Post by Amanda Moses

The February National Psychology Exam will be the first sitting mapped to the updated Professional Competencies for Psychologists, which came into effect in December. Approximately 40% of the exam content has been updated to reflect the new curriculum and competency framework. This represents a substantial revision and signals a shift in what the profession is formally assessing at the point of entry to general registration. The updated exam places clearer emphasis on how psychologists reason and position themselves as regulated professionals. Reflexivity, proportionality, cultural responsiveness, and professional judgement are now assessed as explicit competencies rather than assumed background expectations. For provisional psychologists preparing for the February sitting, this has practical implications. Preparation materials developed under the previous curriculum may still contain useful foundations, but they may not be sufficiently aligned with current assessment expectations or the way competence is now being operationalised. Effective preparation now depends on understanding how professional reasoning is framed within the updated competencies and how that reasoning is examined. For provisionals who are preparing for the February sitting and looking for aligned support, my National Psychology Exam preparation course has been updated to reflect the revised competencies and curriculum. The revisions mirror the broader shift in how professional judgement and competence are now being assessed.