1. Make sure you use all of your 5 minutes

If you find you have run out of things to say before the buzzer sounds at the end, go back to the beginning and start again. There have been many occasions when I have seen people on our Mock Exams go straight back on the Marking Guide scoring a mark where previously they had just missed it. Don't waste a second of your potential scoring time.

2. Real World Solutions to Real World Problems

Your examiners see the problems you have been posed as the sort of problems you will be faced with once you have been promoted, and they are looking for you to have a grounded set of solutions.

3. Listen to Your Role Actor

Previous candidate feedback indicates that poorly performing candidates have not listened to their role actor. The role actor brings with them a significant number of marks, you have some in your candidate pack, and there are some in the Sandford Divisional Profile, don't miss out on the one third of the marks your role actor has by not listening and responding appropriately.

4. Explain your Actions and Decisions

There is no doubt the word "Because" is really important in your Part 2. It is not enough to make decisions and to verbalise them, you need to explain why you have decided to do what you have decided to do.

5. Three Way Conversation Between Two People

This section could easily be headed "You get nothing for Your Thoughts" Your job is to tell your assessor what you are thinking through your conversations with the Role Actor.

6. It is not just what you do but also how you do it!

The assessment process you are in has two distinct different parts to it. You will be assessed against a number of pre-determined behaviours, that your assessor will be looking for you to achieve, but the station will call upon you to respond to the situation in an appropriate fashion too. In a station involving a welfare situation you will be expected to show a more caring side than in a discipline situation where you will need to show a firmer approach.

7. Make FULL use of your notes

You have been given time to prepare for the door opening and the role actor to walk through it. Too often I have watched delegates on our courses put their notes down once the buzzer goes and not pick them up again until the buzzer goes after the 5 minutes are up. They contain very important information which will give you marks. Use them.

8. Make sure you know who is coming in through the door

Sadly I have seen candidates prepare to meet the wrong person. It must be very off-putting when you say "Constable Jenkins" and the role actor says "No I am Framer Brown". In every run of Mock Exams at least one person has done just that. Not a great start really.

9. Think Like a Sergeant

You are a Sergeant in these five stations. Act and think like one. You are not a Constable, even if it is only for the 39 minutes of your exam.

10. Once the Buzzer Goes get Back Into Your Notes

Yes it is important that you 'Do it right' but you really don't need to thank the role actor for dropping by. Once the buzzer sounds in order to be fair to all candidates they will stop straight away, even if they are in mid sentence, don't be put off if they do, you need to get straight back into your notes, you only have two minutes to get ready for your next visitor. Don't waste a second of it.