NIE Pass Mark:
39 of 70 (55.7%)
You sit 80 questions but are scored on 70. To pass the National Investigators' Exam you need 39 of those 70 right, which is 55.7%; 60 or more (85.7%) earns the exceptional grade. This guide explains where the numbers come from, works through the arithmetic for the full paper and for your practice scores, and sets out exactly what the College will and will not do if you fall just short.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 11 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
39 correct answers out of 70 scored questions (55.7%). The 10 questions that performed least well are removed at marking, so the 80 you sit become 70. You can get 31 scored questions wrong; 49 of 80 correct guarantees a pass whichever 10 are removed. Exceptional is 60 of 70. The debrief panel can alter the mark only in exceptional circumstances, and marginal fails are never reassessed.
The NIE pass mark at a glance
Everything on this page comes from the College of Policing's NIE candidate handbook 2026 (published November 2025), which covers all four 2026 sittings including Tuesday, 17 November 2026, and from the College's published results overviews. The arithmetic is ours and is shown in full so you can check it.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Questions on the paper | 80 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes (90 seconds each on average) |
| Questions that count | 70: the 10 that performed least well are removed at marking, for everyone |
| Pass mark | 39 correct of 70 (55.7%) |
| Exceptional grade | 60 correct of 70 (85.7%) |
| Scored questions you can get wrong | 31 of 70 |
| Correct answers on the full paper that guarantee a pass | 49 of 80 (61.3%), whichever 10 are removed |
| One scored question is worth | about 1.4 percentage points |
| Can the pass mark change? | Only if the debrief panel alters it in exceptional circumstances; every overview we read used 55.7% |
| Marginal fails | Not reassessed, not remarked, no extra marks for being just below the line |
You will not know which 10 questions are removed. Treat 39 of 70 as the minimum, not the target. A practice score that clears 55.7% only narrowly leaves you exposed to a hard paper or an unlucky removal. The tables below show how much margin is enough.
Why the pass mark is 55.7%, not a round 55%
The handbook states the pass mark both ways: "55.7% (39 correct answers out of 70)". On 70 questions you can only score whole numbers, so each step is about 1.4 percentage points:
- 38 of 70 is 54.3%: a fail.
- 39 of 70 is 55.7%: the pass mark (the College rounds it to 55.7%).
- 55% of 70 would be 38.5 questions, which cannot be scored.
The exceptional grade works the same way: 60 of 70 is 85.7%, which the College gives as 85.7%. The handbook describes the pass mark as "a standard agreed with the reports and disqualification panel and ratified by the NIE debrief panel after each exam". It does not publish how the number 39 was originally chosen, and we have not found a document that does.
For comparison, the sergeants' promotion exam (NPPF Step 2) uses a 55% pass mark expressed as 77 of 140 scored questions. The percentages are close, but the two exams are different papers on different Manuals; see the sergeant and inspector pass mark guide if you are weighing up both.
Why 80 questions become 70
The NIE is a single 80-question multiple-choice paper lasting 2 hours. After the sitting, the handbook says, every question is evaluated against a set of standard criteria to show whether it is of an acceptable standard and fair enough for a high-stakes exam. Then:
- The marking panel, ratified by the debrief panel, removes 10 questions from the final score.
- Those 10 are "those that have performed least well in the exam".
- The same 10 are removed for every candidate, so everyone is scored on the same 70.
- You are not told which questions were removed, and you are not given your score on them.
- The removed questions are not marked "under any circumstances", and the College does not accept appeals about them.
Separately, any question that the marking panel finds "unfair for inclusion in any way", for example after a candidate's question query, is removed from marking for all candidates. Question queries must reach the College's exams team within three days of the exam.
The College does not define it further. In exam design it usually means a question that did not separate stronger and weaker candidates as expected, which is not the same as the question most people got wrong. So do not assume the removed questions will be the ones you found hardest. Plan as if any 10 could go, including ones you answered correctly.
Marks out of 70: what each score means
This is the score that decides your result, and the one your feedback report turns into a percentage.
| Score | Percentage | Scored questions wrong | Grade | Distance from the line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 of 70 | 42.9% | 40 | Fail | 9 short |
| 35 of 70 | 50.0% | 35 | Fail | 4 short |
| 37 of 70 | 52.9% | 33 | Fail | 2 short |
| 38 of 70 | 54.3% | 32 | Fail | 1 short |
| 39 of 70 | 55.7% | 31 | Pass | 0 above the pass mark |
| 40 of 70 | 57.1% | 30 | Pass | 1 above the pass mark |
| 45 of 70 | 64.3% | 25 | Pass | 6 above the pass mark |
| 50 of 70 | 71.4% | 20 | Pass | 11 above the pass mark |
| 59 of 70 | 84.3% | 11 | Pass | 20 above the pass mark |
| 60 of 70 | 85.7% | 10 | Exceptional | 21 above the pass mark |
| 65 of 70 | 92.9% | 5 | Exceptional | 26 above the pass mark |
| 70 of 70 | 100.0% | 0 | Exceptional | 31 above the pass mark |
Notice how narrow the band around the line is. Two questions either way is the difference between 52.9% and 58.6%. On a 80-question paper answered in 120 minutes, that is two careless readings of a question stem.
Marks out of 80: the worked arithmetic for the full paper
On the day you answer 80 questions. Your scored mark depends on how many of your correct answers fall among the 10 that are later removed. If you got C questions right out of 80:
- Worst case: all 10 removed questions were ones you got right. Your score is C minus 10.
- Best case: all 10 removed questions were ones you got wrong. Your score is C (up to 70).
- Middle case: the removed questions fall in proportion to how you did overall, so your score is about C times 70/80.
| Correct on the day | Worst case score | Best case score | Proportional score | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 of 80 (48.8%) | 29 (41.4%) | 39 (55.7%) | 34.1 | Pass possible, not guaranteed |
| 42 of 80 (52.5%) | 32 (45.7%) | 42 (60.0%) | 36.8 | Pass possible, not guaranteed |
| 44 of 80 (55.0%) | 34 (48.6%) | 44 (62.9%) | 38.5 | Pass possible, not guaranteed |
| 45 of 80 (56.3%) | 35 (50.0%) | 45 (64.3%) | 39.4 | Pass possible, not guaranteed |
| 47 of 80 (58.8%) | 37 (52.9%) | 47 (67.1%) | 41.1 | Pass possible, not guaranteed |
| 48 of 80 (60.0%) | 38 (54.3%) | 48 (68.6%) | 42 | Pass possible, not guaranteed |
| 49 of 80 (61.3%) | 39 (55.7%) | 49 (70.0%) | 42.9 | Pass guaranteed |
| 55 of 80 (68.8%) | 45 (64.3%) | 55 (78.6%) | 48.1 | Pass guaranteed |
| 60 of 80 (75.0%) | 50 (71.4%) | 60 (85.7%) | 52.5 | Pass guaranteed; exceptional possible |
| 69 of 80 (86.3%) | 59 (84.3%) | 69 (98.6%) | 60.4 | Pass guaranteed; exceptional possible |
| 70 of 80 (87.5%) | 60 (85.7%) | 70 (100.0%) | 61.3 | Exceptional whichever 10 are removed |
| 80 of 80 (100.0%) | 70 (100.0%) | 70 (100.0%) | 70 | Exceptional whichever 10 are removed |
Three numbers are worth remembering. 49 of 80 (61.3%) guarantees a pass whichever questions are removed. 45 of 80 (56.3%) is roughly where a pass becomes likely if the removed questions fall evenly. 39 of 80 passes only if every removed question was one you got wrong, which you should never rely on.
For the exceptional grade, 70 of 80 correct guarantees it, and around 69 of 80 makes it likely on a proportional reading.
How to read your practice and mock scores
Practice papers are not the real exam, and the College says the Blackstone's Q&A and Mock Examination Paper "cannot be presumed to be representative of the style or difficulty level" of NIE questions. Our own practice questions carry the same caveat. Still, a full timed 80-question mock is the closest rehearsal you can do, and the arithmetic above tells you how to read the score.
| Practice score | Correct | Proportional score | Worst case score | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50% | 40 of 80 | 35 of 70 | 30 of 70 | Below the pass mark on a typical paper |
| 55% | 44 of 80 | 38 of 70 | 34 of 70 | Below the pass mark on a typical paper |
| 56% | 45 of 80 | 39 of 70 | 35 of 70 | Around the pass mark: a bad paper or bad luck could sink it |
| 60% | 48 of 80 | 42 of 70 | 38 of 70 | Around the pass mark: a bad paper or bad luck could sink it |
| 61% | 49 of 80 | 42 of 70 | 39 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
| 65% | 52 of 80 | 45 of 70 | 42 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
| 70% | 56 of 80 | 49 of 70 | 46 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
| 75% | 60 of 80 | 52 of 70 | 50 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
| 80% | 64 of 80 | 56 of 70 | 54 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
| 85% | 68 of 80 | 59 of 70 | 58 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
| 88% | 70 of 80 | 61 of 70 | 60 of 70 | Clear of the pass mark even in the worst case |
Our suggestion, and it is only a rule of thumb: once your full timed mocks are consistently in the mid-sixties or higher, you have a margin that survives an unlucky removal and an unfamiliar paper. If they sit in the mid-fifties, you are on the line, and the fix is more of the Manual rather than more mocks. The free NIE mini mock gives a short scored starting point weighted to the four parts.
Pace matters as much as knowledge
80 questions in 120 minutes is 90 seconds a question on average. The exam must be completed in one sitting; the clock keeps running through a comfort break unless an agreed reasonable adjustment allows scheduled breaks. A candidate who knows the law but leaves ten questions unread has given away as many marks as the 10 removed questions. Practise under the real time limit.
Pacing: where you should be on the clock
Marks lost to the clock count exactly like marks lost to the law. These checkpoints are simple arithmetic on 80 questions in 120 minutes, with an optional ten minutes kept back at the end to revisit questions you were unsure of. They are a suggestion, not a College rule.
| Checkpoint | Even pace | Pace keeping 10 minutes back | Time left at that pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question 20 | 30 minutes in | 28 minutes in | 92 minutes |
| Question 40 | 60 minutes in | 55 minutes in | 65 minutes |
| Question 60 | 90 minutes in | 83 minutes in | 37 minutes |
| Question 80 | 120 minutes in | 110 minutes in | 10 minutes |
- If a question is taking more than about two minutes, choose your best answer, note it and move on. A guess scores the same as a blank if it is wrong, and something if it is right.
- Long scenario questions are worth the same single mark as short ones. Do not let one eat the time of three.
- Practise to the clock in your last few weeks so the pace is automatic on the day.
The three grades
| Grade | Scored questions | Percentage | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fail | 0 to 38 of 70 | Below 55.7% | Not successful. You can usually resit at the next sitting, subject to force or organisation policy |
| Pass | 39 to 59 of 70 | 55.7% to 84.3% | Successful. Valid for three years less one day from the exam date |
| Exceptional | 60 to 70 of 70 | 85.7% and above | Successful, with the exceptional grade on your feedback report |
Unlike the sergeants' and inspectors' exams, the NIE handbook does not describe a separate low-band fail. A fail is a fail. What follows a fail is for your force or organisation's policy; the fail and resit guide covers the handbook's rules on second and third attempts.
The exceptional grade: 60 of 70
Candidates scoring 85.7% or more are "awarded an exceptional grade in the exam". The handbook says nothing more about what the grade unlocks, and we found no rule giving an exceptional grade different standing in PIP2 from a pass. It is recognition, and it may matter to you, but it is not a requirement for anything we could find.
It is rare. Across the 17 sittings we could read, 658 of 25,122 candidates got it (2.6%), against 14,779 who passed in all. To reach it you can get only 10 scored questions wrong.
How the NIE pass mark compares with the promotion exams
If you are heading for sergeant or inspector later, you will meet the College's other big online legal exam, NPPF Step 2. The approach is the same (questions removed at marking, an absolute cut score, a debrief panel), but the numbers differ. Promotion exam figures are from our sergeant and inspector pass mark guide, which is sourced to the College's NPPF handbook and results.
| NIE | Sergeants' exam | Inspectors' exam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions sat / scored | 80 / 70 | 150 / 140 | 150 / 140 |
| Time | 120 minutes | 180 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Pass mark | 55.7% (39 of 70) | 55% (77 of 140) | 65% (91 of 140) |
| Exceptional grade | 85.7% (60 of 70) | 75% | 85% |
| Low-band fail grade | None described in the NIE handbook | Below 30% | Below 35% |
| Scored questions you can get wrong | 31 | 63 | 49 |
| One scored question is worth | 1.4 points | 0.7 points | 0.7 points |
| Latest pass rate | 63.3% (September 2026) | 58.5% (March 2026) | 37.0% (May 2026) |
The practical difference for an NIE candidate is the size of each step. With only 70 scored questions, every question is worth about 1.4 percentage points, roughly twice as much as on a promotion paper. Small habits, such as misreading "may" for "must" in a question stem, cost more.
When the pass mark can change, and who decides
Before results are released, the NIE debrief panel reviews the delivery of the exam. The handbook lists its members: the technical skills team training manager, a member of the Police Federation for England and Wales, a member of the College's legal services team, a service member nominated by the recruitment, retention and wellbeing of investigators board, and an occupational psychologist from the College.
The panel:
- considers the impact of any unscheduled events during the exam;
- considers any cases warranting special considerations;
- compares the results with previous years to make sure delivery was fair;
- ratifies the results before release.
It "reserves the right to alter the pass mark in exceptional circumstances if they see a significant deviation in the success rate for exams, whether higher or lower, and/or have evidence to show that a change in the pass mark would result in a fairer outcome". The panel does not consider reports of extenuating circumstances.
Every College results overview we read, from September 2021 to September 2026, opens with the same line: an absolute cut score of 55.7% was applied to all candidates, and 85.7% for the exceptional grade. In practice, then, the pass mark has not moved in any sitting with a published overview. Plan for 39 of 70.
Special consideration: the one-mark allowance
There is one narrow route by which marks are added. If something outside your control disrupts your exam and has a direct and substantial impact (an "unscheduled incident"), you can report it. If the report is accepted, the marking panel, with the debrief panel, may apply special consideration: "an allowance of one additional mark of the total raw marks available" to every candidate affected by that issue, not only those who reported it. The handbook says this "may make the difference between a pass and a fail" in some cases, and that it is applied only in very exceptional circumstances.
What the College will not accept
- Problems with a force-provided or your own testing environment.
- Local connection problems, and device problems.
- Lack of preparation or a heavy workload.
- Sickness before or during the exam, including family members' illness. Agreeing to the declaration and sitting is your choice.
- Issues you knew about when you took the exam, or problems made worse by not following the guidance.
- Reasonable adjustment issues you could have checked on the familiarisation exercise.
- Queries about question content, which go through the separate question query route.
The deadlines in 2026
Reports go by email to the College's exams investigator address, copying your NIE liaison contact, and must arrive within three days of the exam. The handbook gives these deadlines:
| Exam | Report must arrive by | Results by |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, 4 March 2026 | Saturday 7 March 2026 by 8pm | Wednesday, 25 March 2026 |
| Tuesday, 2 June 2026 | Friday 5 June 2026 by 8pm | Tuesday, 23 June 2026 |
| Tuesday, 8 September 2026 | Friday 11 September 2026 by 8pm | Tuesday, 29 September 2026 |
| Tuesday, 17 November 2026 | Friday 20 November 2026 by 8pm | Tuesday, 8 December 2026 |
For an unsuccessful candidate, an accepted report also goes to the reports and disqualifications panel. That panel cannot change a fail into a pass or add marks, but it can recommend that your force does not count that attempt where a local limit on retakes would otherwise stop you sitting again.
Question queries: if you think a question was wrong
If you believe a question was legally inaccurate or unfair, you can raise a query with the College's exams team. The handbook says:
- Queries must reach the exams team no later than three days after the exam; later queries are not considered.
- During marking, the marking panel reviews every query alongside any question that did not perform as expected.
- The College's legal services team can carry out a post-exam legal review of the question.
- Any question found unfair for inclusion in any way is removed from marking for all candidates.
- A query is not an appeal, and it is handled separately from unscheduled incident reports.
Do not describe the question on social media, in a group chat or to a colleague, and never paste it into an AI tool. Sharing questions or even topic areas is a rule breach with a ban of two years or more and a referral to professional standards. Use the College's query route; your NIE liaison contact can tell you how to submit one.
Marginal fails: why one mark short stays a fail
The handbook is unusually blunt on this, and it is worth knowing before results day:
- There is no provision to contest a result once released, or to have your paper remarked.
- There is no provision to add marks for candidates who score just below the pass mark.
- The pass mark "will therefore not be lowered for individual candidates in any circumstances".
- Marginal fail results "will not be reassessed or awarded a pass mark under any circumstances".
- There is no right of appeal regarding a remark.
- Once results are ratified and released, they will not be reviewed again.
The College's reasoning, in short: universities can look at coursework when a student narrowly fails, but the NIE has no other evidence to weigh, so it relies on its marking procedures instead. A fail at 38 of 70 is painful, but it is final, and the energy is better spent on the next sitting. The results day guide explains how to use your feedback report to target the parts that cost you marks.
What your feedback report tells you about the pass mark
Results and feedback reports come through AIMS within three weeks. You verify your date of birth, national insurance number and email address to open yours. According to the handbook, the report:
- includes a summary of your final grading (fail, pass or exceptional) and the total percentage score you obtained;
- can be used to identify strengths and development needs in the areas examined;
- is your proof of the result, must be kept, and cannot be reissued. No certificate is issued.
Your percentage is out of the 70 scored questions, so you can turn it back into marks: multiply by 70 and divide by 100. A report showing 52.9% means 37 of 70, two short. That is the most useful number for a resit plan, because it tells you how far you are from the line, not just which side of it. The results day guide covers the report in more detail.
What the published results show at this pass mark
The same cut score applied in every sitting below, so the differences in pass rate are about the candidates and the paper, not the threshold.
| Sitting | Sat | Passed (rate) | Exceptional | Cut scores applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1,050 | 665 (63.3%) | 23 (2.2%) | 55.7% / 85.7% |
| March 2026 | 1,633 | 1,040 (63.7%) | 37 (2.3%) | 55.7% / 85.7% |
| November 2025 | 1,294 | 672 (51.9%) | 33 (2.6%) | 55.7% / 85.7% |
| September 2025 | 1,318 | 792 (60.1%) | 35 (2.7%) | 55.7% / 85.7% |
| June 2025 | 1,500 | 822 (54.8%) | 39 (2.6%) | 55.7% / 85.7% |
| March 2025 | 1,612 | 941 (58.4%) | 52 (3.2%) | 55.7% / 85.7% |
Over all 17 sittings we could read, 14,779 of 25,122 candidates reached 39 of 70 (58.8%). The full history, the split by force and the College's caution on comparisons are on the NIE pass rates page.
Worked scenarios
Illustrative examples, not real candidates, to show how the rules combine.
Common myths about the NIE pass mark
Six numbers worth memorising
Pass mark checklist
- Know the line: 39 of 70 scored questions, 55.7%.
- Aim above it: 49 of 80 on the day is the score that survives any removal.
- Practise full papers under the real time limit: 80 questions in 120 minutes.
- Read your mock scores on a proportional basis and keep a margin.
- Answer every question: the handbook describes no deduction for wrong answers.
- Do the system check and the familiarisation exercise; local tech problems do not earn special consideration.
- If something outside your control disrupts the exam, report it within three days, copying your NIE liaison contact.
- Raise any concern about a question's legal accuracy as a question query within three days.
- Keep your feedback report: it is your proof of the result and cannot be reissued.
- If you fall short, plan the resit straight away; marginal fails are not reassessed.
What we could not verify
- How 39 was chosen. The handbook calls the pass mark a standard agreed and ratified after each exam; we found no published standard-setting report.
- What "performed least well" means in detail. The College does not publish its criteria for removing questions.
- How the platform handles unanswered questions. The handbook does not describe negative marking; the platform detail is in the online examinations candidate guide, which we did not have.
- Any use of the power to alter the pass mark. None appears in the overviews we read; we could not find overviews for every sitting, so we cannot rule it out entirely.
- What the exceptional grade is used for. We found no national rule. Your force may use it informally.
- The 2027 rules. The 2027 handbook had not been published when we checked; the pass mark could change in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NIE pass mark?
55.7%, which the College of Policing's 2026 candidate handbook expresses as 39 correct answers out of 70. You sit 80 questions, but 10 are removed at marking, so everyone is scored on 70. The debrief panel can alter the pass mark in exceptional circumstances.
How many questions can you get wrong in the NIE and still pass?
31 of the 70 scored questions. On the full 80-question paper, 49 correct answers (61.3%) guarantee a pass whichever 10 questions are removed, which means 31 wrong at most. With fewer correct answers you might still pass, depending on which questions are removed.
Why is the NIE pass mark 55.7% and not 55%?
Because the College sets it as a whole number of questions: 39 of 70 is 55.7%. 55% of 70 would be 38.5, which is not a whole question, and 38 of 70 would be 54.3%. The College does not explain how 39 was chosen beyond calling it a standard agreed and ratified after each exam.
Why are there 80 questions but only 70 count?
After the sitting, every question is checked against standard criteria. The marking panel, ratified by the debrief panel, removes the 10 that performed least well, so the exam stays valid and does not unfairly penalise candidates. You are not told which 10 were removed or how you did on them, and the College does not accept appeals about it.
What score do you need for an exceptional grade in the NIE?
60 of 70 scored questions, which is 85.7%. That is 21 more correct answers than a pass. Across the sittings we read, 658 of 25,122 candidates got it, about 2.6%.
Is the NIE marked on a curve?
No. Every College results overview we read says "an absolute cut score of 55.7% was applied to all candidates". There is no quota of passes, so you are not competing with the people who sit on the same day.
Can the NIE pass mark change?
The handbook lets the NIE debrief panel alter the pass mark in exceptional circumstances, if it sees a significant deviation in the success rate, higher or lower, and/or has evidence that a change would be fairer. Every overview from September 2021 to September 2026 records the same 55.7% cut score.
I failed the NIE by one mark. Can it be remarked?
No. The handbook says there is no provision to contest a result or request a remark, no extra marks are added for candidates just below the pass mark, and marginal fail results will not be reassessed or awarded a pass under any circumstances. There is no right of appeal regarding a remark.
Is there negative marking in the NIE?
The handbook describes the score only as correct answers out of 70 and says nothing about deducting marks for wrong answers. On that basis an unanswered question and a wrong answer both score nothing, so answering every question costs you nothing. Check the online examinations candidate guide for how the platform handles unanswered questions.
What is special consideration in the NIE?
If you report an unscheduled incident (a disruption outside your control that had a direct and substantial impact) within three days of the exam and it is accepted, the marking panel can, in very exceptional circumstances, add one raw mark for every candidate affected by that issue. Local internet, device, home environment, illness and workload problems are excluded.
Does the feedback report show my score?
Yes. The handbook says the feedback report includes a summary of your final grading and the total percentage score you obtained, and you can use it to identify strengths and development needs. It is also your proof of the result, and the College cannot reissue it, so keep a copy.
How does the NIE pass mark compare with the sergeants' exam?
The NPPF sergeants' exam pass mark is 55% (77 of 140 scored questions, from 150 sat), so the two exams set a very similar percentage. The NIE is shorter: 80 questions in 120 minutes against 150 in three hours. Our sergeant and inspector pass mark guide covers the NPPF in full.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 11 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- College of Policing: NIE candidate handbook 2026 (published November 2025, PDF) — structure, 80 questions in two hours (p 14); questions removed from marking (p 16); declaration notice and exam timer rules (pp 20 to 23); results, the debrief panel and the pass mark (p 26); feedback reports and resits (p 27); unscheduled incidents, special considerations, question queries and remarking (pp 31 to 36) (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: National investigators' exam (NIE) page — current handbook, results overview and subject breakdown. The main site blocked our reader; we read the same page from its production mirror (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NIE results and analysis overview, September 2026 (PDF) — "an absolute cut score of 55.7% was applied to all candidates"; exceptional at 85.7%; success rates (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NIE results and analysis overview, September 2021 (PDF, Internet Archive copy) — the same cut score and exceptional threshold in the earliest overview we read (accessed 11 October 2026)
- PolicePay: NIE pass rates, every published sitting — the full results history with a link to each College PDF (accessed 11 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Practice and tools
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or produced by the College of Policing or Oxford University Press (Blackstone's). Exam rules, dates, the syllabus and prices change, so check the College of Policing's current NIE candidate handbook and exam page before you register or buy. Practice material on this site is original and is not real or recalled exam content. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 11 October 2026.