Public sector assessments: untimed tests, judgement gates and tight rules on AI
Public sector employers publish more than most, and what they publish differs sharply. The Civil Service describes untimed adaptive tests. GCHQ sets a pass mark on judgement tests and bans AI. The Met gives one minute to prepare. Teach First tells you not to prepare at all.
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By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts
The employers in this guide
Each row comes from that employer's own page on this site. 5 employers, checked October 2026. Stated means the employer says it. Candidates report means we found it only in candidate accounts.
| Employer | Who the page is for |
|---|---|
| Civil Service | Untimed, adaptive verbal and numerical tests, with practice versions on GOV.UK. |
| Bank of England | A values-based situational judgement test gates the process. A 21-minute cognitive section may not apply. |
| GCHQ | Role-specific tests, a published 90-minute maths sample, a strict AI ban and long vetting. |
| Metropolitan Police | A national sift, then three timed exercises including a recorded interview and an urgent written task. |
| Teach First | A judgement test it says you cannot prepare for, then a five-day task and a Development Centre. |
Untimed does not mean unmeasured
The Civil Service describes verbal and numerical tests that are untimed and adaptive, with a percentile result and practice versions on GOV.UK. Teach First describes an untimed situational judgement test that must be finished in one sitting. Untimed removes the clock but not the measurement.
The adaptive design means each question you answer shapes the next. That makes careful accuracy more important than speed, and it makes skipping impossible.
Judgement tests as gates
GCHQ says several role pages require a minimum pass mark on a situational judgement test. The Bank of England says applicants who pass its judgement test move on to the video interview. The Metropolitan Police sends a National Sift with a judgement test and a behavioural styles questionnaire before the online assessment.
In all three, a judgement test is the first thing you must clear. Read the employer's values and competencies and answer as you would act.
Written and timed tasks
The Met's online assessment has a competency-based interview with one minute to prepare and five to record, a written task in role and a briefing exercise. Teach First sends a task-based assessment the next working day with five days to complete it. GCHQ describes a bespoke analysis test for data analysts and a published 90-minute mathematics sample.
Our case study and written tasks guide and video interview guide go deeper on these.
AI, anonymity and vetting
GCHQ bans AI at online tests and interviews and may ask you to retake under controlled conditions. Teach First screens work anonymously, with assessors who cannot see personal details. GCHQ says a cyber role may take around 6 to 9 months including vetting.
These details change how you plan. Anonymity means your words alone carry your case. Vetting means silence is normal.
Reasonable adjustments
Public sector employers are specific about adjustments. The Civil Service describes paper adjustments and asks for notice. Teach First asks you to email its screening team before applying. The Met says you can raise adjustments or access problems with it.
Ask early, in writing, and keep a copy.
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Employer pages in this guide
- Civil Service assessmentUntimed, adaptive verbal and numerical tests, with practice versions on GOV.UK.
- Bank of England assessmentA values-based situational judgement test gates the process. A 21-minute cognitive section may not apply.
- GCHQ assessmentRole-specific tests, a published 90-minute maths sample, a strict AI ban and long vetting.
- Metropolitan Police assessmentA national sift, then three timed exercises including a recorded interview and an urgent written task.
- Teach First assessmentA judgement test it says you cannot prepare for, then a five-day task and a Development Centre.
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LifeScore is not affiliated with any employer or test publisher named on this page. Names belong to their owners and appear only to describe published hiring processes. Pass marks and questions are not published by employers, and we do not claim to know them. Reviewed October 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.