How to select a Driving Instructor training course and trainer
Before agreeing to any training course, you must know how to select a good quality and reputable instructor trainer. The main thing to look for is that your trainer is ORDIT registered. ORDIT is the Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers. This means that your trainer has undergone an extensive training regime and has passed several instructor training tests observed by an official DVSA instructor training examiner.
Here at Signature School of Motoring, we have one of a handful of ORDIT Registered Instructor Trainers in the North East, so we know you’re in safe hands from start to finish. Our ORDIT trainer specialises in training for most of the North East’s test centres, including Blyth, Gosforth, Gateshead and South Shields.
We provide instructor training courses in three core areas;
Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside.
How to apply to become a driving instructor
To become a driving instructor, you must:
• Be 21 years old or above.
• Have held a full UK manual driving licence for 4 years with no points. (Automatic licences are not enough unless you have a disability and are an instructor for automatic cars only)
• Be able to read an older-style car number plate (such as A111 AAA) from 27.5 meters away or a new-style plate (AA11 AAA) from 26.5 meters away.
• Be able to pass an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. This used to be known as a CRB or Criminal Records Bureau check.
Once approved, to become an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI), you must pass three tests. They are by no means easy tests to pass; however, with the correct guidance from a qualified instructor trainer, it will not be long before it makes sense and you progress through the three stages of training and certifications.
ADI Part 1 – online training and multiple choice examinations
Part 1 of the ADI course is remarkably similar to the learner driver theory test, just more advanced.
The qualification process consists of two separate tests. You are required to pass both.
The multiple choice theory exam tests your knowledge of the Highway Code, and you need to score 85 per cent.
The second part consists of a hazard perception test with fourteen videos to watch.
This test requires you to score 57 points or higher out of a possible maximum of 75.
ADI Part 2 – Instructor training with a coach and practical exam
The second stage involves an advanced practical driving examination. A DVSA examiner expects you to demonstrate a professional level in your driving.
Signature offers study material and a minimum of fifteen hours of training one-on-one with an accredited ORDIT trainer in a dual-controlled car supplied by the driving school.
The exam will demonstrate your expert-level driving skills and strong knowledge of the Highway Code.
The test lasts one hour and includes vehicle safety, eyesight, general driving ability and manoeuvres.
You can make up to six driving errors and still pass the ADI Driving Ability Test. Additionally, you are allowed three attempts at passing part of the training.
Once you complete Part 1 and Part 2 of the ADI, with more training, you can earn a wage working as a trainee driving instructor or continue training until you become a fully qualified instructor.
Whatever approach you take, your Signature coach will be able to assist you with every aspect of your training.
ADI Part 3 – ongoing in-car training and the final assessment
Your Signature trainer will provide you with the legally-required forty hours to make you eligible for a trainee instructor licence. You can then decide whether to continue training to become a fully qualified trainer or get a permit to operate as a trainee.
The final part of the ADI qualifications is a practical exam that evaluates your ability as a teacher.
The test takes approximately an hour. It consists of an actual lesson taught to a pupil in the presence of a DVSA examiner.
This test will be taken with a pupil undertaking a routine lesson. As the teacher, you will sit in the front with the pupil providing instructions and guidance.
Your trainer can sit in the back with the DVSA examiner if requested. Unfortunately, we cannot provide any assistance.
You will first need to give your pupil an overview of your lesson plan and what you plan to achieve during the class. Then, you’ll need to explain to the examiner the purpose and goals of the lesson.
Next comes the lesson. Treat it like another lesson with your pupil. Before starting the exam, it’s worth knowing what you will be marked on and keeping those in mind.
The seventeen assessed competencies cover lesson preparation, risk management, teaching, and learning strategies.
After the lesson, you’ll give your feedback to your pupil and then receive your exam result.
To pass part 3 and become a certified instructor, you need to pass with either an A or B grade.
You have three attempts to pass this final stage.
9 reasons why to undertake driving instructor training
Are you interested in starting a new career as a driving instructor? Here are nine compelling reasons to get certified as a driving instructor.
- If you are looking to change your job? Becoming a driving instructor can provide you with an extremely rewarding career. And now is probably the best time ever to start.
- Due to the coronavirus lockdowns, the backlog for people who wish to learn to drive is huge. And after the lockdowns, fewer people use public transportation.
- An unprecedented number of teenagers are turning 17, the legal age to begin learning to drive.
- During the pandemic, numerous coaches left the industry, so we need to train more instructors to deal with the backlog.
- A driving instructor can make between £29,000 and £40,000 per year.
- Being your own boss means you can decide when you work.
- You can achieve a better balance between your work and home life.
- Job security and a stable income.
- The reward of helping others achieve their goals and getting their driving licences.