Irish Prison Officer Recruit study plan
Irish Prison Officer Recruit · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Numerical Reasoning
Diagnose current numerical ability by completing an untimed 30-item baseline paper and recording every error with its cause
Drill percentage change, ratio/proportion and currency conversion until each set is completed accurately without a calculator
Build a one-page formula and method sheet covering averages, rates, and unit conversions
Establish a 15-minute daily mental-arithmetic routine using timetables, fractions and rough estimation
Your checkpoint
Error log of the baseline paper plus a completed formula sheet, with 80% accuracy on a 20-item untimed re-test
Numerical Reasoning & Verbal Reasoning
Work through 60 numerical items under a strict time limit to build speed on tables and simple graphs
Learn and apply the true / false / cannot-say technique to 15 short passages, justifying every 'cannot say' answer in writing
Compose short written explanations of why each numerical distractor is wrong
Review the week-1 error log and re-attempt only the previously failed item types
Your checkpoint
A timed 30-item numerical paper scored at 70% or above, plus 15 verbal items with written justifications
Verbal Reasoning & Numerical Reasoning
Complete 40 verbal-reasoning items covering inference, assumption and main-point questions
Identify and log the six most common verbal traps encountered, with an original example of each
Maintain numerical fluency with two 20-minute timed mixed sets
Reduce average time per verbal item while keeping accuracy steady
Your checkpoint
A trap sheet of six verbal question types and a 40-item verbal set scored at 75% or above
Situational Judgement / Judgement and Decision Making
Analyse 20 situational-judgement scenarios set in a prison environment and rank or select responses with written reasoning
Distinguish proportionate, safe and policy-compliant responses from well-meant but incorrect ones
Apply a consistent four-question decision framework to every scenario encountered
Review every incorrect answer and rewrite the chosen response in a more appropriate form
Your checkpoint
A 20-scenario SJT practice paper with a written rationale for each answer and a personal decision-making checklist
Situational Judgement / Judgement and Decision Making & Numerical Reasoning
Complete two full-length timed SJT papers and compare judgement patterns across them
Practise resolving competing priorities involving safety, welfare, confidentiality and use of authority
Hold numerical performance steady with two 25-minute timed mixed sets
Draft a short written justification of a decision, structured as situation, options, choice and outcome
Your checkpoint
Two completed SJT papers with a one-page reflection identifying recurring judgement errors
Competency-Based Assessment (written/structured) & Situational Judgement / Judgement and Decision Making
Identify six personal examples covering teamwork, integrity, communication, resilience, conflict and decision-making
Structure each example using the STAR format and trim each to 150-200 words
Verify each example against the role's competencies and rewrite any weak or generic ones
Re-run one SJT paper to keep scenario judgement fresh
Your checkpoint
Six fully drafted STAR examples, each peer-reviewed or self-reviewed against a competency checklist
Competency-Based Assessment (written/structured)
Rehearse the competency examples aloud under a three-minute time limit per example
Write responses to five unseen competency-style questions under timed conditions
Compile a one-page bank of role-relevant vocabulary and values statements
Proofread all written material for clarity, spelling and grammar
Your checkpoint
A polished competency portfolio of six STAR examples plus five timed written answers
Numerical Reasoning & Verbal Reasoning & Situational Judgement / Judgement and Decision Making & Competency-Based Assessment (written/structured)
Sit a full mock assessment covering numerical, verbal, SJT and written competency sections in one sitting
Review every error across all four domains and classify it as knowledge, technique or time-management
Re-drill the two weakest areas identified in the mock
Finalise a personal exam-day checklist covering timing, reading strategy and pacing
Your checkpoint
A completed mock assessment with a scored breakdown across all four domains and a written remediation plan
Milestones
Week 2: Score 70% or better on a timed 30-item numerical paper and produce written justifications for 15 verbal items
Week 4: Complete a 20-scenario SJT paper with a written rationale for every response and an error log showing numerical and verbal accuracy at or above 70%
Week 6: Hold six approved STAR examples covering all required competencies, each within the word limit
Week 8: Achieve at least 70% in each of the four domains on the full mock assessment and submit a remediation plan for any domain below that threshold