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

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.

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.

How does demonstrating resilience under pressure link to the CVF?

Resilience is a key part of 'We take ownership' and 'We are emotionally aware'; it means staying calm, focused and effective in stressful, demanding or hostile situations, recovering from setbacks, and continuing to make sound decisions under pressure.

Give an example that demonstrates resilience under pressure.

Remaining composed and decisive while managing a violent confrontation, continuing to perform after a traumatic incident, handling a heavy workload without dropping standards, and bouncing back constructively after criticism or failure.

Describe the competency 'We are collaborative'.

It means working co-operatively with colleagues, partners and the public, building productive relationships, sharing information appropriately, valuing diverse contributions, and working across boundaries to achieve shared goals.

What does working effectively in teams look like under 'We are collaborative'?

Communicating openly, supporting colleagues, listening to and respecting others' views, sharing workload fairly, resolving disagreements constructively, and putting the team's objective ahead of individual recognition.

Describe the competency 'We deliver, support and inspire'.

It means understanding how your work contributes to wider policing priorities, delivering a high-quality service, supporting and motivating others, taking responsibility for performance, and inspiring colleagues to give their best.

What is meant by self-leadership and personal development within the CVF?

Self-leadership means taking responsibility for your own performance, motivation and continuous development—seeking feedback, reflecting on practice, identifying learning needs, and improving—which sits within 'We deliver, support and inspire' and 'We take ownership'.

Describe the competency 'We analyse critically'.

It means gathering and assessing information from multiple sources, weighing evidence objectively, identifying patterns and risks, questioning assumptions, and reaching sound, logical, evidence-based conclusions.

What is evidence-based decision making in the CVF context?

Making decisions grounded in reliable evidence and analysis rather than habit, assumption or guesswork—using research, data, facts and professional judgement; this is central to 'We analyse critically'.

Describe the competency 'We are innovative and open-minded'.

It means being creative and flexible, open to new ideas and different perspectives, willing to challenge the status quo, learning from others, and finding better ways of working to improve outcomes.

Give a behavioural example of 'We are innovative and open-minded'.

Suggesting a new approach to a recurring problem, adopting a better method from another team, being receptive to feedback and change, and questioning 'we've always done it this way' thinking.

Why is it important to map a real-life example to a specific competency in CVF assessments?

Because assessors mark against the specific behaviours of a named competency or value; choosing an example that clearly evidences the required behaviours ensures it scores, whereas a mismatched example wastes the response and gains few marks.

What does the STAR acronym stand for?

S = Situation, T = Task, A = Action, R = Result. It is a structured method for answering competency-based questions.

In the STAR method, what should the 'Situation' element contain?

A brief, clear description of the context or background—where and when it happened and what circumstances you were facing—set out concisely so the assessor understands the scene.

In the STAR method, what should the 'Task' element contain?

A description of the specific responsibility, goal or challenge you had to address—what you personally needed to achieve or what problem had to be solved.

In the STAR method, what should the 'Action' element contain?

A detailed account of what you personally did—the specific steps you took, focusing on your own behaviours and decisions (use 'I' not 'we')—which is the most important and longest part of the answer.

In the STAR method, what should the 'Result' element contain?

The outcome of your actions—what you achieved, the impact, and ideally what you learned—quantified or evidenced where possible to show effectiveness.

Which part of a STAR answer should normally be the longest, and why?

The 'Action' part, because it shows what you personally did and is where the assessor finds direct evidence of the competency or value being demonstrated.

Why should you say 'I' rather than 'we' in the Action part of a STAR answer?

Because assessors score your individual behaviours; saying 'we' obscures your personal contribution and makes it unclear which actions and competencies you yourself demonstrated.

What makes a 'strong' real-life example for a CVF/STAR response?

One that is specific, recent, clearly your own actions, rich in detail, and directly evidences the required competency or value with a measurable positive result—rather than a vague, hypothetical or borrowed example.

What is the danger of giving a generic or vague response in a competency assessment?

Generic answers lack concrete evidence of behaviour, so assessors cannot match them to the competency's criteria, leading to low scores. Specific, detailed, personal examples are needed to demonstrate the behaviours.

How can you avoid generic responses when answering competency questions?

Use a single, specific real-life situation, follow the STAR structure, focus on your own concrete actions and decisions, include details and a measurable result, and explicitly link your behaviours to the competency being assessed.

What is the difference between a competency and a value in the CVF?

A competency is a cluster of observable behaviours (the 'how' of doing the job—e.g. collaboration, analysis), whereas a value is an underlying principle that guides all behaviour (e.g. integrity, impartiality). Values underpin and are demonstrated through the competencies.

Why does the CVF emphasise behaviours rather than just tasks or knowledge?

Because it aims to assess and develop how people do their jobs—their observable behaviours—ensuring consistency, fairness and professionalism across all roles and ranks, regardless of the specific tasks involved.

At which CVF level would a frontline police constable or recruit typically be assessed, and what does that level focus on?

Level 1, which focuses on personal, operational and day-to-day behaviours—doing the job well, treating people properly, and taking responsibility for your own actions rather than leading or shaping strategy.

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

'We analyse critically' is about objectively gathering and evaluating evidence to reach sound conclusions, while 'We are innovative and open-minded' is about generating and being receptive to creative new ideas and approaches. One evaluates; the other creates and stays open.

Compare 'We take ownership' with 'We deliver, support and inspire'.

'We take ownership' is about personal accountability and following things through yourself, whereas 'We deliver, support and inspire' is about delivering quality service while motivating and supporting others toward wider goals—individual responsibility versus enabling others.

How do the CVF competencies and values support fair and consistent recruitment and assessment?

They provide a single, nationally agreed set of behaviours and principles against which all candidates are measured, so selection, appraisal and promotion are based on the same transparent, objective criteria rather than subjective opinion.

When selecting an example, why should you check it covers ALL the behaviours an assessor is looking for in a competency?

Because competencies have multiple behavioural indicators; an example that only touches one part scores partially. Choosing one that lets you evidence several of the listed behaviours maximises the marks and shows fuller competence.

Summarise the relationship between values, competencies, levels and STAR in the CVF assessment process.

The four values underpin the six competencies; each is described across three levels matched to the role; in assessment you evidence the required competency/value at the right level by giving a specific real-life example structured with STAR and mapped to that competency's behaviours.