Our Ref:         FOI-1989-1718

Thank you for your request received on 19 October 2017 asking for information about the recruitment of Night Tube Train Operators (022816).

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked:

1) The number of applicants for this position. The number of train operators required for this position by TfL.

15,670 applicants for 200 roles.
 
2) The number of British citizens that applied for this position.

We require candidates to prove they have a right to work in the UK but do not ask candidates to specify if they are/not British citizens.
 
3) The benchmark set for the Situational Judgement test. The number of applicants who achieved it.

90% benchmark, 2688 candidates achieved it.
 
4) What was the new benchmark set in September 2017 following a review.

The benchmark was reduced to 80%.
 
5) Up to the present day how many applicants were successful both on the original benchmark and the latest one. How many non-UK citizens had DBS checks.

4782 candidates scored above the original and revised benchmarks and were progressed to the next stage. TfL does not break down DBS checks into UK/Non UK citizens.
 
6) Are DBS checks routinely carried out on non-UK citizens following an offer of employment. How many has tfl carried out in the last year.

All successful candidates, whether UK citizens or not are required to undertake DBS checks as part of the On-boarding process.
 
7) How many successful applicants were UK citizens. How many successful applicants were non-UK citizens.

We do not hold this information, as stated above we require candidates to prove they have a right to work in the UK but we do not ask candidates to specify if they are/not British citizens.
 
8) The benchmark for the assessment at Ashfield House on 12 October 2017 at 13:00 for the 022816 campaign. The number of applicants who were successful. How many were UK citizens. How many were non-UK citizens.

Three candidates successfully passed all of the tests on 12 October 2017. The assessment consists of six tests and candidates are required to achieve the following minimum benchmark in each test:

Tests Assessed:
Benchmark:
Following Information 25
Error Identification 22
Understanding Information 25
SCAAT (Safe, Concentration and Attention Test) Test 1 100
SCAAT (Safe, Concentration and Attention Test) Test 2 77
SCAAT (Safe, Concentration and Attention Test) Test 3 125
 
9) The reason why three of the tests require a pencil to be used, rather than ink.

Using pencils is standard practice across the testing environment as in some instances, mistakes entered by pen cannot be erased and can result in a void score if more than one answer is entered.
 
10) Is the benchmark for the assessment at Ashfield House set prior to the tests or post test i.e. is it a floating benchmark relative to the performance of applicants on the day and the intake of train operators required.

The benchmarks referred to above are set at the start of the recruitment campaign and remain constant throughout the recruitment campaign.

11) How many candidates for the campaign and subsequent assessments were internal candidates.

1356 of the candidates were internal.

If this is not the information you are looking for please feel free to contact me.

With regard to your remaining questions, as previously advised these are requests for your own personal data and so would not be covered under the Freedom of Information Act. Your request has been forwarded onto our HR department and I understand that they have contacted you directly regarding this part of your request.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]