diff --git a/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Extensions/EnumExtensions.cs b/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Extensions/EnumExtensions.cs
index 34c7fdc5c8..b0d6366737 100644
--- a/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Extensions/EnumExtensions.cs
+++ b/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Extensions/EnumExtensions.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ public static string GetDescription(this SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter status,
         {
             switch (status)
             {
+                case SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.Optional:
+                    return "Optional";
                 case SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.RequiresSelfAssessment:
                     return "Requires self assessment";
                 case SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.SelfAssessed:
diff --git a/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Helpers/CompetencyFilterHelper.cs b/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Helpers/CompetencyFilterHelper.cs
index 7ae5111afe..26b0e181ab 100644
--- a/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Helpers/CompetencyFilterHelper.cs
+++ b/DigitalLearningSolutions.Web/Helpers/CompetencyFilterHelper.cs
@@ -34,22 +34,23 @@ private static void ApplyResponseStatusFilters(ref IEnumerable<Competency> compe
         {
             var filteredCompetencies = competencies;
             var appliedResponseStatusFilters = filters.Where(f => IsResponseStatusFilter(f));
+
             if (appliedResponseStatusFilters.Any() || searchText.Length > 0)
             {
                 var wordsInSearchText = searchText.Split().Where(w => w != string.Empty);
-                filters = appliedResponseStatusFilters;
                 filteredCompetencies = from c in competencies
                                        let searchTextMatchesGroup = wordsInSearchText.All(w => c.CompetencyGroup?.Contains(w, StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase) ?? false)
                                        let searchTextMatchesCompetencyDescription = wordsInSearchText.All(w => c.Description?.Contains(w, StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase) ?? false)
                                        let searchTextMatchesCompetencyName = wordsInSearchText.All(w => c.Name?.Contains(w, StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase) ?? false)
-                                       let responseStatusFilterMatchesAnyQuestion =
-                                          (filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.RequiresSelfAssessment) && c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.ResultId == null))
-                                       || (filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.SelfAssessed) && c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.ResultId != null && q.Requested == null && q.SignedOff == null))
-                                       || (filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.ConfirmationRequested) && c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.Verified == null && q.Requested != null))
-                                       || (filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.ConfirmationRejected) && c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.Verified.HasValue && q.SignedOff != true))
-                                       || (filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.Verified) && c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.Verified.HasValue && q.SignedOff == true))
+                                       let responseStatusFilterMatchesAll =
+                                           (!filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.RequiresSelfAssessment) || c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.ResultId == null))
+                                       && (!filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.SelfAssessed) || c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.ResultId != null && q.Requested == null && q.SignedOff == null))
+                                       && (!filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.ConfirmationRequested) || c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.Verified == null && q.Requested != null))
+                                       && (!filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.ConfirmationRejected) || c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.Verified.HasValue && q.SignedOff != true))
+                                       && (!filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.Verified) || c.AssessmentQuestions.Any(q => q.Verified.HasValue && q.SignedOff == true))
+                                       && (!filters.Contains((int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.Optional) || c.Optional)
                                        where (wordsInSearchText.Count() == 0 || searchTextMatchesGroup || searchTextMatchesCompetencyDescription || searchTextMatchesCompetencyName)
-                                           && (!appliedResponseStatusFilters.Any() || responseStatusFilterMatchesAnyQuestion)
+                                           && (!appliedResponseStatusFilters.Any() || responseStatusFilterMatchesAll)
                                        select c;
             }
             competencies = filteredCompetencies;
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ public static bool IsResponseStatusFilter(int filter)
         {
             var responseStatusFilters = new int[]
             {
+                (int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.Optional,
                 (int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.RequiresSelfAssessment,
                 (int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.SelfAssessed,
                 (int)SelfAssessmentCompetencyFilter.Verified,