It is so important to have a good instructor that we have put together this page of what to look for/ask when you are receiving quotes, because all instructors, like learners, are not the same.
We have set out 5 main questions first, then expanded a little below:
1. Is your instructor going to be FULLY qualified?
2. What is their pass rate/experience?
3. Do they do times and days that are likely to suit you?
4. What kind of car/environment?
5. Prices and if there is any discount for block booking?
Many driving instructors in the UK today are not yet fully qualified, meaning that they are working under a temporary license (basically allowing them to get practice on you!). We recommend that you choose a fully qualified instructor, unless of course, you are 100% happy with your choice of a ‘PDI’ on a trainee licence.
An instructors’ pass rate can be important – if it is under the average for that area (the instructor should also roughly know what the average is) it can be worth asking ‘why?’ (some instructors may specialise in people with learning difficulties, or have another legitimate reason for a lower percentage).
Experience can be a valuable thing, yet a newly qualified trainer would potentially be ‘fresh’ on all the teaching topics – decide what you’ll be happier with (if you mind at all).
You may find that some of the best instructors are the most difficult to find a convenient time to meet up with, but ideally you want to make sure that you will be able to meet at a suitable time for the foreseeable future – this may help you avoid having to change instructors ‘part way’.
What car you will learn in can be important (not just for ‘street cred’) as smaller cars can be easier to manoeuvre and larger cars can prepare you for the real world (if you are likely to drive a larger car in the future) and can sometimes be safer.
Although it is now illegal to smoke in a ‘workplace’, if you are sensitive to the smell of smoke, you may wish to ensure that you get a non-smoker.
Finally, we come to price. Ideally you don’t want to choose an instructor only because they’re the cheapest – they might not provide the quality that you need. Make sure you find an instructor who fits your needs, even if it costs slightly more!
This is by no means an exhaustive list – feel free to add anything that you feel relevent.