1.3 Values-Based Assessment (VBA) Logistics & Scoring
Key Takeaways
- The Values-Based Assessment (VBA) is Stage 2 of the online assessment and follows only after you pass the Scenario-Based Test.
- Official guidance states the VBA usually takes up to about 20 minutes in one sitting, has no time limit, and uses a variety of question styles.
- Prison and Probation Jobs assesses Caring, Communicating and Influencing, Making Effective Decisions, and Managing a Quality Service on the VBA.
- These behaviours align with the HMPPS values of Purpose, Humanity, Openness, and Together published on the official About HMPPS pages.
- Answer honestly and consistently; the VBA measures genuine fit for the role, not memorised interview scripts or live role-play.
1.3 Values-Based Assessment (VBA) Logistics & Scoring
Quick Answer: The Values-Based Assessment (VBA) is Stage 2 of the HMPPS prison-officer online assessment. Prison and Probation Jobs states it uses a variety of question styles to understand how well you demonstrate the values needed to be an effective prison officer. On average it takes up to about 20 minutes in one sitting, but there is no time limit. Complete it by the deadline in your invitation email.
Objective of the VBA
Working as a prison officer requires psychological resilience, ethical clarity, and emotional regulation. The VBA was introduced so HMPPS can assess personality, preferences, and values that are hard to measure in a pure skills test. Official guidance is explicit: this online stage is not the interview, role play, or written exercise. Those occur later at the Online Assessment Centre.
Unlike knowledge tests, the VBA does not quiz you on Prison Rules or legal statutes. It measures how you tend to think, feel, and behave. HMPPS wants candidates who treat prisoners as people capable of change when supported with decency, fairness, and consistent boundaries.
Official recruitment pages also note a transition detail: applicants who applied before 29 April 2026 may have completed an older task-based assessment at some sites, while applicants after that date are invited to the current values-based assessment. For 2026 preparation, treat the VBA as the default Stage 2 format.
Official Assessment Criteria
Prison and Probation Jobs lists the VBA criteria as follows:
Communicating and Influencing
Communicate confidently and respectfully with different types of people. Change your style to suit the situation, manage disagreements constructively, and encourage others while ensuring they feel listened to.
Managing a Quality Service
Demonstrate high levels of professionalism and integrity. Make realistic commitments, see things through, lead by example, and act on feedback to improve.
Making Effective Decisions
Use a wide range of information to understand the full situation. Consider options, show good judgement, stay alert to risks, make confident decisions, and recognise when to involve others.
Caring
Build positive, meaningful interactions based on trust and respect. Show compassion while maintaining clear boundaries. Motivate and support others, and inspire them to reach their potential.
These behaviours align with the four published HMPPS values:
| HMPPS Value | Official meaning | Behavioural link in selection |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Justice matters; make a difference for the public | Decisive, safety-focused decisions that support rehabilitation |
| Humanity | Treat others as you would like to be treated | Caring, non-judgemental, dignity-preserving actions |
| Openness | Innovate, share, and learn | Integrity, transparency, speaking up about risk or wrongdoing |
| Together | Listen, collaborate, and contribute | Teamwork, information sharing, supporting colleagues |
Assessment Format & Delivery Mechanics
The VBA is an online, self-paced assessment with a variety of question styles. Official pages do not describe it as a live role-play or a recorded video interview. Those formats belong to the later Online Assessment Centre.
Typical preparation points:
- Familiarise yourself with the example questions provided in your invitation.
- Follow on-screen instructions carefully; formats can include preference statements, behavioural choices, and scenario-linked items.
- There is no time limit within a sitting, but you must finish by the emailed deadline.
- Answer honestly and consistently. Trying to "game" the test often produces contradictory patterns.
| Feature | VBA (Stage 2 online) | Online Assessment Centre (later stage) |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Online varied-format questions | Live webcam session (~2.5 hours) |
| Focus | Values, preferences, behavioural fit | Interview, role play, written response |
| Timing | About 20 minutes average; no hard limit | Fixed timed exercises within the session |
| Best approach | Honest, consistent self-report | Structured examples and natural live communication |
How to Approach VBA Items
- Read each prompt carefully. Some items ask what you would do; others ask how characteristic a statement is of you.
- Prefer safety, decency, integrity, and teamwork. Options that reward aggression, secrecy, favouritism, or rule-breaking are poor fits.
- Be consistent. If you claim to prioritise safety in one item, do not endorse ignoring risk in another.
- Do not over-rehearse a false persona. The VBA is designed to surface natural preferences. Later stages still test live behaviour.
- Use the four behaviours as a checklist. When stuck, ask: Does this answer show Caring, clear communication, sound judgement, and professional follow-through?
Positive vs Negative Indicators
| Behaviour | Positive indicators | Negative indicators |
|---|---|---|
| Caring | Non-judgemental tone, recognising vulnerability, preserving dignity, maintaining boundaries | Punitive mindset, contempt, dismissing distress, favouritism |
| Communicating and Influencing | Clear respectful language, adapting style, listening, constructive challenge | Aggressive orders, talking over people, passive avoidance |
| Making Effective Decisions | Gathering facts, weighing risk, involving others when needed | Impulsive reactions, ignoring information, freezing under pressure |
| Managing a Quality Service | Reliability, finishing tasks, admitting mistakes, following process | Cutting corners, blaming others, missing handovers |
Worked Preference Example
Prompt style: Indicate how much you agree: "When someone is angry with me, I stay calm and try to understand what is driving their behaviour before I respond."
Stronger fit answer: Agree, if that is genuinely how you behave. In custody, remaining calm and seeking understanding supports Caring and Communicating and Influencing without abandoning boundaries.
Weaker fit answer: Strongly agree with every "I always confront people immediately and force compliance" statement. That pattern signals escalation rather than professional judgement.
Prompt style: Choose the statement that sounds most like you: (A) I prefer to hide mistakes so my team is not disrupted. (B) I report mistakes promptly so safety and records stay accurate.
Stronger fit: Statement B. Openness, integrity, and Managing a Quality Service all require accurate reporting, especially in safer-custody and security contexts.
What Comes After the VBA
If you pass Stage 2, you are invited to the Online Assessment Centre, not straight into employment. The OAC is where interview, role play, and written assessments occur. Keep the stages separate in your mental model: SBT tests judgement and numeracy, VBA tests values fit, OAC tests live performance.
According to Prison and Probation Jobs, when are you invited to complete the Values-Based Assessment?
Which statement best matches the official VBA format published by HMPPS recruitment pages?
An officer who maintains honesty, acknowledges mistakes, and reports security boundary breaches is best demonstrating which HMPPS value?
Which candidate approach is most appropriate for the Values-Based Assessment?