Driving Lesson Services in Milton Keynes

Professional Driving Lessons

New Drivers and Holders of Non-UK Licenses Converting to UK Licenses

These lessons are planned and structured around your needs, how you learn and how you progress, everyone is different. It takes in all parts of what is required to pass your test and more. What more could there be, well an ADI only can take you onto a motorway as a learner with an appropriate vehicle, then there is parallel park on the right, the left is but not the right, that’s just to name two. These are not in your test but that’s about learning to drive you need to be able to do it, it’s not just about passing a test it’s about becoming a safe and competent driver and that’s what I want my students to feel like after they gain their independence on the road. Lessons vary between students, it's designed around how you learn.

Introduction To Driving

This is a must for all students who have never driven before, it’s a two hour lesson to introduce you to the car, the basics of driving to include the building blocks: Observation, Anticipation, Concentration and Control of the vehicle and why they are important. We introduce clutch control, how to stop, changing gear and steering. It also allows you to see if you get on with your Instructor and whether they are a good fit for you, because if you don’t they will never get the best out of you. Don’t ever pay for a block booking of lessons without seeing if your instructor is suitable for you and that the car is suitable for your needs, all good driving instructors are happy to offer this. I always offer all New drivers (someone who has never driven before) this option and to make sure they take it up.

Intensive Courses

What is an intensive driving course, well this is where you provide as many hours of driving tuition in a short period of time. This isn’t just about achieving your test, it could be about focusing on a particular area that you need to work on. You may need this type of course as it may be the only time you can learn. You may have a test date booked, Or you have been learning without an instructor and you want to tidy up the areas ready for your test. The reason for taking an intensive course are numerous. Is it for everyone, that is definitely a NO. An assessment drive is carried out before and Nic will then discuss with you whether this would be a suitable option. The pros and cons are numerous and you need to consider why you are doing it this way and whether it is the best way for you to learn. Some love it and others hate it. I will always structure your lessons to suit your needs. They are planned to achieve your goals within the time scale set. The costs vary on a number of factors, but you will know the full cost before you sign up for lessons.

Mock Tests and Assessment Drives

See where you’re at! Mock Tests and Assessments have become more common as students may be learning at home to save money ( yes we all know driving lessons are not cheap!) and want to know where they are at before their tests and what they need to do to pass their test. I understand it's not just the cost if you are not prepared for your test and fail, but the time you have to wait to get the next one!! Mock test is what it says on the tin, a test under test conditions. Assessment drive is more thorough, it puts you under the same pressure of a test but covers all angles of the test, all manoeuvres, basically everything you can possibly face. These usually last at least 2 hours. Both have a full debrief at the end. Assessment drives are also used by me to assess where a student is at when coming from another instructor, when they’ve been learning at home or have been driving previously in another country. Before I take them on as a student, it allows the student to also assess me and how I teach. As you HAVE to be happy with your instructor, they won’t get the best out of you unless you are.

Pass Plus

Pass Plus is a practical training course that takes at least 6 hours and is for drivers to improve their skills and drive more safely. It can be taken at any time although it should be most useful to new drivers in the year after passing their test. You’ll need a Pass Plus registered approved driving instructor (ADI) to teach you, and guess the answer to this question, I am. Pass Plus training takes at least 6 hours. It has 6 modules, covering driving: - In town - Candidates are taught to more confidently navigate complex junctions, make best use of their observational and awareness skills, and understand the need for space around their car. The needs of vulnerable road users are also highlighted. - In all weathers - This module helps drivers understand how varying weather conditions can affect the way a car behaves. The Pass Plus course covers the reasons why bad weather, resulting in reduced stopping distances and poorer visibility, should prompt you to drive more slowly. It also introduces the concept of skidding and how to avoid it. - On rural roads - Driving in the countryside brings the risks of blind bends and brows, more challenging overtaking, and the chance of meeting slow vehicles and animals. - At night- A module designed to get drivers confident about driving with headlamps, getting used to night-time dazzle and distractions, plus judging distance and manoeuvring in the dark. - On dual carriageways - You should have driven on dual-carriageways before taking your test, but this module brings more experience and concentrates on judgement and observation, safe distances, lane use and using slip roads. - On motorways - Motorway driving will still be fairly new if you’ve just passed your test, and as well as getting valuable experience of using the motorway, you’ll also learn about correct lane use and overtaking, what to do if you break down, and focus on the rules around lights. All modules should be practical sessions, although local conditions may mean some are theory based. You'll normally spend at least 5.5 hours driving. You will not take a test but you'll be assessed throughout the course. To pass you'll have to reach the required standard in all modules. Additionally, some insurance providers offer discounts to those drivers who gain the certificate.

Motorway

This type of training is becoming more common because they have never been taught motorways when they were learning to drive, as it is not part of the test. Before June 2018 learners were not allowed on a motorway and their first experiences of it could be fatal. This was recognised by the Government and the regulations were changed that an ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) in a dual controlled vehicle were allowed to train learners on the motorways. They are the only persons allowed to take learners on a motorway and preparing them for a lifetime of safe driving The changes were made to allow learner drivers to: - Get broader driving experience before taking their driving test - Get training on how to join and leave the motorway, overtake and use lanes correctly - Practise driving at higher speeds - Understand motorway specific traffic signs - Understand what to do if a vehicle breaks down on a motorway - Improve their confidence to drive on the motorway unsupervised after passing their driving test Our training goes a little further and it covers the additional areas of training to above: additional observations required at that speed, planning and anticipating other drivers, night driving, learning about the difference between smart motorways and motorways, using service stations and of course the use of the speed limiter and cruise control. An average lesson is about 3 hours depending on the requirements. I have never understood why learners are not trained in motorways, you will use them in your life time, for some people it is frightening for them and a mistake could go seriously wrong. It’s understood that you can learn at home or have a trainee driving instructor (PDI) or an ADI that does not want to take you on the motorway while you train to pass your test, that’s why we set up this training.

Confidence and Refresher Training

This area of training came in for a number of reasons. - It suits people that have passed their tests a number of years before and haven’t driven since. They need that confidence and refresh. - People that have never driven in the UK (non – UK licence holders) but are now required to through coming here to work or stay for a period of time. They need to learn the rules of driving in the UK. - Your job requires you to drive a company car or your training to become a professional driver and require taking the driving test or similar again, they just need that refresher to prepare them. - You were previously in a road traffic collision and lost confidence. - You hold an automatic licence only and need to prepare for a manual test. - OR you have just lost confidence in your driving. I build up that confidence with you. It is build around your needs and how you learn.