How Hard Is The
Inspector Exam Really?
An honest breakdown of NPPF Step Two difficulty, pass rates, failure patterns and what actually makes it hard.
Police Pay (UK) provides independent explanatory guidance. We are not affiliated with the College of Policing, any police force, or any staff association. This guide is educational and does not predict or guarantee exam outcomes.
Executive Summary
The Inspector exam (NPPF Step Two) is widely regarded as significantly more challenging than the Sergeant exam. Not because the law is more complex — but because the level of judgement expected is higher.
It tests whether you can think like an Inspector. That means oversight, proportionality, authorisation, and risk management — not just recall.
Direct Answer
The Inspector exam (NPPF Step Two) is difficult because it tests advanced legal application, supervisory judgement, and proportional decision-making under pressure. Most candidates find it harder than the Sergeant exam due to the shift from knowledge recall to oversight-level reasoning.
Is it Harder
than Sergeant?
Short answer: yes, for most people. But not for the reason they think.
Sergeant Exam Rewards
- Knowing the rule
- Recognising clear thresholds
- Applying procedure correctly
Inspector Exam Rewards
- Spotting nuance
- Supervising decision quality
- Identifying missing safeguards
- Understanding proportionality
Step Two expects you to think beyond your own actions. It expects you to oversee the legality of others. That shift is where most candidates struggle.
What Actually
Makes it Hard?
1. The "Two Right Answers" Problem
Many Step Two questions contain two answers that both appear lawful. The difference is subtle: one may be technically correct, while the other is correct AND proportionate. The exam rewards the more defensible answer.
2. The Threshold Trap
Step Two loves testing powers that 'almost' apply or authorities that are 'almost' justified. Candidates who skim the facts get caught. Step Two punishes assumption and rewards precision.
3. The Human Rights Layer
Human rights are not tested as theory. They are embedded in arrest necessity, search justification, and use of force oversight. The question is rarely 'what is the law?', but 'is this interference lawful, necessary, and proportionate?'
4. The Supervisor Lens
At Inspector level, you are not just doing the action. You are authorising, reviewing, challenging, and defending it. That shift means your margin for error shrinks significantly.
Pass Rates
& Reality
Exact pass rates vary by force and year. However, historical data suggests several core realities about the NPPF Step Two barrier:
Step Two historically sees lower pass rates than Step One.
Many successful Inspectors failed at least once or twice.
Most failures are due to preparation style, not intelligence.
The exam is not impossible. It is simply unforgiving of shallow revision or over-reliance on operational instinct.
Why Good
Sergeants Fail
Experience over Regulation
What "works on shift" is not always legally optimal. The exam marks against the statutory ideal.
Revising like Step One
Memorising content instead of practising applied reasoning kills scores at Inspector level.
Topic Avoidance
Professional standards or public order blind spots are common targets for Step Two examiners.
Rushing Precision
Step Two punishes speed without precision. Missing one detail in the stem invalidates the answer.
Psychological
Difficulty
The Inspector exam carries heavy emotional weight. For many, it represents the gateway to strategic leadership and a significant identity shift. This pressure manifest in three common traps:
Overthinking
Finding nuance where there is none in simple questions.
Block Panic
Spiralling after one difficult 10-question segment.
Time Chasing
Sacrificing accuracy to 'finish' the paper early.
Legal
Application Depth
Step Two does not require you to be a barrister, but it does require you to understand decision defensibility across these operational pillars:
Advanced application and authorisation logic.
Supervisory oversight of proportionality.
Conduct framework and management actions.
Risk-based decision metrics and duties.
Rights balancing and tactic legality.
Practical application of the NDM under scrutiny.
Time
Pressure
Candidates often report that the first 30 questions feel manageable, but mental fatigue peaks in the middle section, leading to accuracy drops in the final quartile. Step Two tests cognitive stamina as much as legal knowledge.
Difficulty
Self-Check Tool
Difficulty Diagnostic
NPPF Step Two Difficulty Check
Complete all checks for readiness assessment
The Honest
Conclusion
The Inspector exam is hard. But not because it is unfair. It is hard because it reflects the high responsibility of the rank. The exam is not trying to trick you; it is trying to test whether your decision-making can withstand scrutiny.
That is the job.
Knowledge Web
Difficulty FAQS
Is the Inspector exam harder than Sergeant?
For most candidates, yes. The legal application and oversight expectations are higher, moving away from simple recall to complex supervisory judgement.
What is the pass rate for Step Two?
Pass rates vary annually and by force. Historically, Step Two sees lower pass rates than Step One, often requiring more than one attempt for many candidates.
Can operational experience alone carry you through?
Experience helps, but structured legal revision is essential. Step Two marks against the lawful standard, which can differ from local 'shift culture'.
How long should you revise for Step Two?
Most successful candidates revise consistently for 3–6 months, focusing on application scenarios rather than just learning law facts.
What is the biggest reason people fail?
The most common causes are underestimating the application depth, not practising timed mocks, and failing to adopt the supervisor lens.
Sources & Methodology
This is an independent guide based on publicly available descriptions of the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) and general UK policing legal principles. Analysis is derived from historical candidate performance data and expert supervisory feedback. Local force processes vary significantly.
All guides on this platform undergo periodic review to ensure alignment with current NPPF standards. However, passing the legal exam is subject to individual performance and candidate preparation depth.