What Qualifications Should a Driving Instructor Have?
Choosing a driving instructor is about more than finding someone with a car and a few years of driving experience. In Great Britain, there are specific qualifications and registration requirements for anyone who charges for driving instruction.
Understanding what those qualifications mean can help you choose an instructor with confidence.
What Is an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI)?
An Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) is a driving instructor who has completed the DVSA qualification process and is registered with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
Anyone who charges for driving lessons must either be a registered ADI or hold a valid trainee driving instructor licence. A fully qualified ADI displays a green badge in the vehicle windscreen, while a licensed trainee displays a pink badge.
For a learner, the badge provides a simple way to check that the person providing paid instruction is properly registered.
How Does a Driving Instructor Become an ADI?
Becoming an ADI involves passing three qualifying tests:
Part 1 – Theory and Hazard Perception
The first test assesses an instructor’s knowledge of driving theory and hazard perception.
Part 2 – Driving Ability
The second test assesses the candidate’s practical driving ability.
Part 3 – Instructional Ability
The final test assesses the candidate’s ability to teach. This involves giving a driving lesson while being assessed on areas such as lesson planning, risk management and teaching and learning skills.
Passing all three parts allows the instructor to apply to join the ADI register.
What Is a DVSA Standards Check?
Qualifying as an ADI is not simply a case of passing three tests and then being left entirely on your own.
ADIs are required to take DVSA Standards Checks, which assess their ability to teach pupils effectively. They usually take place every four years, although an instructor may be asked to take a check sooner in certain circumstances.
During a Standards Check, a DVSA examiner observes the instructor giving a client-centred driving lesson. The assessment covers three main areas:
- lesson planning
- risk management
- teaching and learning skills
What Does a Grade A Mean?
You may sometimes see driving instructors advertising a Grade A Standards Check result.
Under the current DVSA grading system, a Grade A means the instructor has demonstrated a high standard of instruction. The current grading system also includes Grade B and Fail.
A Grade A is therefore a useful piece of information when comparing instructors, although it is only one factor to consider when choosing someone to learn with.
Are There Other Qualifications Driving Instructors Can Have?
Yes. Some instructors undertake additional training or qualifications beyond the requirements for becoming an ADI.
These might include advanced driving qualifications, specialist training or further professional development. These are not required simply to become an ADI, so it’s worth checking what a particular qualification actually covers rather than assuming every additional certificate has the same relevance to learner driving tuition.
DVSA also encourages ADIs to undertake continuing professional development, but this is different from the compulsory ADI qualification and Standards Check process.
What Should You Look For When Choosing a Driving Instructor?
Qualifications are important, but they aren’t the whole picture.
It’s also worth considering:
Experience
How long has the instructor been teaching? An experienced instructor may have dealt with a wide range of learners, from complete beginners to nervous drivers and people returning to driving.
Teaching approach
A good instructor should be able to adapt lessons to the learner rather than simply following the same routine with everyone.
Reviews and reputation
Independent reviews can give you an idea of how previous learners found the instructor’s teaching style, communication and overall experience.
The type of tuition you want
Some instructors specialise in automatic lessons, while others teach both automatic and manual cars. Make sure the instructor offers the type of tuition you’re looking for.
Local knowledge
If you’re preparing for a practical test, familiarity with the local roads and test centre can be useful when it comes to practising the types of situations you are likely to encounter.
What About EL’s Driving School?
EL’s Driving School was established in 2004 and specialises in automatic driving tuition across Bromley, Beckenham, West Wickham and Catford.
Our instruction is provided by DVSA-approved instructors, with a focus on developing safe, confident and independent drivers rather than simply teaching learners to pass a test.
EL’s also holds a Grade A DVSA Standards Check result, reflecting a high standard of instructional performance.
You can find out more about our approach, experience and automatic driving lessons on our main website.
The Bottom Line
When choosing a driving instructor, the first thing to check is that they are properly registered to provide paid instruction.
From there, look at their experience, teaching style, reviews and whether they offer the type of tuition you need.
Qualifications matter, but the best instructor for you is also someone whose teaching approach suits the way you learn.
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