For someone to become a professional driving instructor they must first be trained by an instructor who is registered (by the Driving Standards Agency – DSA) to teach potential instructors.
The student instructor must then take and pass 3 tests – theory and practical (just like the rest of you, but much tougher) and finally a test to show how competent they are at teaching others to drive. Only about 6% of people who start training to be a driving instructor actually succeed in qualifying, that’s how high the standard is.
At the end of this final test the DSA examiner will give the instructor a grade from 1 to 6. Grades 1 to 3 are unacceptable. Grade 4 is ‘competent’, grade 5 is ‘good’ and grade 6 is ‘very good’. Any driving instructor whose grade is less than a 4 is subject to further checks by the DSA and if the standard of their tuition fails to improve within a very short period of time, they risk having their driving instructor licence withdrawn.
Most instructors (over 50% of them) are grade 4 and this is the minimum you should be looking for in an instructor, 31% are grade 5 and only about 6% ever achieve Grade 6.
Before they have passed their final test some potential instructors may be granted a licence to train so they can get some teaching experience. They are described as PDI – probationary or potential driving instructors. Once they have passed their final test they will be described as an ADI – approved driving instructor. When either of these is carrying out training for payment they must display the appropriate badge in the window of the car. The approved driving instructor badge is green and this is the one you should be looking for in your instructors car!
Periodically all ADIs must take another test to show they are still competent to teach. Not only do ADIs have to be skilled drivers and teachers, but they also need nerves of steel, the patience of a saint and a great sense of humour!!!
If you would like any further information then give Allan a call on 01323 647078.
