Dates confirmed for cancelled exams

16 June 2020

Moves to hold exams online because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be welcomed by members due to sit them, says Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Geoff Bardell.

The College of Policing has confirmed the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) Inspectors’ and Sergeants’ Exams will take place in the autumn.

They were postponed earlier this year due to the coronavirus lockdown. They are now set to be run online to reduce the risk to officers and invigilators.

Geoff said: “A lot of officers have worked hard and made their own sacrifices to be able to sit these important exams, and I know it was a wrench when they were cancelled earlier this year.

“This move to allow people to be able to sit their exams and maintain everyone’s safety is to be welcomed. We’ve seen that the pandemic has thrown up challenges right across policing, including the delivery of exams. So it’s really pleasing to see the College of Policing has been able to come up with imaginative ways to respond, to allow these exams to go ahead for the benefit of the candidates and the Force.”

Dates identified for the Inspectors’ NPPF Step Two Legal Exam are Monday 12 and Wednesday 14 October.

Dates identified for the Sergeants’ NPPF Step Two Legal Exam are Monday 9 and Wednesday 11 November.

The college has also produced a set of FAQs for officers looking to sit the exams.

Mike Cunningham, chief executive of the College of Policing, said: “We will be working at pace in the coming months to put all necessary steps in place to move to online delivery for exams.

“Candidates will need to reserve all of these dates in the event we’re able to hold the exams on one day. We will advise of this as soon as we’re able to. In identifying a date for the rescheduled sergeants’ exam, we’ve considered the notice we need to provide to candidates for revision. 

“We’ve also tried to identify a date that’s least likely to impact on planned leave or those with caring responsibilities.”

 He said that the new system could mean that candidates receive their exam results earlier than usual.

“We will aim to have the results of the sergeants’ exam issued by the end of November,” he explained..

The NIE scheduled for 2020 will be held, as planned, on 8 September and 24 November.

The Direct Entry Superintendents’ Examination will also be held, as planned, on 17 November.

Read the FAQs to find out more.