I will give you 1 to 1 tuition with full guidance from your first nervous introduction, through to your theory test with free loan of DVD's etc. and onwards past your successul driving test to the Pass Plus.
We will keep accurate records of your progress en route so that we can assess when you will be ready to book your test. A question often asked is how many lessons will I need! Usually the cop out answer is - all pupils are different and learn at different rates. This is true but does't really help you. The DSA suggest a minimum of 40 hours instructor tuition plus 20 hours private driving. From past records I am able to say that 61% of my pupils pass first time on an average of 30 lessons. Bar a few exceptions the remainder pass within a few extra hours.
Length of lessons. It is becoming increasingly common for instructors to encourage lessons of 2 hours. Whilst this may suit a small number of pupils in my experience any lesson over 90 minutes long is overkill. If you have been concentrating for that length of time any further time spent can scramble the brain and undo all you have achieved in the lesson. So you finish the lesson in a confused state and have wasted the cost of the lesson - approx £50. The main reason for the 2 hour lesson is to cut down on the travel time for the instructor, which may be good business sense but is not putting the pupil's needs first.
In my opinion the ideal training would be 2 lessons per week of 1hour or 90 mins duration. But above all regular lessons are the key to success. Irregular gaps between lessons means that time is wasted on the next lesson trying to remember what was learnt previously.
Cost of lessons. Driving lessons have never been cheap - but when you consider the skilled tuition you are receiving in a quality modern car, and ending up with a life-skill then £22 per hour seems extemely good value. I dont believe in discounts - nothing is ever free, but there are no hidden extras. Basing costs on my above records you can see that you should obtain your driving licence for the outlay of a cheap foreign hoiday.
However you should not lose sight of your ultimate goal - that is to become a safe and considerate driver and so the cost of learning should always be of secondary importance. What price can you put on a life!
Although I do not discount lesson prices I do however reward loyal pupils with a free lesson for every person who is recommended to me . There is no limit to the number of recommends. The first one will give you free use of your tuition car for your test. The second will give you the hour before your test etc. I did have one pupil who introduced 6 friends but didn't take the free offer. She saved up the value and used it towards the cost of doing the Pass Plus. Clever pupil.
Finding the Instructor who is right for you:-
You will always be able to find a cheaper hourly rate but what quality of tuition can you expect? If a solo instructor or a fleet driving school are significantly cheaper they are usually buying your business because they are short of pupils. And this is not because - 'we have had a lot of pupils passing their tests' - it's usually because either business is currently quiet or they are not being recommended. Also poor or inexperienced instructors tend to hide behind a driving school who are able to supply them with pupils. This results in them paying for an introduction fee which means needing even more pupils to cover their costs, and working even longer hours often resulting in irritable and poor quality tuition. We have all heard - 'my last instructor used to shout at me etc.'
Websites detailing fancy sounding initials which look impressive and important but are in fact a legal requirement.
For example - 'ADI' (We should all be registered ADI's otherwise it is illegal to teach driving tuition for payment. A green licence denoting fully qualified and renewed every 4 years. A red licence for a trainee instructor and only valid for 6 months. Both types should be prominently displayed on the front windscreen.)
'CRB checked.' (Again a legal requirement) The check is only valid at time of issue - just like a car MOT.
'Member of DIA.' (That's only a type of union and nothing to do with the quality of the instructor - one pays to join.)
Also be wary of adverts that suggest they are a small company - they are often solo instructors who are giving the impression of offering more than they are able to provide. e.g. 'Our instructors - ??? are able to offer etc. etc' The usual way to catch them out when enquiring is to ask the man answering 'Do you have female instructors?' And of course vice-versa. Also ask them what choice of cars do they offer for training. Now ask yourself why do they need to give that impression?
Another cost cutting exercise for the instructor is 'piggy backing'. This entails sharing your lesson with another pupil or picking up the next pupil en route to your drop off. Again this saves the instructor petrol and time. Not a good idea! The only minor benefit is that the pupil in the back can see and hopefully learn from the driver's mistakes. But the pressure on the driving pupil making those mistakes far outweighs that gain.
I should say at this point that there are instructors out there working for driving schools who give an excellent service and I would recommend them highly. However lesson costs are usually more expensive.
But with 80% of solo instructors you know that you will be training with someone who cares about you, enjoys their work, and will give you an honest service. The other 20% are here today and gone tomorrow. I have taken on several pupils who have been let down by their instructor because he has decided to 'call it a day' because he couldn't earn enough. There is a high turnover rate in the driving training industry. So choose an instructor with a proven history. There is no substitute for recommendation.
So the motto is do your homework and hopefully I will hear from you. I am just a phone call or e-mail away.
Perhaps a peep to see what you are letting yourself in for - Click here