Frequently Asked Questions

The dress code is smart casual.

If you are or believe you may have any technical issues when connecting to the online assessment centre please call us immediately on 0345 241 5358 (press option 1 for prison officer recruitment).

Tattoos are permitted, including those that are visible, as long as they are not deemed as offensive in any way.

We will test your vision in both eyes with and without glasses or contact lenses (if you wear them). We need to test your uncorrected vision, so this means that you will need to remove your contact lenses or glasses.

Please remember to bring contact lens solution if you will need to put your lenses back in.

You were able to inform us of any reasonable adjustments within the application form.

If you have a disability or need reasonable adjustments and didn’t inform us of this during the application process, please contact us as soon as possible.

Call us on: 0345 241 5358

Or email us: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

You should receive your results within 3-5 days of your assessment. As soon as a vacancy becomes available, we'll contact you to make a provisional offer of employment subject to passing pre-employment checks and medical and fitness.

The process can take up to 6-9 months and you can select your preferred start date.

We have a lot of working within the prison service. We want to make sure that you are happy at home and happy at work. As a working parent, you will need to work shifts and It is every other weekend as a prison officer on shift, but we can also consider applications for work life balance. We have excellent maternity and paternity support.

Within the first week of induction or prior to start if required you have your shifts ahead and planned for 6 months in advance.

Shifts are very varied in duties and tasks and shift length is anything from 5 hours to 12 hours.

You have to have your full 52 weeks in service to then be entitled to enhance maternity HMPPS pay although SMP is paid to everyone.

Moving establishments will be restricted to promotions and advertised campaigns only.

We work in risk assessed ratios, 3 officers and a supervising officer for a wing of 60.

Contact us so that we can reschedule your medical/fitness.

Call us on: 0345 241 5358

Or email us: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

You will find out the results of your online assessment centre within three working days of attendance.

To claim back expenses please complete this form and email it to candidateclaims@justice.gov.uk

We offer a market force supplement for some of our sites and this is not included in the main contract but it is attached as a separate letter giving details of the additional allowance. These 2 sums should equate to the salary advertised.

If you are unsuccessful at your online assessment centre and would still like to become a prison officer, you will need to wait 6 months before you can reapply for the same or a different prison.

You might also like to take a look at other roles within HMPPS, such as the operational support grade job where you’d play a crucial part in keeping prisons safe and running smoothly.

After passing your online assessment centre, you will need to pass additional assessments in order to work with young people.

This will involve taking additional assessments during a separate online assessment centre. Please apply for the relevant vacancy and contact

moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

to inform them that you have already passed.

If you have a complaint or feedback relating to the prison officer assessment process, please contact

sscl-arc-queries@gov.sscl.com.

and one of our team will be able to respond to your email.

There is a requirement to work shifts, these will include night shifts. Day shifts typically start between 6:30am and 7:30am depending on your department and depending on the length of shift the day shifts can finish between 8:30 pm and 10:00pm. You can be required to work weekends and bank holidays including Christmas and New years for example.

Being a prison officer is being part of a uniformed service. You will be provided with a uniform that you must wear to work every day.

As an Officer you will be working within what can sometimes be a hostile environment. You will be managing prisoners with a host of issues and a diverse range of attitudes and risks. Safety of staff and prisoners is paramount, and you will be working in a team to make sure you and all in your care are kept safe. You will be trained to deal with these issues during your initial training and will be supported when working within the prison environment.

Part of your training will be use of Force, force is to be used as a last resort to gain compliance. All force must be proportionate and must be legally used. At some point during your career you will be required to use force to keep yourself or those around you safe. You will be expertly trained in the legal and Physical sides of this during your initial training. You will also be refreshed on this training yearly and validated by expert trainers. This is to make sure you are kept safe and those in your care are kept safe

There are lots of opportunities to work in various areas within the prison. Initially you may be deployed within a residential setting but there are many departments such as reception, visits, healthcare, Dog section and many more. There are many opportunities to progress your career through promotion and once you have passed your initial probation period of one year, you are able to apply to for promotion.

General Queries

Call us on: 0345 241 5358 (press option 1 for prison officer recruitment)

Or email us: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

Monday day one of every week starts at 13.00. This is the time that you should be ready and correctly attired to start your training. If you are staying in one of our residential sites (Newbold, Stirling House, Lilleshall) You may want to arrive earlier to prepare. Keys are available on Mondays from 10.00. Tuesday to Thursday class times are 08.00 to 17.00 with an hour for lunch. Fridays are 08.00 to 12.00 to allow time for travel home.

There is no longer a summative assessment for foundation training.

No, you will not be required to take your fitness test again. You will need an in date fitness test and this should be in date for he duration of your foundation training.

The catering team will sit down with you and go through a menu suitable for your needs all housing blocks have fridges in the kitchen area along with a microwave

Yes, you are provided with Breakfast, Lunch and Evening meal. There is also a coffee shop and a bar where you can purchase food and snacks at your own expense. The coffee shop opening times 07:30 to 16:00 Bar opening times 1900 to 22.00 last orders.

It is a 13.00 start on Monday and 12.00 finish on Friday for Prison officer apprentices.

Yes, you can claim travel expenses, but you need to do this back at your home establishment. They will make you aware of what you are entitled to.

Yes, there are taxis available at Rugby Station that can take you to Newbold.

All rooms are individual.

All rooms have their own washing and showering facilities.

There are storage cupboards for clothes, desk and chair, hair drying facilities. There are no tea and coffee making facilities in the room but there is access to hot water at the end of each landing.

Yes, you need to bring your own toiletries, Towels are supplied

Yes there is free wi-fi across the estate.

A small amount of items can be left in the rooms at your own risk these need to be placed in the wardrobe so the cleaners can clean the room.

Yes, there is a gym FOC. You will need to complete an induction and fill out a PARQ. Opening times are currently 1200 till 2000.

Currently you need to have a covid test before getting your key, but the keys are available from 10 am every Monday.

Learning and Development do not stock or issue Uniform. All uniform issues and requests need to be addressed by your establishment and their procurement/stores. We do hold a very small amount of uniform that has been donated by trainers but this amounts to a few shirts, blouses and trousers and is for emergency issue only. We do not have any footwear.

As above this is an establishment issue and your line manager, Head of business Assurance or Establishment stores would be able to advise.

Yes, Hair must be worn off the collar so long hair would be required to be worn in a bun or tied up.

We do have details on the C&D level three apprenticeship. These can be supplied by our apprenticeships team or alternatively you can approach your apprenticeships coach. You can also access information regards the Apprenticeship standards on the internet if you type in institute for apprenticeships and in the search box type in Custody and detention.

The Apprenticeship that the YCS are completing is the Level 4 - Children, young people and families practitioner. We do not have information on this, but you should be able to obtain information locally or their will be information on the institute for apprenticeships. if you type in institute for apprenticeships and in the search box type Children, young people and families practitioner

At present there is no pre reading for the apprenticeships. This may change as we move to delivering some of our training digitally.

No stationary will be provided. If you would like to bring your laptop for personal use you may do so. It may also prove useful as we move to digital delivery.