With the average waiting time to take their driving test standing at 22.2 weeks, there’s huge pressure on new drivers to pass first time.
Test dates are released on Monday mornings and there is fierce competition for them from other candidates and from instructors but, worse, from third-party firms who use automated software to hoover up dates for resale.
What can the new driver do to ensure they pass their test first time and put the waiting game behind them? Simply, learn with the best instructor they can find.
Personal recommendation is a good idea but, fortunately, establishing the competence of an instructor is pretty straightforward because the DVSA, which trains and certifies them, also tests and grades them at intervals.
A driving instructor who has achieved a score of between 43 and 51 in their most recent assessment has demonstrated a high standard of instruction and is a Grade A. A Grade B instructor, the majority, is one who has scored 31 to 42 and so is judged to have performed only to a satisfactory standard.
An instructor performing worse than this earns a Fail. Only Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) can be awarded these grades. To find out what grade an instructor is, ask them or check their website.
In addition to ADIs there are Potential Driving Instructors (PDIs). They are training to be ADIs and have passed the first two parts of their three-part ADI qualification programme, granting them a six-month licence to teach. In their favour, they will be cheaper than an ADI and might be brimming with freshly learned ideas and training.
However, unless a PDI qualifies as an ADI during their six-month training period, their licence could expire before the learner driver has completed their lessons. Also, faced with a learner who has no prior driving experience and who requires experienced coaching, a PDI may be out of their depth.
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