Police Officer - Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)

Department: Police Officer

Location: Oxfordshire

Rank/Grade: Police Constable

Salary: £34,164 (which includes a £3,000 South East living allowance)

From day one of your training you are a warranted officer and, on successful completion of the programme and your probation, your learning will be accredited with a BSc (Hons) Professional Policing Practice.

A three-year professional degree-level apprenticeship programme combining on-the-job practical learning and operational competence with academic learning.

A blended learning programme delivered by TVP and our Higher Education Institute (HEI) with initial learning phase based at TVP’s Training Centres in Sulhamstead, Reading and Kidlington. You will then join your designated Local Command Unit (LCU) for a period of operational tutoring leading to Independent Patrol Status. In year one operational training will include officer safety training, making an arrest and how to conduct a stop and search, amongst other things. You will also be required to complete seven academic assignments. Four of these are completed during the initial learning phase, the remaining three are to be completed whilst operationally deployed during assigned periods of Protected Learning Time.

Builds on the first year of learning but with more operational focus including response, investigation, intelligence, community policing and roads policing. In year two you will be required to complete seven academic assignments whilst operationally deployed during assigned periods of Protected Learning Time. During the second year of your probation period you may be identified for an attachment of either 20 weeks in Assessment and Investigation Unit (AIU) or for 12 months on Neighbourhood.

In year three you will be required to complete four academic assignments whilst operationally deployed during assigned periods of Protected Learning Time in addition to the End Point Assessment. As part of your End Point Assessment you will be assessed on your Evidence-Based Research Project and achieve Full Operational Competence. The research project has a practical policing purpose; demonstrating your learning, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The starting salary for all new recruits is £34,164 (inclusive of a £3,000 South-East living allowance). On the current system, officers can expect to be earning in excess of £53,000 per annum by their seventh year in the job.

This application is primarily for Oxfordshire covering Abingdon, Banbury, Bicester, Cowley, Didcot and Witney police stations. However, if you can reach other main stations in Buckinghamshire or Berkshire, those locations will also be taken into account when a posting decision is made. You should not apply for multiple locations.

Typically the process from initial application through to start date takes about 9 months.

• Self-assessment form – all potential applicants must self-assess their eligibility prior to applying
• Application including proof of eligibility (e.g. educational certificates, compliance with residency, tattoo policy etc.)
• Online Assessments (National Sift and Online Assessment Centre (OAC))
• Interview
• Provisional Offer
• Pre-employment checks including interview, fitness test, medical, references and vetting
• Formal Offer including written confirmation of posting and start date

To apply for a role as a Police Officer via the PCDA you must:

• Age – be at least 17 years of age
• Citizenship – be a British citizen, or an EC/EEA national with Settled status, or a Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with Indefinite Leave to Remain and no restrictions on your stay in the United Kingdom
• Residency – have been a UK resident for the last three years. There are some exceptions (e.g. periods of travelling/working overseas, armed forces etc) which will be considered on a case-by-case basis
• GCSE Education – All applicants must have passes in both English (Language or Literature) and Mathematics at GCSE/Level 2 (A*-C / 9-4) or equivalent (this is a requirement of the National Apprenticeship programme)
• Further Education/Experience – In addition to the GCSEs, applicants must also have two A-levels (grade A-E) or equivalent Level 3 qualifications OR one A-Level qualification combined with relevant professional experience OR relevant professional experience only. Suitability of your 'relevant professional experience' will be jointly assessed by TVP and our HEI, with TVP having the final decision
• Driving licence – hold a full UK driving licence (manual or automatic) before receiving a formal offer of appointment
• Criminal Record – not have served any period of imprisonment or youth detention. If you have a criminal record or conviction, it may lead to your application being rejected. We will take into account factors including the date and nature of the offence, plus evidence of good character since the offence
• Health – be in good health and able to physically and mentally perform the duties of a Police Officer once appointed
• Personal – not have any piercings or tattoos which could cause offence
• Previous application – not have applied unsuccessfully to any Home Office Force within the past six months
• Location – live within 40 road miles and a 1 hour commute of two of our main police stations before a formal job offer is made. Flexibility is expected in terms of postings as we may need to post to certain locations based on organisational need and this might not be your preferred location.

TVP applicants – those currently working as a PCSO, Detention Officer or a Contact Management Call Handler must have been in their role for 12 months before applying to become a Police Officer.

Academic assignments are typically made up of the following: Coursework (essays / reports / portfolios), presentations / posters and time constrained examination / set exercises. There is sufficient protected learning time (PLT) built into all the PCDA programme throughout the 3 years in order to successfully complete the course and achieve the relevant qualification. Part of this PLT is reserved for learning (off the job training) to be delivered to the student and part is reserved as independent study time to assist in the completion of the academic assignments. However, students may choose to spend additional time on training outside of these allocated hours. However, students may wish to spend additional time on completing assignments outside of these allocated hours.

If you do not have the required English and Maths qualifications, please refer to the English & Maths Level 2 document which contains guidance on how you could gain these qualifications.

TVP and our HEI need to ensure that student officers on the PCDA have the ability to achieve what is required academically during the programme. ‘Relevant professional experience’ could come from a wide variety of professions and industries, both public and private sector and, for example, could include (but is not limited to) transferable experience where: you have had to demonstrate an ability to solve problems or make informed decisions, research, retain and convey complex information, managed a varied workload or projects, worked under pressure or to tight time scales.

Vetting: All posts require a level of Police Vetting as per the National Vetting Code of Practice. The residency requirement is necessary to enable all applicants to be checked in an equitable manner. Thames Valley Police will allow applicants to apply who do not necessarily reach the criteria as long as they have proven UK residency and supporting evidence where necessary. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.