Instructor Training Process

Introduction:

As with all good things this will take time, money and effort. At Driving-Pro Limited we have an experienced training team under the guidance of Glen Robbins.

We offer full support which will include regular monthly breakfast meetings and a closed Instructor Facebook group. These are where problems can be shared, information exchanged, questions asked and just a chance to meet your colleagues.

Learner-Driving-Training

Once you have qualified if you want more training we will make that happen for you. We want you to be the best instructor you can be.

Your training will be tailored to suit your needs and abilities and will get you to where you want to be. This training is available on a pay-as-you-go basis, so there are no large fees to pay up front.

To be eligible to train as an instructor, you must:

Be over 21
Have held a full car licence for at least 3 years
Not been disqualified in the last 4 years

Your application may be refused if you have:

Been banned from driving
Have 5 or more penalty points
Been convicted of a non-motoring offence

Your application will probably be refused if you have been:

Convicted of a sexual, violent, financial or drug-related crime
Banned from working with children

DBS:

The DBS stands for disclosure and barring service. This is your first step to becoming a driving instructor.

Currently this will cost you £8.22. Even if you already have one for your current role, they will want you to have a new one.

As driving instructors this is something that we have to do every 4 years when we renew our licences. The DBS has to be done within 6 months of a licence application or renewal.

We also have an obligation to inform The Registrar of any changes to our situation that may affect our fitness to remain on the register.

Click here to: Start my DBS Check

Start The Application (PRN):

This is the start of your process of becoming a driving instructor. You will be applying for what is called your PRN. This is your Personal Reference Number and will follow throughout your career as a driving instructor.

What happens here is that they (The DVSA) are checking that you are a fit and proper person to go on The Register of Approved Driving Instructors. If you are accepted here, so long as there is no change in your circumstances and you pass your exams you can become an ADI.

Once you have your DBS number, you will need your driving licence number, details of any motoring offences and details of any court cases being brought against you.

When you have these click here to: Start to Become a Driving Instructor

How to Choose a Training Establishment:

There are a number of things to consider here:

Quality of training
Location and availability of training
Cost of training
Contract

Looking at these in the order given above.

Quality:

Who is actually giving you the training and how is it done
Do you get on with the person delivering the training
If not could you get another trainer
What support will your trainer have to deliver your training
Will it be one to one
Number of in car hours
Legal minimum is 15 (10+5) for the Part 3
Driving-Pro offer nearly 50 for the Part 3
If not how many others will you be sharing with
If you are sharing will that be reflected in the price

Part 1.

How will that be done
Will you be given a pile of books and or access to an app and told to get on with it
If there is something you do not understand who do you go to

Part 2.

Where and when
Can you commit to making the necessary practice
What happens if you need more

Part 3.

How will this be done
The current regulations say for the 40 hours to get your Trainee Licence, only 10 have to be done one to one
Fine if you can learn a practical skill sitting in the classroom
But if you are like the rest of us and need to practise a skill to learn it properly you will want a lot more than 10 hours

Location and Availability:

Where and when are your questions here
What happens if you need extra

Cost:

How much
Do you have to pay it all upfront
What is the refund policy if you can not continue
Can you pay as you go
What about the legal costs
Exams have to be paid for, have you allowed for that

Contract:

Will you have to sign a contract
Are you getting cheap training in order to pay a expensive franchise fee for the next 3 years
Are you committing to working every evening and weekend or can you do the hours you want
How far will they expect you to travel for work
What if you want to terminate it
What if they want to terminate it

An overview of the Process:

The process of training to become an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) is laid out by the DVSA using the following roles:

Roles 1-4 set out the requirements for anyone to be a safe and responsible driver of a normal car (category b).

To read in full follow this Roles 1-4

The supporting books for roles 1-4 will be:

The Highway Code
Know Your Traffic Signs
Driving the Essential Skills

Role 5 relates to a trainee instructors level of driving.

To read in full follow this Role 5

Role 6 is the actual process of training a driving instructor.

To read in full follow this Role 6

We will look in detail at each section.

Role 1:

Preparing a vehicle and its occupants for a journey.

The learning outcomes are:

be able to understand when you are physically and mentally fit to drive, know when you
are not fit to drive and make suitable decisions based on that understanding
understand and act on a driver’s responsibility to make sure that your vehicle is legally
compliant
be able to control the risks associated with carrying passengers, loads and animals
be able to plan a journey using suitable transport

Role 2:

Guide and control a vehicle.

The learning outcomes are:

treat learning-to-drive as an ongoing learning experience
be able to start, move-off, stop and leave a vehicle safely and appropriately
be able to drive and manoeuvre a vehicle safely on different road surfaces and
in different weather conditions
know the legal constraints that apply and the principles of towing a trailer or
caravan safely and responsibly

Role 3:

Drive a vehicle in accordance with The Highway Code.

The learning outcomes are:

be able to negotiate the road safely and responsibly in changing road and traffic
conditions
be able to comply with signals, signs, markings and traffic calming measures

Role 4:

Drive safely and efficiently.

The learning outcomes are:

be able to interact appropriately with other road users in varying road and traffic
conditions
be able to minimise risk when driving in varying road and traffic conditions
know how to behave appropriately at incidents

Role 5:

Demonstrate developed skills, knowledge and understanding in relation to the DVSA
National Driving Standard.

Lady checking blind spot

The learning outcomes are:

Demonstrate developed understanding of the National Driving Standard and
The Highway Code
Demonstrate developed skills, knowledge and understanding in relation to the
DVSA National Driving Standard