Since the end of 2021, I have been using the Total Drive App to record details of lessons for my pupils. Each pupil can access the App to view their own profile and see dates/times of lessons, records of payments made and view progress against the syllabus. In addition, pupils can add their own reflections in a log after a lesson and view any gaps in my diary (and book extra lessons). Pupils can access this App without charge. Total Drive charge a small fee (£4.99) for parents to purchase the App and view the record (subject to their child giving permission).

Occasionally I am asked whether or not I provide intensive courses (or some people call them crash courses) but I am mindful that the term is open to interpretation. I tend to view an intensive course as having lessons every day (or most days) over a very short term period (days or weeks rather than months).

While an intensive style of learning to drive can suit some people, and can be considered a useful way of learning when there is a pressing need to be able to drive, it does not suit many people. While I do provide semi intensive learning, I do not provide intensive courses in the way that I’ve described them but it may be helpful to understand the key six reasons why (below):-

1. Intensive courses require a lot of time dedicated to one learner in a very short space of time. Like most instructors, my diary is full most days with learners who have regular weekly lessons (I tend to have around 15-20 active learners being trained by me at any one time). There would simply not be enough time in my diary to allocate so much time to one learner (for an intensive course).

2. If a learner or their instructor has a short term illness, it might mean one or two lessons need to be cancelled. For those with an intensive course, it could mean that whole course has to be cancelled.

3. By definition, intensive courses mean that the majority of lessons (usually around 50 hours) are performed in a very short period of time. For most people, this does simply not allow learning to be fully absorbed as most people need some time between lessons to take stock and for learning to be fully understood and processed (in the same way that the A Level syllabus is designed to develop learning over a two year period and not over a two week period of intensive learning).

4. While most learners do require around 50 hours of lessons, some need more time. This is difficult to plan for when arranging an intensive course as it can take several lessons to assess the pace of learning for each individual.

5. Spreading 50 hours of learning over several months rather than a few weeks or days provides more exposure to a greater variety of situations. It is quite possible to learn in an intensive short period and yet never experience driving in the rain, windy conditions or when there are roadworks.

6. In my experience, most learners start to focus on their driving test within the final month or two of their lessons. For learners who learn in an intensive way, with a test date coming up before they have even learned the basics, they can wrongly focus on a test and the additional pressure of an imminent test can affect their learning.

Some driving schools that specialise in intensive courses will have a different business model (not having so many pupils). While I do not promote or provide intensive courses (for all the above reasons), I do recognise that semi intensive learning (2 or 3 lessons a week) can help shorten the process but, again, this does not suit everyone and does require an instructor who has two or three slots available (at a time that also suits you).

Learning to drive in an intensive manner is not a style of learning that suits everyone, so embarking on this route needs careful consideration. In my experience, the people who benefit most from such intensive courses are focused individuals who can commit to and are used to an intensive style of learning and do not have the opportunity to practise (e.g. with a parent) between lessons.

In my view, a semi intensive start is good compromise, as it helps to avoid large gaps between the early lessons (when there are a lot of new skills to develop and a lot of information to retain). Obviously, it depends on the individual’s learning style but I am happy to provide semi intensive starter sessions to new learners (subject to diary commitments) and will also consider a semi intensive course (see below for my definition) but needs to be planned well in advance. Summer time can be a good option, when some of my pupils (uni students) leave Nottingham for a few months and I have more diary options to offer.

Semi Intensive Starter – 2 or 3 driving lessons a week for 2-3 weeks (followed by regular weekly lessons)

Semi Intensive Course – 2 or 3 driving lessons a week (2 hour sessions), for at least 6-8 weeks

If you are interested in learning in a more intensive way (in the Chilwell test area of Nottingham), I would welcome the opportunity to chat through your plans with you and would suggest that you contact me to outline your plans in more detail.

Unlike many driving instructors (who would charge for any lesson cancelled with less than 48 hours notice), I have a more relaxed and pragmatic approach.  However, with several lessons being cancelled this week, I thought that it would be useful to highlight my approach.

1. Illness/Family Emergency– I do not charge for lessons cancelled due to a genuine illness (that would affect your ability to drive or learn) or due to an emergency effecting an immediate family member, providing that I am advised at least one hour before the scheduled start time. Since March 2020, this has changed further to reflect that there is no charge applied to any cancellation (regardless of the amount of notice given) if the cancellation is due to Covid-19 related illness/symptoms.

2. Other Reasons – I do not charge for lessons cancelled for any other reason (e.g. change in work shift), providing that I am advised at least 48 hours before the scheduled start time.

3. Cancellation Charges – I will apply a charge (for the full cost of the lesson cancelled) where insufficient notice has been given.

4. Repetitive Cancellations – If three or more lessons are cancelled, consideration will be given to stop providing future lessons.

5. Reliability Reward – Pupils who have had at least 25 hours of lessons with me AND have not cancelled any lessons are rewarded with a free session and free use of the car on the day of their test.

These conditions are detailed in Section 10 and Section 13 (iv) of my terms of business (which are agreed by pupils prior to commencing lessons).

As well as providing insurance products for learners drivers and students (using their own car or a parent’s car) and newly qualified drivers, MyFirstUK now also offers a new hybrid policy. This hybrid policy can cover you while you are learning to drive and continues after you pass your test.  Many young drivers struggle with the expense of paying for learner driver insurance and then paying again for newly-passed insurance cover. This hybrid policy means that you don’t have to pay an additional amount after you pass your test (and also means that you can start to build up your no claims at an earlier stage).  Using my referral code (460309) will enable you to get £100 off the first premium.

The Covid pandemic has resulted in a very long waiting list for practical tests at the moment. Given this, practical tests usually have to be booked several months in advance. This means that it is very difficult to predict if a learner will be ready to take their test at the time of booking it.

Learners not only need to feel confident and suitably prepared to take their test but also that they feel ready to drive independently after they pass.  Therefore, it is vitally important that an open conversation is held at the end of each lesson to review progress and, in the weeks leading up to the test, an assessment of readiness for the test is discussed. Alongside verbal support and reviews, my learners are also offered mock tests, supporting videos and guides to help their preparation.

The decision on when to book a test (or to take the test) is, therefore, a mutual decision and subject to periodic discussion, review and a structured preparation plan.

While I do not currently offer special offers or deals, my pupils receive some extra benefits (subject to terms).

I do offer a free introductory meeting to potential new pupils. The meeting is an opportunity to explore your thoughts and plans before deciding on which instructor you want to choose.

To book or enquire about my introductory meeting, please contact me using my contact form, by telephone or send me a message (text or WhatsApp) using any of the contact details at the bottom of this page.

The unfortunate reality is that over 20% of all newly qualified drivers are involved in an accident within the first year of driving. In general, this is usually due to a lack of experience but can also sometimes be due to overconfidence, risk-taking or perhaps a bit of complacency (not consistently applying the disciplines that they were taught as a learner). Although inexperience rather than age is the biggest factor, it is useful to note that nearly 9% of all fatal/serious accidents involve a driver under 19 (yet only 1.5% of all drivers are under 19 years old).

If you did not learn to drive with me or want to arrange a session more than 12 months after passing your test, the usual fees will apply.

As a general rule, all sessions are held in my car. However, as the session is free, it had been carried out in your own car (if you have one, it is likely that you will now be familiar with it) providing that you have suitable car insurance and breakdown recovery arrangements in place.

Smart motorway is a fairly new term to describe sections of motorways where technology is used by regional centres to help reduce congestion. The regional centres use CCTV and traffic sensors to help monitor traffic flows and can activate signs and adjust speed limits (known as variable speed limits) to help traffic move more freely.

On busier stretches of motorways, the hard shoulder may be used (either as a permanent extra lane or temporarily, using signs to indicate when it is in use) as a way of avoiding the cost or the environmental impact of building another lane. In these sections of motorways, there are emergency areas (with emergency telephones) if the event of a vehicle breaking down.

If you start to experience problems with your vehicle when driving on a smart motorway, try to leave the motorway at the next exit. If this isn’t possible, use the next emergency area and contact the regional centre using the emergency telephone.

If your car breaks down before you can reach the next emergency area, try to drive it to the nearside verge (the extreme left of the nearside (left) lane) and switch on your hazard lights. It is also suggested that you switch on your lights and rear fog lights (to help increase your visibility to other drivers). To avoid the danger of being inside a stationary vehicle (as there is a risk of it being being hit from behind), exit your vehicle as soon as possible (if you feel it is safe to do so) and take your mobile phone with you. When you and your passengers leave your vehicle, leave it using the nearside (left) doors and wait behind a safety barrier, keeping well away from the traffic and your own vehicle (just in case it gets hit). You can use your mobile phone to contact the nearest regional centre (0300 123 5000) as well as your own breakdown recovery provider (so it is an idea to have these numbers stored in your phone).

Since June 2018, learners have been allowed to drive on motorways (providing that they are accompanied by a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor). As those living in NG7, NG8 and NG9 are close to the MI, most of my learners are now offered the opportunity to have a lesson on a motorway (once I have assessed that they have reached a suitable standard). The motorway lesson will include joining a motorway from a slip road, overtaking/changing lanes, using cruise control and leaving a motorway from a slip road. Conversations during the motorway lesson will focus on the sort of areas covered by the Theory Test (e.g. what to do in the event of a breakdown, motorway signs, colours of studs, contraflows etc). If you are planning to take your Theory Test before having a lesson on a motorway, we can have a discussion about motorways during any other lesson.

If you are a qualified driver without much (or any) motorway experience and want a motorway lesson, please contact me with your details to obtain more information. If you passed your test before June 2018, after having at least 25 hours of lessons with me, I will offer a 50% discount off the usual price for a motorway lesson.

A few articles have recently been posted and called “Private Videos” and are password protected.  These posts contain videos from lessons and are only accessible to the learner involved in those lessons. The password is unique to the learner concerned.