Police Pay
Technique

Forward-Facing
Board Questions

Many promotion boards ask what you would do at the next rank, not only what you have done. This guide explains what these future focused questions test, how they differ from evidence questions, a four-part structure that works for sergeant and inspector, and worked examples.

Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 18 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated

Short answer: what is a forward-facing question at a promotion board?

A forward-facing question asks how you would act in the rank you are applying for, for example how you would set expectations as a new sergeant. College guidance says interview questions can cover past and future behaviour, and the Met describes its main assessment as a future focused interview. A strong answer gives a specific plan, your reasons, how you would know it worked, and a short real example that proves you can do it.

Contents
What They AreWhy Boards Use ThemA Four-Part StructureWorked ExamplesWeak vs StrongHow to PreparePractice QuestionsNot Verified FAQs Sources

What forward-facing questions are

Promotion boards ask two broad kinds of question. Evidence questions ask what you have done. Forward-facing questions, sometimes called future focused, ask what you would do in the rank you are applying for. Many boards use both.

Evidence and forward-facing questions compared
Evidence questionForward-facing question
Asks aboutWhat you have doneWhat you would do at the next rank
Typical opening"Tell us about a time...""As a new sergeant, how would you..." or "What would you do if..."
ShapeSituation, task, action, resultPlan, reasons, measures, proof
What the panel testsCurrent ability, shown by past behaviourFuture potential and understanding of the rank
Common failureSaying "we" and no resultA generic list with no link to real experience

For the wider board process, see promotion boards explained.

Why boards use them

The College's step three guidance says interview questions "can focus on past and future behaviour, enabling information to be gathered regarding a candidate's current ability and future potential". Step three exists to assess your potential to perform at the next rank (NPPF operating manual 5.1), and forward-facing questions go straight at that.

Some forces make them central. The Met says its promotion assessment "will usually include a future focused interview, to explore potential for the next rank", plus one additional exercise, assessed against the leadership criteria for the rank and its values. More in our Met promotion process guide.

Why they are harder than they look

Anyone can list good leadership behaviours. The question is really testing whether you understand the rank well enough to be specific, and whether your plan is grounded in experience. That is why the proof at the end matters.

A four-part structure: plan, reasons, measures, proof

No structure guarantees marks, and your force may describe what it wants differently. This one is simple, works for most forward-facing questions and maps onto how assessors record evidence:

Four parts of a forward-facing answer
PartWhat to sayExample line
1. PlanWhat you would do, in order. Two to four specific actions, not a list of everything possible"In my first week I would meet each officer one to one..."
2. ReasonsWhy each action, linked to the rank, the force's priorities or the CVF"...because I need to understand their workload and goals before I set expectations."
3. MeasuresHow you would know it worked, and when you would review it"By the end of the month I would expect fewer overdue enquiries."
4. ProofA brief real example showing you have done something similar"When I acted up last year, the one-to-ones uncovered a workload problem I fixed in a fortnight."

The plan should be ordered and specific. The reasons show judgement. The measures show you would check rather than assume. The proof turns the answer from theory into evidence the assessor can classify against a competency.

Two worked examples

Sergeant · We are emotionally aware · Original example

"What would you do in your first month if your new team's sickness levels were high?"

Plan. First, I would look at the pattern with HR: is it a few long-term absences or many short ones, and is it linked to particular shifts or types of job? Second, I would make sure everyone currently off has a named contact and the right support, including occupational health referrals where needed. Third, I would spend time with the team on shift and ask what is making work harder.

Reasons. The pattern tells me whether it is individual or organisational. If it is organisational, such as workload or repeated exposure to traumatic jobs, it is my job to address it, not the individuals'.

Measures. I would track sickness and return-to-work conversations monthly and check whether people are using the support offered.

Proof. When I acted up on a team with high short-term sickness, the pattern showed most absences followed a run of late shifts. Rebalancing the rota with my inspector reduced short-term absence over the next quarter.

Inspector · We support and inspire · Original example

"How would you get your sergeants to own performance rather than wait for you?"

Plan. I would agree with each sergeant two or three measures that matter for their team, give them the data directly rather than through me, and hold a short monthly review where they present their own performance and their plan.

Reasons. People own what they can see and influence. If the data only comes from me, the sergeants become reporters rather than leaders.

Measures. I would expect sergeants to be raising problems and solutions before I spot them, and I would see that in the reviews within two or three months.

Proof. As an acting inspector I moved our monthly performance meeting from me presenting to the sergeants presenting. Within three months two of them had introduced their own fixes for overdue investigations.

Both examples are invented to show the structure. For full example answers to more questions, see the sergeant and inspector pages.

Weak and strong answers side by side

The same question, answered weakly and strongly
PartWeakStrong
Plan"I would communicate well, lead by example and support my team.""I would brief the team on three standards in my first week, then check them at handovers for a month."
ReasonsMissing, or "because that's what a good leader does""Because the file quality figures show that is where we are losing cases."
MeasuresMissing"I would track the file rejection rate monthly and review it with each officer."
ProofMissing, or a story with no link to the plan"I did the same with student officers I tutored, and their files improved within two months."

Other mistakes to avoid: answering at your current rank instead of the next one; promising to fix everything at once; ignoring wellbeing or ethics; and inventing an example you cannot defend under questioning. Our common board mistakes list covers more.

How to prepare

  • Know the rank. Read the College profile for the rank, and talk to people doing it about what fills their week.
  • Know the force. Read your force's current plan and priorities so your reasons can link to them.
  • Bank your proofs. List eight to ten short real examples you can attach to almost any plan.
  • Practise aloud. Answer a question in two minutes, then check it against the four parts. Repeat with a colleague who will probe.

Eight forward-facing practice questions

Original PolicePay practice questions, tagged to the 2024 CVF. Not real board questions.

Forward-facing practice questions
RankQuestionCompetency
SergeantHow would you set expectations with a team you have just joined?We support and inspire
SergeantWhat would you do in your first month if your team's sickness levels were high?We are emotionally aware
SergeantHow would you deal with a constable who was a close friend before your promotion and is now underperforming?We take ownership
SergeantHow would you make sure decisions on your shift are recorded properly?We analyse critically
InspectorHow would you get your sergeants to own performance rather than wait for you?We support and inspire
InspectorHow would you decide where to put limited resources across your area?We analyse critically
InspectorWhat would you do to improve trust with a community that has low confidence in the police?We collaborate
InspectorHow would you introduce a change most of your staff do not want?We are innovative and open-minded

More in the board question bank, which includes one free AI-marked answer a day.

What we could not verify

  • How many forces use forward-facing questions, and in what proportion. Few forces publish their formats.
  • How forces mark them. Marking schemes are set locally and rarely published; the Met withheld its marking criteria in a 2024 FOI response.
Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Are forward-facing questions the same as hypothetical scenarios?

They overlap. A scenario question gives you a specific situation to deal with; a forward-facing question is often broader, such as your approach to the role. Both ask what you would do, and the same structure of plan, reasons, measures and proof works for both.

Can I use STAR for a forward-facing question?

Not for the main answer, because nothing has happened yet. Use STAR for the short proof at the end, where you describe a real example that shows you can do what you have proposed.

Which forces use forward-facing questions?

We cannot list them, because forces design their own boards and few publish their format. The Met says its assessment usually includes a future focused interview. College guidance allows questions on past and future behaviour. Check your force's candidate pack.

How long should a forward-facing answer be?

It depends on your force's format. Aim to make three or four specific points with reasons in the time you are given, rather than covering everything. A long list usually scores lower than a short plan with clear reasons.

What if I have never done what the question asks?

Say so briefly and give the closest real example, such as tutoring, acting up or leading a job. Honesty about the limits of your experience, combined with a credible plan, is better than an invented example that collapses under a follow-up question.

How do I practise forward-facing questions?

Say your answers aloud to a timer, then check them against the four parts. Our mock interview's promotion board set includes forward-facing questions and scores typed or recorded answers against CVF level 2.

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 18 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.

  1. College of Policing: Guidance for assessing candidates at step three of the NPPF, July 2019 (PDF) : interview questions can focus on past and future behaviour, gathering information on current ability and future potential; presentation topics on current and future challenges (accessed 18 October 2026)
  2. Metropolitan Police: Officer promotion overview : assessment usually includes a future focused interview to explore potential for the next rank, plus one additional exercise (accessed 18 October 2026)
  3. College of Policing: Sergeant and inspector professional profiles : role purpose and CVF level 2 for both ranks (accessed 18 October 2026)
  4. College of Policing: Competency and values framework for policing 2024 (PDF) : competency names used to tag the practice questions (accessed 18 October 2026)
  5. Metropolitan Police FOI 01.FOI.24.039068 : marking criteria withheld because assessments were still live (accessed 18 October 2026)
  6. College of Policing: NPPF operating manual, July 2026 (PDF) : purpose of step three (5.1) (accessed 18 October 2026)
Related Guides

On this topic elsewhere

Board Presentation → The same planning skill, delivered as a talk. Met Promotion Process → Where the future focused interview is the core.
Promotion boards

More in this guide series

Hub Promotion boards explained What happens after the exam: NPPF step three, how forces run boards, scoring, the CVF and the new SIPP process. Answers Sergeant board answers Ten original sergeant board questions with full example answers and what each one shows at CVF level 2. Answers Inspector board answers Original inspector board questions with example answers pitched at a level 2 manager of supervisors. Presentation Board presentation Why forces use presentations, how to plan to time, four example structures and the questions that follow. Process Chief inspector promotion Why the NPPF stops at inspector, how forces select chief inspectors, and what the profile expects. Force Met promotion process The Met's gateway, future focused interview, pass marks from FOI releases and how the select list works. Free tool Board question bank 44 original practice questions by CVF area, with one free AI-marked answer a day. Evidence Acting-up evidence How to turn time acting up into examples a panel can score. Technique Common board mistakes The patterns that undermine otherwise strong answers. After the board If you fail the board Feedback, development plans and retaking step three while your exam pass is valid.
Also on PolicePay

Practice and tools

Free tool Practise board questions Answer a board question aloud or typed and get a score against CVF level 2. Five free a day. Toolkit Exam and board toolkit Our paid toolkit: exam practice, timed sittings and board scenarios with an AI tutor. Exam Sergeant exam Step two: the legal exam you need to pass before a board. Hub Promotion hub Every promotion guide in one place.

Disclaimer

PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or produced by the College of Policing or any police force. Promotion processes are set locally and change from year to year, so your force's own candidate information is the source to rely on. Practice questions and example answers on this site are original PolicePay material, not real or recalled board questions, and no answer structure guarantees a result. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 18 October 2026.