Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT/SEARCH) Competency and Values Framework (CVF) Syllabus

Competency and Values Framework (CVF) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Competency and Values Framework (CVF) in Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT/SEARCH), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Foundations of the CVF

   3 topics

   • Purpose and Structure of the Framework
     • Why policing uses a values-based assessment
     • Practitioner level expectations for new recruits
   • The Six Competencies Overview
     • Resolute, compassionate and committed cluster
     • Inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership cluster
     • Intelligent, creative and informed policing cluster
   • The Four Underpinning Values
2. 2

   The Policing Values in Practice

   4 topics

   • Integrity in Daily Decisions
   • Impartiality and Fairness to All
   • Public Service and Putting Communities First
   • Transparency and Accountability
3. 3

   Resolute, Compassionate and Committed

   3 topics

   • We Are Emotionally Aware
     • Recognising the impact of behaviour on others
     • Adapting style to different audiences
   • We Take Ownership
   • Demonstrating Resilience Under Pressure
4. 4

   Inclusive, Enabling and Visionary Leadership

   4 topics

   • We Are Collaborative
   • We Deliver, Support and Inspire
   • Working Effectively in Teams
   • Self-Leadership and Personal Development
5. 5

   Intelligent, Creative and Informed Policing

   3 topics

   • We Analyse Critically
   • We Are Innovative and Open-Minded
   • Evidence-Based Decision Making
6. 6

   Evidencing Competencies in Assessment

   4 topics

   • The STAR Structuring Method
     • Situation, Task, Action and Result framing
     • Keeping examples concise and relevant
   • Selecting Strong Real-Life Examples
   • Mapping Examples to Specific Competencies
   • Avoiding Generic or Vague Responses

Competency and Values Framework (CVF) flashcards for Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT/SEARCH)

22 of 51 cards from the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the Competency and Values Framework (CVF), and who developed it?

   The CVF is the national framework, developed by the College of Policing, that sets out the competencies and values expected of everyone working in policing in England and Wales. It describes the behaviours people should demonstrate at every rank and grade.

2. What is the overall structure of the CVF (its two main building blocks)?

   The CVF is built from two parts: six competencies (clusters of behaviours grouped into three areas) and four values that underpin all of them. Together they define how police staff and officers should behave.

3. Into how many clusters are the six CVF competencies grouped, and what are those clusters?

   They are grouped into three clusters: 'Resolute, compassionate and committed', 'Inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership', and 'Intelligent, creative and informed policing'. Two competencies sit in each cluster.

4. List the six competencies of the CVF.

   1) We are emotionally aware; 2) We take ownership; 3) We are collaborative; 4) We deliver, support and inspire; 5) We analyse critically; 6) We are innovative and open-minded.

5. Which two CVF competencies fall under the cluster 'Resolute, compassionate and committed'?

   'We are emotionally aware' and 'We take ownership'.

6. Which two CVF competencies fall under the cluster 'Inclusive, enabling and visionary leadership'?

   'We are collaborative' and 'We deliver, support and inspire'.

7. Which two CVF competencies fall under the cluster 'Intelligent, creative and informed policing'?

   'We analyse critically' and 'We are innovative and open-minded'.

8. What are the four values that underpin the CVF?

   Integrity, Impartiality, Public Service, and Transparency.

9. How do the CVF values relate to the competencies?

   The four values (Integrity, Impartiality, Public Service, Transparency) sit at the heart of the framework and underpin every competency; they are the foundation on which all behaviours are built and should be demonstrated alongside the competencies.

10. How many levels of practice does each CVF competency and value have, and what determines the level?

    Each is described across three levels of practice. The level expected depends on the role/rank: Level 1 for most operational/frontline roles, Level 2 for supervisory/middle-management roles, and Level 3 for senior leadership roles.

11. Define the CVF value of Integrity.

    Integrity means always doing the right thing, being honest, consistent and ethical, building public trust, challenging unprofessional behaviour, and ensuring decisions are not influenced by improper considerations even when no one is watching.

12. Give a practical example of demonstrating Integrity in daily policing decisions.

    Examples include declaring conflicts of interest, refusing gifts that could influence judgement, recording information honestly, admitting your own mistakes, and challenging or reporting a colleague's misconduct rather than ignoring it.

13. Define the CVF value of Impartiality.

    Impartiality means treating everyone fairly, without bias, favouritism or discrimination, making decisions based on evidence and the situation, and ensuring policing decisions are not affected by personal feelings or prejudice.

14. How would an officer demonstrate Impartiality and fairness to all in practice?

    By treating all members of the public equally regardless of background, basing decisions on facts and evidence rather than assumptions, recognising and setting aside personal bias, and ensuring everyone receives the same standard of service.

15. Define the CVF value of Public Service.

    Public Service means putting the needs of the public and communities first, providing a high standard of service, protecting the vulnerable, and acting in the public interest above personal or organisational convenience.

16. What does 'putting communities first' look like under the Public Service value?

    It means understanding and responding to community needs, prioritising the protection of vulnerable people, being approachable and visible, and making decisions that serve the wider public good rather than self-interest.

17. Define the CVF value of Transparency.

    Transparency means being open and accountable for decisions and actions, explaining the reasons behind them, sharing information appropriately, and being willing to be scrutinised so the public can have confidence in policing.

18. How are Transparency and accountability shown in everyday policing?

    By clearly recording and explaining the rationale for decisions, being honest about what you can and cannot do, taking responsibility for outcomes, and being open to questions, complaints and scrutiny.

19. Describe the competency 'We are emotionally aware'.

    It means understanding your own emotions and those of others, treating people with respect, dignity and compassion, seeing issues from others' perspectives, and using emotional insight to handle situations sensitively and de-escalate conflict.

20. Give a behavioural example of 'We are emotionally aware'.

    Reading a distressed victim's body language and adapting your tone, showing empathy when delivering bad news, staying calm with an aggressive individual, and recognising how your own mood affects your behaviour.

21. Describe the competency 'We take ownership'.

    It means being proactive, accountable and responsible for your decisions and actions, following things through to completion, learning from mistakes, and not blaming others or avoiding difficult issues.

22. Give a behavioural example of 'We take ownership'.

    Volunteering to deal with a difficult task, seeing an investigation through rather than passing it on, admitting an error and putting it right, and making decisions confidently rather than waiting to be told.

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