All you need to know about becoming a Driving Instructor - Heronswood Driving Tuition, Hertfordshire, UK

Driving Tuition in Welwyn, Hatfield, Stevenage, Potters Bar, St. Albans, Borehamwood, Hertford and surrounding villages

Instructor Training FAQsback to main FAQs page

What are the requirements for me to become a driving instructor?
I can only drive an automatic car because of a disability. Can I still become a driving instructor?
Why do I have to be on the register of approved driving instructors?
What criteria do I have to fulfil to take up a training course with Heronswood?
What does the DSA examination involve?
Tell me more about the theory / hazard perception test?
Tell me more about the test of driving ability?
Tell me more about the test of ability to give instruction?
Tell me more about the trainee licence scheme?
How will the Heronswood training course help me with these examinations?
When will my course start and how long will it take me to qualify?
What are the extra features you give training on with regard to the test of ability to give instruction?
I am interested - can you show me some prices?

1. What are the requirements for me to become a driving instructor?

In order to qualify as a Driving Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructor there are certain requirements, which you must meet; not everyone can become a Driving Instructor. You should be a fit and proper person to have your name entered in the Register.

All non-motoring and all motoring convictions, providing they are not ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, will be taken into account when assessing your suitability. If, however, your Licence has some penalty points (generally a maximum of 6)) this may not necessarily affect your application.

You must have held a full UK or European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA) unrestricted car driving licence for periods totalling at least 4 years out of the 6 years prior to entering the Register after qualifying. Any period after passing the driving test and during which a provisional licence is held may be counted as a full licence. A foreign licence can also count towards the four year period and a full licence to drive ‘automatics’.

You must not, at any time during the 4 years prior to being entered on the Register, have been under a disqualification from driving. You must pass all three parts of the qualifying examination within a two-year period. You must be able to read a vehicle number plate from a minimum of 27.5m (90ft). It should be noted that to accompany provisional licence holders, you must hold a full, unrestricted UK or EU/EEA Driving Licence for 3 years and be over 21.

A full foreign licence will count if it is accepted under the ‘Exchange Scheme’.

2. I can only drive an automatic car because of a disability. Can I still become a driving instructor?

The simple answer to this is yes. However, in accordance with the road traffic act, a driver whose driving licence is limited to driving automatics because of a disability, can qualify to give driving instruction in cars with automatic transmission only.

Please note that we have no automatic cars, so are currently unable to offer training to such people.

3. Why do I have to be on the register of approved driving instructors?

Government legislation decrees that it is illegal for anyone to charge (either money or monies worth) for instruction in driving a motor car unless:

their name is on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors or
they hold a Trainee Licence to give instruction, issued by the Registrar

4. What criteria do I have to fulfil to take up a training course with Heronswood?

All applicants for the course must:

fulfil the DSA requirements as above
meet me, Rob Hayton for an informal chat
be assessed by me as suitable for training

5. What does the DSA examination involve?

The qualifying examination is in three parts:

Part 1 - The Theory / Hazard Perception Test
Part 2 - The Driving Ability Test
Part 3 - The Test Of Ability To Give Instruction

6. Tell me more about the theory / hazard perception test?

Your test will be conducted with the use of a computer terminal, using touch screen technology. The test will consist of 100 multiple choice questions, with four distracters. Some questions will require more than one answer to be selected, so make sure you read the question carefully. The maximum duration of the test will be for 90 minutes (before moving onto the Hazard Perception Test), but you may of course complete the test earlier if necessary.

There are ten subject groups from which the questions are taken, and they are arranged into four separate bands. The reason for this is to ensure that you have learnt the whole syllabus, and should therefore give you a comprehensive knowledge of this syllabus.

You must score a minimum of 85% to pass the test. This should include a minimum of 20 correct answers in each band. A high score above 85% could still result in failure if you fail to get at least 20 answers in one or more bands.

You will have the opportunity to ‘flag’ questions, so that you may return to them later, for instance if you want to review your answer, and possibly amend it. You can also review all of the questions if you so wish, and make amendments if necessary. Once you have completed the test, follow the on-screen prompts.

There is then the option of a three minute break, however you will need to remain seated at your designated computer terminal.

Then comes the Hazard Perception Test. You will have the chance to practice before the test begins and you will be given a brief introduction, with instructions on how to comply with the conditions of the test.

You may listen to the introduction a second time before the test starts. There are 14 one minute video clips, but in total there will be 15 designated hazards, so one clip will contain two designated hazards. Between each clip there is a 10 second pause, to give you a chance to familiarise yourself with the next scenario before it starts. Each clip carries a maximum of 5 points, the earlier you notice the hazard and click the mouse the higher the point score for that hazard. The later you click the mouse the lower the score. Each point scoring window is only about 5 seconds long, so if you click in the first second you would score 5 points, after four seconds, one point, outside this scoring window, too early or too late, no points. Each click is displayed by a red flag on the bottom of the screen. You are not required to click for side roads or bends in the road, as these are not developing hazards, however vehicles and pedestrians are classed as developing hazards. A developing hazard is anything that requires you to check the mirror, brake, steer or consider changing your direction or speed. If you continually click the mouse you will score zero for that clip and a warning will be displayed on your screen. Once the test has started, it cannot be stopped, the clips will not be replayed or re-wound.

With a maximum score of 75 points, the pass mark for the ADI hazard perception test is set at 57 points (76%) or more.

7. Tell me more about the test of driving ability?

This is the second part of the three-part examination to have your name entered onto the Register Of Approved Driving Instructors. It is fair to say that this test is far more difficult than the standard L-Test. A very high level of competency will be expected. You will have to drive in a ‘brisk and business like’ way on a variety of roads traffic conditions, including motorways and dual carriageways. The standard expected will include the following:

A sound knowledge of vehicle related safety issues: read below
Expert handling of all the controls
Use of correct road procedure
Anticipation of the actions of other road users and taking appropriate action
Sound judgement of distance, speed and timing
Consideration for the convenience and safety of other road users
Moving away ahead, and at an angle, possibly uphill and downhill if the route and conditions allow
Overtaking, meeting or crossing the path of other vehicles and taking the appropriate course without undue hesitancy
Turning left-hand and right-hand corners safely and correctly without undue hesitancy
A practical awareness of eco-driving techniques: see related document entitled ‘Eco-Driving’

You will also have to perform:

An eyesight test
An emergency stop
A turn in the road
A reverse park behind a parked vehicle and/or reverse bay park
A reverse into a limited opening on the left
A reverse into a limited opening on the right

You are allowed only three attempts at this test. If you fail three times, you will have to start the qualifying process again, but cannot do so until two years have elapsed from the date you passed the ADI Theory/Hazard Perception test.

During the actual test, you will only be allowed to make up to and including six driving faults (including any faults you accrued on the ‘Tell me, show me…’ element). If you commit one or more serious or dangerous faults, then this will result in failure. The test will last about one hour, and as previously described, will be on varying road and traffic conditions.

For more detailed information, please consult your copy of ‘The Driving Instructors Handbook.’

Tell Me, Show Me….

After the eyesight test, the examiner will ask you five safety-related questions regarding your vehicle. You will accrue one minor fault for each question you answer incorrectly, up to a maximum of four. Should you answer all five questions incorrectly, you will fail the test of driving ability. Do not worry about this - remember you are taking an advanced level test, and you will also probably have been driving for some time before taking this course, so you will hopefully have a reasonably good knowledge of vehicle safety issues anyway, but training will be given. This is not a difficult element of the test.

Eco-Driving Techniques

As you know, we now live in a world where environmental issues are commonplace, both in news bulletins, newspapers and other forms of the media. From recycling your household waste to pumping poisonous gases up into the atmosphere, our everyday lives are influenced in one way or another, and rightly so. No longer is it just sufficient to ‘do your bit’ by choosing an environmentally friendly fuel for your vehicle. We must now teach new drivers the techniques of eco-driving. This will lead to a new breed of driver who, from the moment they take to the road, will drive in an environmentally safe way. It is proposed by the EU that all driving licence acquisition tests (excluding category B - learner drivers) will include an element that takes into account the environmental driving of the candidate.

It is unlikely that Category B test will be indefinitely excluded, in that at some point in the not too distant future, it will become part of that test as well, so we may as well prepare for it by teaching our pupils good habits from day one.

As of 1st October 2005, a minor addition to the ADI Part Two Test will include an assessment by the examiner of the candidates ability to drive in an eco-friendly way. It is currently understood that now matter how unsatisfactory the candidates eco-driving ability is, only one driving fault will be recorded under that heading on the DL25. This will be open to periodical review. However, although a fault will not necessarily be recorded against eco-safe driving, it may that a fault, assessed as driving, serious or dangerous, could be recorded against a different subject heading on the DL25, for instance, item 12 control: accelerator, or item 26 awareness/planning. Initially, any fault recorded against eco-safe driving will be marked in one of the spare boxes.

If you consult the publication, ‘Driving - The Essential Skills’, in the section entitled, ‘The Driver And The Environment’, and ‘Avoiding And Dealing With Congestion’, you will find some very useful information. In his debrief at the end of your Part Two Test, the examiner will explain to you where the eco-unsafe incident(s) occurred, if any.

8. Tell me more about the test of ability to give instruction?

The test will be conducted in two parts or ‘phases’. When you have entered the car*1 the examiner will tell you that this is a test of your ability to give instruction. They will tell you to treat them as a real pupil, and deliver instruction in the way you would normally. They will give you directions in plenty of time during each phase, so as you can repeat them back to the examiner in plenty of time. At the start of each phase, the examiner will ‘set the scene’ of the pupil they are about to role play. They will then inform you of the main subjects you will be asked to deliver instruction on, and that you should correct any other faults that may occur.

Also in Phase One, the examiner could tell you that he will role play someone who has had one driving lesson on controls, but he didn’t have time to get onto moving off and stopping. They may also say that they are unsure about how to use the mirrors, as the previous instructor didn’t explain it properly. For both phases, the examiner will tell you that the car he used before was the same as yours. This is because time is precious, and it would be wasted trying to cover where the controls would be different. Another type of ‘pupil’ the examiner could portray is someone who has had a few lessons, but their instructor is ill, or on holiday, or they didn’t get along etc. After about 28 minutes, the examiner will come out of role play, and tell you that Phase One is now over. They will then make a few notes, before they tell you that Phase Two is about to begin. Before it begins, they will again ‘set the scene’. They will then tell you what the subject for Phase Two is, the type of person they will portray, and the level of the ‘pupils’ ability. Again, remember to correct any other notable faults that may occur. This ‘pupil’ will be at about driving test standard, or someone who is a qualified driver *2, but is undertaking driving development training. After about 28 minutes, they will inform you that Phase Two, and also your test is now over. They will return to their office for ten minutes or so, to mark your result. They will then return to you with the result, and whether you have passed or failed, they will offer a de-brief on your performance.

*2 As a qualified driver the examiner may portray the role of a person who:

requires development in preparation for a job interview that requires a driving assessment by their potential employer
has been abroad for a couple of years and has now returned to driving in Great Britain
has not driven regularly for some time and will now be required to commute by car between different urban office locations
has difficulty with reverse parking as they were not taught it and realises that with fewer spaces available on-road there is a need to be able to do so

In Column A of the ADI26, Phase One exercise numbers for the preset test you are attempting are given the suffix B or PT, as to whether it is beginner or part-trained. Until such a time arrives that new ADI26’s are printed up and the examiner decides to portray a qualified driver, as described above, the subject heading for Phase 2 exercise numbers will have the suffix T (trained) crossed out, and replaced with FLH, standing for Full Licence Holder. Dedicated training will be given to cover this new element.

As this is the final and most challenging part of the qualifying examination, it is important that you familiarise yourself with the following sections describing the preset tests and instructional techniques, characteristics and core competencies. For further guidance, please consult all training publications.

9. Tell me more about the trainee licence scheme?

I regret that due to certain criteria set out by the DSA, I am currently unable to offer the trainee licence scheme. It is still possible to qualify onto the register without taking a trainee licence.

10. How will the Heronswood training course help me with these examinations?

Heronswood instructor training course covers the entire syllabus preparing you for each examination. However, the skills and knowledge required for each part are also relevant throughout the course. As you train for each part you are also being prepared for the next. There will also be training on other elements outside those subjects covered on the preset tests for part three.

11. When will my course start and how long will it take me to qualify?

Your training starts on a mutually agreed date, but prior to that, you will have an informal chat with me, at which time we will plan your studies and tailor the course to meet your requirements. This will take into account the availability of the Driving Standards Agency Tests.

To become a fully qualified Driving Instructor can take as little as six to eight months. This is an approximate minimum time; you may prefer to learn at your own pace. From the date of passing the Part One Test you have up to 2 years to pass The Part Three Test.

12. What are the extra features you give training on with regard to the test of ability to give instruction?

When it comes to this test, a lot of training establishments only teach you to deal with the preset tests. They do not teach you how to give instruction in dealing with reversing into a limited opening on the right, bay parking, roundabouts or dual carriageways. I will endeavour to train you in these elements as well - after all you have to teach them to real pupils (right reverse is for those pupils with limited or no vision to the near side rear of their vehicle, i.e. combi van driver).

I will also make you fully familiar with the all the qualities it will take to make a success of a career as a driving instructor, which include the following requirements:

The core competencies - fault identification, analysis and remedial action
Instructional techniques - level of instruction, planning, control of lesson, feedback & encouragement, communication, Q & A techniques, instructor use of controls
Instructional characteristics - attitude & approach to pupil

All these form part of the professional ADI’s (Approved Driving Instructor) key skills. Training will also be given on the ADI 26, which is the marking sheet the SE uses to assess your performance.

13. I am interested - can you show me some prices?

Please see the Price List page for Instructor Training. If you so wish, you can contact me on 07930 612316, email me or send me through an online enquiry form for any further questions not contained here.