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Here are answers
to some of our frequently asked questions. If you have a question
relating to your driving lessons or test, that you can't find on
this page, please contact us and we will do our best to answer it
for you.
How old do
I have to be to start driving a car?
What
documentation do I need to start driving?
How do I apply
for a provisional licence?
Can I start driving lessons before I have passed my theory test?
How often should I have
a lesson?
How many lessons
do I need?
Who is allowed to
teach or supervise me?
I
have an International Driving License. What do I do?
How do
I know when I am ready for my driving test?
What is Pass Plus?
How old do
I have to be to start driving a car?
You can start
learning to drive at 17.
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What
documentation do I need to start driving?
A valid provisional driving licence. If it is the old style (just a
paper licence) it must be signed & accompanied by some form of photo
identification. If it is the new style you will need both the
plastic photographic card and the paper counterpart.
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How do I apply
for a provisional licence?
Complete driving licence
application form D1 and photo card application form D750 (available
from most post offices). Or
apply online here.
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Can I start driving lessons before I have passed my theory test?
Yes, we would
recommend you have a few lessons prior to applying for the theory
test. The practical driving experience will help make more sense and
the instructor can assist in your study for the exam. back to top
How often should I have a
lesson?
We recommend you
have a lesson at least once a week, otherwise you may spend too much
time recapping what was achieved last time. You can have more than
one lesson a week and students often do this leading up to their
test.
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How many lessons do I need?
Different
levels of skill, ability and confidence are all factors, everybody
is different and each person will have different training needs that
need addressing. Often the number of lessons quoted will be anywhere
between 30-60 hours, with the average around 40-45. Other factors
often dictating the time are number of lessons per week, and how
frequent the lessons are.
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Who is allowed to
teach or supervise me?
Anyone who is at
least 21 years old and have held a full EU motor car licence for at
least 3 years can supervise your private practice. It is illegal for
anyone else other than a registered driving instructor to charge
money for teaching you to drive. The vehicle must be insured for you
to drive.
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I
have an International Driving License. What do I do?
If you hold a
full international license you are entitled to drive in the U.K. for
one year from the date of your arrival,
However, you cannot take your theory or practical tests without a UK
provisional license so you should apply for this as soon as you
start taking lessons. . back to top
How do I
know when I am ready for my driving test?
You will be ready
for the test when you show that you have reached the standards set
in The Official Driving Test. Learners who pass first time do so
because they are well instructed and get plenty of practice. They
pass because they wait until they are ready. Our instructors have
the knowledge and experience to advise you when this is. It is their
responsibility to ensure that you are capable and safe to drive
alone, without supervision. If you book your test without our prior
approval, we may not allow you the use of the school cars. We do not
like having to refuse, but the safety of you, the examiner and other
road users is our primary responsibility. Most people fail their
driving test, so are you really ready? The pass rate for the
practical car test is 43%, and for first time candidates it's even
lower. The reason for such a low success rate is because candidates
are not properly prepared. You must be able to drive consistently
well, with confidence and without help or guidance from your
instructor. If you can't then you are not ready for your test. If
the examiner has to intervene then you will have failed the test.
Those who pass have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional
training, combined with 25 hours of private practice. Candidates who
combine professional instruction with private practice are also more
successful on the test. Remember that it's practice that makes
perfect, it's perfect that will pass the test.
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What is Pass Plus?
The Pass Plus
course is a training course that has been specifically designed by
the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) for new drivers. Its aim is to
give new drivers extra confidence on the roads after passing their
driving test and it carries a number of benefits.
Not only will it make you a more confident driver, capable of
dealing with all kinds of modern hazards such as busy motorways and
city centre one-way systems, it may also give you a significant
discount on your motor insurance.
No matter where you have taken your original driving lessons – the
Pass Plus will teach you how to deal with a wide range of different
roads and traffic.
The course does not require you to take a test at the end,
but will assess your progress throughout.
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