force exams contacts will also be able to access a pass or fail list of their officers’ results from the registration platform, but do not have access to individual feedback reports.
Why can’t I get my results instantly?
Results will not be issued instantly, as we will need to analyse the results of the exam and have these ratified by the debrief panel to ensure the exam has been delivered fairly.
Unscheduled incidents
How do I put in an appeal of unscheduled incidents?
Full details are provided in the relevant candidate handbook for each exam. The College will not accept appeals of unscheduled incidents regarding the testing environment (as detailed in section 6.6), or in relation to local connection issues or device issues that are not the fault of the platform itself. The College is unable to assist with local or force connection issues, so please ensure that you follow the advice in this document to reduce your chances of experiencing any issues.
Any appeals of unscheduled incidents must reach the College within three days of the exam. We will not accept appeals after this time under any circumstances. Any further evidence relating to closing the browser must also be submitted within three days of the exam. Evidence submitted after this time will not be considered.
How do I raise a query about a question in the exam?
You should contact your force exams contact with details of your query as soon as possible and within seven days of the exam. They will then submit directly to the College, who will review the question and take legal advice if needed. Appropriate action will then be taken if required. You must not copy a question from the exam to send to us. Taking a copy of a question in any format for any reason is a breach of exam rules as described above. We will be able to locate a question from a brief description that you provide rather than the actual question.
You must not share content of the question with others or encourage debate on social media platforms. This will be considered a breach of the examination rules as described above.
Providing feedback
How can I give feedback about taking my exam online?
As part of the monitoring and development of the online exams, we would like to hear your views on your experience and we will invite you to take part in a candidate feedback survey after your exam, via your force exams contact. Any feedback you provide will be valuable. However, please note that we are not able to treat any feedback you provide in this survey as a formal appeal of unscheduled incidents. You should therefore not expect a response to issues raised through this channel.