The CCTV Operator qualification has two multiple-choice exams and a short written workbook, alongside the control-room practical. This guide sets out exactly what each written assessment involves, taken from the current Highfield specification for the Level 2 Award for CCTV Operators (Public Space Surveillance) in the Private Security Industry, the SIA licence-linked qualification we deliver in Hayes.
The written assessments at a glance
| Assessment | Questions | Time | Pass mark | Correct answers needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 exam: Principles of working in the private security industry | 72 | 110 minutes | 70% | 51 of 72 |
| Unit 2 exam: Principles and practices of working as a CCTV operator | 40 | 60 minutes | 70% | 28 of 40 |
| Unit 2 workbook | 6 short-answer questions | Completed in the classroom | 80% on the short-answer element |
The two exams are externally set and marked by the awarding body, graded pass or fail, and each must be passed on its own. The workbook is set by Highfield and marked by us against its answer guidance. Every exam question is multiple choice with one correct answer and no negative marking.
The two-day route for Door Supervisor and Security Guard holders
Unit 1 is the same unit, with the same exam, as in the Door Supervisor and Security Guard qualifications introduced in April 2021. If you already hold one of those qualifications you have already passed Unit 1, so you join on Day 2, skip the Unit 1 exam and the evidential statement, and sit only the Unit 2 exam, the workbook and the practical. Bring your original certificate so we can confirm it. If your door supervisor qualification is from before April 2021, it does not include this unit and you take the full course.
Unit 1: the shared industry paper
Seventy-two questions on the private security industry and its law, the SIA and licensing, your responsibilities, health and safety, fire procedures, emergencies, communication and customer service, record keeping, terror threats, vulnerable people and post-incident management. Most of it is delivered through the Highfield e-learning you complete before Day 1, and the exam rewards people who read it rather than clicked through it. Allow about 90 seconds a question.
Unit 2: the CCTV paper
Forty questions, an hour, on the things that make CCTV its own discipline:
- the purpose of public space surveillance systems and the roles of the control room team and other stakeholders;
- the legislation that controls CCTV: data protection and the UK GDPR, the Human Rights Act, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and directed surveillance, the Protection of Freedoms Act and the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, the Freedom of Information Act, and the offence of voyeurism;
- operational procedures, codes of practice, audit trails and disclosure;
- how the equipment works: cameras, pan-tilt-zoom, recording, storage, image quality and retention;
- surveillance techniques: patrolling with cameras, tracking, target and area surveillance, recognising suspicious behaviour;
- types of incidents and how to respond, including dealing with several at once and working with staff on the ground and the police;
- health and safety in a control room, including screen work and lone working.
Allow 90 seconds a question and expect scenario questions: what should the operator do when they see this, who do they tell, what do they record.
The workbook
Six short-answer questions, completed in the classroom after the unit has been taught, on topics such as how voyeurism legislation affects CCTV operation, a range of surveillance techniques, the standards for capturing evidential images, what to do when dealing with multiple incidents, and the specific risks and controls of control-room work. You write in your own words. The pass mark on the short-answer element is 80 per cent, so answer every question fully; a one-line answer where three points are needed loses the marks.
How the exams are run
- Each exam is sat after its unit has been delivered, under exam conditions with a clock in view, invigilated by someone who did not teach you that unit.
- We run the papers digitally and mark them on the day so you leave knowing your result. Certificates follow once Highfield has processed the course.
- Reasonable adjustments are available through the awarding body's policy if requested before the exam, so tell us when you book.
How to revise
- Do the e-learning as study. It is most of Unit 1.
- Use the mock exams by unit. Our free SIA mock exams include the CCTV units. Sit them timed.
- Learn the legislation by name and purpose. CCTV questions love "which Act" and "which code".
- Rehearse the workbook topics out loud. If you can explain evidential image standards to a friend, you can write them down.
- Ask on the course about anything that has not landed, before the paper, not after.
If you do not pass first time
You resit only the paper you missed. On courses that include the ASA Exam Warranty, your next two attempts at that exam are covered at no extra cost, provided you attended, took part and book the retake promptly.
Start with the mock exams, then read how the CCTV practical assessment works. Course dates and current prices are on the calendar.
FAQ
How many exams are there on the CCTV course?
Two multiple-choice papers, 72 and 40 questions, plus a six-question workbook and a practical assessment on the equipment.
What is the pass mark for the CCTV exams?
70 per cent on each exam. The workbook's short-answer element needs 80 per cent.
I have a Door Supervisor licence. Do I sit both exams?
If your Door Supervisor or Security Guard qualification was gained under the April 2021 specification, you have already passed Unit 1 and sit only the Unit 2 exam, the workbook and the practical.
Is there a first aid requirement for CCTV?
No. The first aid requirement applies to Door Supervisor and Security Guard training, not CCTV.
Ready to book your course?
Current prices and dates are on our calendar. Everything about A Security Academy, the SIA-approved training centre in Hayes, West London, is on the home page.