Failed the Prison Officer Test? The 6-Month Rule and Reapplying

Getting a "sorry, unsuccessful" email after weeks of waiting is deflating. But failing one stage of the prison officer process is common, and it is not the end of the road. HMPPS has a clear rule about when you can try again, and there may be another way in while you wait.

This guide covers what happens if you fail each stage, how the 6-month wait works, the Aspire route into an Operational Support Grade (OSG) role, and how to use the waiting period so your second attempt is stronger than your first.

The 6-month rule

If you fail the online assessment centre

The online assessment centre FAQ is direct about this: if you are unsuccessful and still want to become a prison officer, you will need to wait 6 months before you can reapply, for the same or a different prison. HMPPS's 2023 blog on the assessment centre says the same thing.

So applying to a different prison does not get you round the wait. Count six months from your result and put the date in your calendar.

If you fail the online test

When HMPPS introduced its online tests in 2019, it said that applicants who failed had to wait 6 months before applying for any prison officer role, and then had to complete a new application and sit both stages again. The test format has changed since 2019 (the stage 2 game was replaced by the Values-Based Assessment), so check the wording of your own result email for the current rule. Plan on the assumption that a six-month gap applies and that you will redo the online stages from the start.

If you fail the fitness test

The fitness test works differently. You get up to three attempts:

1. Fail the first attempt and you get 8 weeks to prepare before trying again.
2. Fail the second and you get a further 4 weeks.
3. The third attempt is final. If you fail it, you are withdrawn from the process and can reapply after 6 months.

The standards are a 15-metre bleep test to level 5.4 (35 shuttles), 25kg grip in both hands, a 7kg shield held at shoulder height for 1 minute, and an agility run within 34 seconds. Twelve weeks of structured training is enough for most people to close a gap on any of these, so treat a first-attempt fail as a warning, not a verdict.

If you fail the medical

Medical outcomes depend on the specific issue, for example eyesight, hearing, blood pressure or BMI. The FAQ explains, for example, that blood pressure outside the normal range is retested, and BMIs of 31 to 35 may be considered in some cases. If this applies to you, follow the guidance in your result and speak to your GP well before any retest.

The Aspire route: OSG while you wait

When you first apply, you can opt in to the Aspire programme. It gives candidates who do not pass the prison officer assessment centre a route into an Operational Support Grade (OSG) role, using the same assessment.

The Aspire page explains that:

• you must have opted in on your application to be considered;
• OSG posts are allocated by merit score, your location preferences and the vacancies available;
• if there is no vacancy straight away, you go on a reserve list for up to 12 months;
• OSGs can apply for a fast-track scheme to become prison officers.

An OSG job is a real job in its own right, supporting the safe running of a prison, usually on an average 37-hour shift pattern that includes nights, weekends and bank holidays. It also gives you months of real experience of prison life before your next officer application. If you didn't opt in this time, do so on your next application.

Merit lists: passing isn't always enough

Some candidates are surprised to pass and still wait months without a post. HMPPS uses two kinds of vacancy:

• Pass vacancies allocate you to the next available post once you pass. If none is free, you go onto a merit list.
• Merit vacancies allocate posts in order of assessment performance.

Both lists are valid for 12 months. HMPPS also says that if you apply to more than one prison, your scores carry over automatically to later applications. A higher score therefore helps across all of them. If you passed narrowly and are stuck on a merit list, improving your score on a future application can genuinely change your outcome.

How to use the six months

Six months is plenty of time if you use it deliberately. Here is a plan built around the stage you failed.

Month 1: find out exactly what went wrong

• Re-read your result email and any feedback.
• Write down, while it is fresh, every question, scenario and moment you found hard.
• Be honest. "I ran out of time on the numeracy" or "I froze when the actor got angry" is useful. "It was unfair" is not.

Months 2 to 4: fix the weak stage

Online test (SBT):

• Practise situational judgement questions until you can explain why the best option is best, not just spot it.
• Do short daily numeracy sets on times, money, percentages and head counts, without relying on a calculator.
• Use timed mocks so the clock feels normal. Our practice questions are a free place to start.

Values-Based Assessment:

• Re-read the four behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions and Caring.
• Think about what each one looks like on a wing. Answer honestly and consistently, without trying to guess what the "right" answer is.

Assessment centre:

• Role play: practise 10-minute conversations with a friend playing a frustrated or upset prisoner. Focus on listening, staying calm, explaining what you can and can't do, and agreeing a next step.
• Written incident form: practise writing a clear, factual, time-ordered account in 23 minutes, then check your spelling and grammar.
• Interview: prepare real STAR examples for Communicating and Influencing and Managing a Quality Service. For strengths questions, reflect on what energises you rather than scripting answers.

Our Complete pack includes role-play briefs, written exercises and interview questions with model answers if you want structured material.

Fitness:

• Run three times a week, including intervals.
• Do grip work (dead hangs, farmer's carries) and shoulder endurance work (plate or weight holds at shoulder height).
• Test yourself on a measured 15m course every fortnight.

Months 5 to 6: rehearse the whole thing

• Do a full mock of the stage you failed under real timings.
• Get your documents, employment history and referees ready so nothing slows you down.
• Set a reminder for the date you are eligible to reapply.

A note on mindset

Plenty of serving officers did not get through first time. Assessors are looking for calm, fair, caring and organised people, and those qualities can be learned and shown with practice. A second application, made with six months of focused preparation and possibly some time as an OSG, is often much stronger than the first.

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prisonofficertest.co.uk is an independent practice site. It is not affiliated with HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice, the Scottish Prison Service, the Northern Ireland Prison Service or any prison operator. Always check your own invitation and the recruiter's current guidance.