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Fire, Prison & Border · Last updated November 2026

Prison Officer (HM Prison Service, England and Wales): free practice test

Prison officers keep prisons safe, secure and decent while supporting prisoners to change. HMPPS recruits through an online scenario-based test (numeracy and behaviour) and values-based assessment, a 2.5-hour online assessment centre (blended interview, role play with an actor, written incident form), then a medical and fitness test and security checks. The process takes 6 to 7 months on average, followed by a 10-day induction and 7-week foundation course.

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About the Prison Officer exam

Prison officers keep prisons safe, secure and decent while supporting prisoners to change. HMPPS recruits through an online scenario-based test (numeracy and behaviour) and values-based assessment, a 2.5-hour online assessment centre (blended interview, role play with an actor, written incident form), then a medical and fitness test and security checks. The process takes 6 to 7 months on average, followed by a 10-day induction and 7-week foundation course.

What's on the exam

Prison Officer
The Prison Officer Role, Eligibility and Pay
8 key facts
Scenario-Based Test: Numeracy and Behaviour
7 key facts
Values-Based Assessment and HMPPS Values
8 key facts
Online Assessment Centre: Role Play and Written Exercise
8 key facts
Medical, Fitness Test and Vetting
8 key facts
The Blended Interview: Strengths and Behaviours
7 key facts
Application Strategy and Timeline
7 key facts
Foundation Training and the First Year
7 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the Prison Officer exam

  • Take the free official scenario-based test practice on the HMPPS How to apply page first. The SBT checks basic numeracy (roll counts, movements, times) as well as behaviour, so practise quick, accurate arithmetic without a calculator.
  • Learn the four assessed behaviours word for word: Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions, and Caring. The role play, written exercise and interview are all scored against them.
  • In the 25-minute written exercise, spend about 2 minutes reading and 23 writing (HMPPS's own advice). Write clear, factual sentences and focus most of your time on the actions you would take.
  • Train for the fitness test early: 15 m bleep test to level 5.4, a 7 kg shield held at shoulder height for 1 minute, 25 kg grip and a 34-second agility run. Use HMPPS's fitness guidance booklet and practice app.

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Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the UK Public-Service Hiring Process Cheat Sheet.

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What's in the premium Prison Officer prep

Premium Prison Officer prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 50 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    The Prison Officer Role, Eligibility and Pay8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Scenario-Based Test: Numeracy and Behaviour8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    Values-Based Assessment and HMPPS Values8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Online Assessment Centre: Role Play and Written Exercise8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Medical, Fitness Test and Vetting7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    The Blended Interview: Strengths and Behaviours7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Application Strategy and Timeline7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Foundation Training and the First Year7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete Prison Officer study notes for “The Prison Officer Role, Eligibility and Pay”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 11 minutes of reading: The job · Who can apply · Pay by location (Band 3, 39-hour week) · Choosing where to apply, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.

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Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. According to HMPPS, what is the starting salary for a Band 3 prison officer working 39 hours a week at a prison outside London and the South and South East?
Answer: £36,816. HMPPS lists £36,816 for 'other locations' on a 39-hour week, which includes a 20% unsocial hours allowance. Inner London is £43,453, Outer London £41,290 to £43,290 and the South and South East £38,316 to £40,316 (the higher figures include a market supplement). You start on a 37-hour contract until initial training is complete.
2. A wing has 86 prisoners at unlock. 12 go to education, 9 to workshops, 3 to healthcare and 2 to legal visits. Later, 1 prisoner returns from healthcare. How many prisoners are now on the wing?
Answer: 61. Prisoners leaving: 12 + 9 + 3 + 2 = 26. 86 - 26 = 60 on the wing, then 1 returns: 60 + 1 = 61. Roll checks must always balance: prisoners on the wing plus those recorded elsewhere must equal the total.
3. 21 prisoners need escorting to the gym. Each escort group may contain no more than 6 prisoners. What is the smallest number of escort groups needed?
Answer: 4. 21 / 6 = 3.5. Three groups only move 18 prisoners, so a fourth group is needed for the remaining 3. When items must be split into groups with a maximum size, always round up.
4. An officer works from 07:30 to 19:45 with a 1-hour unpaid break. How many paid hours is that?
Answer: 11 hours 15 minutes. 07:30 to 19:45 is 12 hours 15 minutes. Taking off the 1-hour unpaid break leaves 11 hours 15 minutes. Count whole hours first (07:30 to 19:30 = 12 hours), then add the extra 15 minutes.
5. A prisoner's account holds £15.50. He spends £3.85 and £6.20 on canteen items and is then credited £4.00 in wages. What is his new balance?
Answer: £9.45. Spending: £3.85 + £6.20 = £10.05. £15.50 - £10.05 = £5.45, then add £4.00 wages: £9.45. £10.05 is the total spent, not the balance; £5.45 forgets the wages.
6. A friendly prisoner you get on well with asks you to post a birthday card to his daughter on your way home, as it 'will be late otherwise'. What should you do?
Answer: Politely refuse, explain it must go through the prison's mail system, and record or report the request in line with local security procedures. Taking items in or out for a prisoner, however harmless they seem, breaks the clear boundaries expected of officers and can be the first step in conditioning. Caring includes 'maintaining clear boundaries'; Managing a Quality Service means 'adhering to processes and rules'. Refuse politely and pass on the information as your prison requires.
7. A prisoner returns from a phone call, tells you his mother has died and goes quiet in his cell. You are busy with unlock. What is the best response?
Answer: Spend a few minutes with him, check how he is feeling and whether he has thoughts of harming himself, and tell your manager so support and any safer-custody procedures can start. Bereavement is a known risk factor for self-harm in custody. The Caring behaviour and the HMPPS value of Humanity ('we treat others as we would like to be treated') mean taking time to listen, checking risk and making sure colleagues and managers know so that support and safer-custody procedures can follow.
8. You hear an experienced colleague mocking a prisoner's accent in front of other prisoners. What should you do?
Answer: Challenge it respectfully at a suitable moment and report it to a manager if it continues. HMPPS professional standards expect staff to treat people with decency and respect and to 'feel comfortable to challenge and speak up' about unprofessional behaviour. The HMPPS approach to bullying, harassment and discrimination is zero tolerance. A calm challenge, then escalation, is the professional response.
9. Which sentence is the best way to start an incident report?
Answer: At about 14:20 on 12 March on landing 2, I saw prisoner Smith push prisoner Jones in the chest with both hands.. Reports may be used in court, so HMPPS assesses clear, grammatical English. A good report states the time, date, place, who was involved and exactly what you saw, in the first person and past tense. Opinions ('as usual', 'obviously', 'a bully') and vague wording weaken it.
10. In the role play, a prisoner shouts that his visit has been cancelled and it is 'your fault'. What is the best opening approach?
Answer: Stay calm, acknowledge he is upset, listen to what happened, and tell him what you can find out without promising an outcome. The role play is scored on Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions and Caring. De-escalation starts with a calm tone, acknowledgement and listening. Making promises you cannot keep fails Managing a Quality Service; threats or walking away do not resolve the issue.
11. In the written exercise, how does HMPPS advise you to split the 25 minutes?
Answer: About 2 minutes reading the overview and 23 minutes completing the form, mostly explaining your actions. HMPPS advises about 2 minutes reading the overview and 23 minutes completing the incident form, with most time spent explaining the actions you would take. It is scored on Making Effective Decisions and Caring, plus grammar and clear, easily understood English.
12. Which of these is NOT part of the HMPPS prison officer fitness test?
Answer: A timed 1.5-mile run. The four stages are the grip test (25 kg in both hands), shield hold (7 kg for 1 minute), multistage fitness (bleep) test over 15 m to level 5.4, which is 35 shuttles, and an agility run within 34 seconds. There is no 1.5-mile run.
13. A candidate fails the fitness test at the first attempt. What happens next under HMPPS rules?
Answer: They get 8 weeks to prepare before a retest; three attempts are allowed in total. Three attempts are allowed at the medical and fitness stage: after a first fail you have 8 weeks to prepare, after a second fail 4 more weeks. If you fail the third, you are withdrawn but can reapply after 6 months; your online assessment centre score carries over if it is less than a year old.
14. You pass the online assessment centre for a 'merit' vacancy. What happens next?
Answer: You are allocated to vacancies in order of assessment centre performance, and can stay on the merit list for 12 months. For merit vacancies, HMPPS offers posts to the best performers at the online assessment centre as vacancies arise. You can stay on the list for 12 months. Pre-employment checks only begin once a position is available for you. For 'pass' vacancies you go to the next available post.
15. What does initial prison officer training look like for a new officer in a men's prison?
Answer: A 10-day induction at your 'home' prison, then a 7-week foundation course at a learning centre. Weeks 1 to 2 are a 10-day induction at your home prison (mentor, line manager, security basics, e-learning). Weeks 3 to 9 are the 7-week foundation course, covering care of people in custody, searching, radios and keys, de-escalation and control and restraint. Women's prisons use an 8-week foundation course. You are paid in full during training.

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Certification guide

Public-service interview questions and how to answer them: UK public-service interviews are structured: every candidate is asked the same questions and scored against a published framework, such as the Civil Service [Success Profiles](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles) or the police [Competency and Values Framework](https://www.college.police.uk/career-learning/competency-and-values-framework). That makes them predictable. If you know the framework and have the right examples ready, you can prepare for almost every question you'll be asked.

Prison Officer exam FAQ

How many questions are on the Prison Officer exam?

Stage 1 scenario-based test (SBT): behavioural and numerical scenarios a prison officer might face. Stage 2 values-based assessment (VBA): a variety of question styles covering three behaviours, one technical area and one strength. HMPPS does not publish question counts, with a time limit of sbt about 25 to 40 minutes; vba up to about 20 minutes with no time limit. online assessment centre about 2 hours 30 minutes: interview up to 30 minutes, 10-minute role play, 25-minute written exercise. Format: unsupervised online tests; hmpps offers a free official sbt practice test and example vba questions. the written exercise is typed into an incident form in 25 minutes. our practice questions are single-best-answer with four options.

What is the passing score for Prison Officer?

No pass mark is published. You must pass each stage. For 'merit' vacancies, offers go in order of online assessment centre performance; a pass is valid for 12 months. Fitness: grip 25 kg in both hands, 7 kg shield at shoulder height for 1 minute, 15 m bleep test to level 5.4 (35 shuttles), agility run within 34 seconds.

How much does the Prison Officer exam cost?

No fee. Travel to the medical and fitness test can be claimed back up to £100 (UK travel only). Most UK public-service applications are free. The police promotion and investigators' exams are arranged through your force, and degree routes may have tuition costs, so check the job advert or your force before you start.

Which languages is the Prison Officer exam offered in?

English (spoken and written English are assessed at the online assessment centre).

Where do I take the Prison Officer exam?

Online: application on Prison and Probation Jobs, a scenario-based test and a values-based assessment at home, then a video online assessment centre (laptop with webcam). The medical and fitness test is in person at Swindon, Cambridge, South London (Croydon), Rugby (Newbold Revel), Leeds or Manchester.

Is this Prison Officer practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full Prison Officer prep is Premium at £45 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium Prison Officer prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (The Prison Officer Role, Eligibility and Pay: 375; Scenario-Based Test: Numeracy and Behaviour: 375; Values-Based Assessment and HMPPS Values: 375; Online Assessment Centre: Role Play and Written Exercise: 375; Medical, Fitness Test and Vetting: 375; The Blended Interview: Strengths and Behaviours: 375; Application Strategy and Timeline: 375; Foundation Training and the First Year: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 50 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

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Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in November 2026. The recruiting organisation changes formats and fees, so confirm with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice before you book. UKCivilServicePrep is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.

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