Driver Training Services

We offer both regular lessons and intensive courses for drivers at all stages, including

New drivers

Learners with some driving experience

Refresher courses for full licence holders looking to brush up on their skills

Motorway training - this is available both for learners and full licence holders

Pass Plus courses for those who have recently passed their driving test

If you are learning with another school but don’t seem to be getting anywhere, perhaps you’ve already failed a test, or you simply need a few extra lessons to add the finishing touches before your test, we can help.  We can provide training for drivers who hold foreign licences but wish to gain experience of driving in the UK and/or to convert to a full UK licence, plus automatic to manual conversions.  Nervous students or students with anxiety issues or special learning needs are all more than welcome and we are confident we can provide any extra support needed.

What we Teach

We deliver a core syllabus to meet the requirements of the National Standards in Driver & Rider Training. However, there is no set detailed route through this syllabus - every student will have a different entry point, they will each require a slightly different approach, and will have their own particular goals. But, typically, new drivers start by learning basic car controls skill, progressing on to basic road procedures, through to more complex aspects with more traffic and higher speeds and focussing more on interaction with other road users. Plus of course you’ll learn the essential reversing manoeuvres along the way. We also like to include things that aren’t strictly required for the driving test but are invaluable in real-life driving, such as route planning, advanced parking skills, and really anything else that you personally feel you need to work on to become fully prepared and confident. We don’t teach only to test-routes, but we know them well and we do make sure you’re familiar with them, particularly the nasty bits (written details of the current driving test routes for Barry & Cardiff can be made available to our students).

How we Teach

Traditionally driving lessons have typically involved an instructor telling you exactly what to do, when to do it, and perhaps why you need to do it. They would tell you what you’re going to learn and how long you’re going to spend doing it. And the instructor would probably teach you using the methods they prefer to use.

You may well pass a driving test with that approach, but you may still not feel equipped to drive solo post-test. You may forget what to do or you may come up against situations you have never encountered and not have the understanding or transferable skills to work through them successfully. This is because traditional training methods are passive - they remove your need to be aware, fail to develop your judgement and fail to develop responsibility for your actions.

We prefer to a more active learning approach as this ensures you become a fully aware, safe and responsible driver. It’s also more interesting for you and will help keep you engaged and motivated. This approach involves you in the learning process much more. You’ll be actively encouraged to take more control of the direction of your learning. Your instructor is still there to provide structure, support and expertise, but you will be encouraged to express your thoughts on what you’d like to work on and how long you would like to spend on it. You’ll be asked to think about situations that have arisen during your on-road experiences and to reflect upon and learn from those situations and from your mistakes (yes, we all make them and we see them an integral part of learning). If you’re encouraged to be active in the learning process, you’ll be more able to trouble-shoot and better prepared for driving independently under even the most difficult of conditions once you’ve passed your test

If however you’d still prefer the traditional instructor-led way of being taught, then that’s fine too. Just let us know. It’s entirely up to you. Either way, we will work with you to find out how you learn best, and whichever approach you decide to use, we will always be aiming to help you become the best and safest driver you possibly can be.

Scheduling your Training

Regular lessons can be of any duration from 1 to 4 hours depending on your individual circumstances and needs (motorway training requires a 2 hour session as a minimum). 1½ and 2 hour sessions are popular choices - most people find that 1 hour lessons are less efficient. A short break can be scheduled in to the longer sessions with no charge. Intensive courses can be of any length and can be scheduled over any period. Pass Plus involves at least 6 hours of training - these can scheduled as you wish but will include at least one motorway session of 2 hours plus duration.

A common concern of many students is whether to go for regular lessons or take an intensive course. Which is best depends on you and the way you learn best. Regular lessons are probably better for people who don’t respond well under pressure, and for those who need time to reflect, and they certainly offer more flexibility. On the other hand, intensive courses give more continuity, less travelling time and more focussed teaching time, and can improve performance by providing greater motivation. If you’re still unsure, we are happy to discuss it with you individually and can then offer more tailored advice.

Whichever type of training you choose, your sessions and the course overall will be professionally planned and structured with clear learning outcomes at every stage. We provide free study notes, progress records and reflective logs to help you through your training and to ensure that you keep track of your learning and that we can assess your readiness for test. We will direct you to essential reading material and ensure that you actively engage with driving theory throughout your training and are able to put it in to practice in-car.

Theory training is provided as required at no extra cost and all of our students are granted free on-line access to Theory Test Pro.