Official DVSA 'Seal of Approval' - ORDIT

 

You.

This is the most important element in becoming a Driving Instructor.

Not the Training. Not the tests; You.

If you are willing to work hard, study and practise, you WILL become a Driving Instructor.

The tests are not difficult and most people have many of the skills needed to successfully pass already.
 
DRIVE is also a member of the Government’s Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT) scheme meaning the DVSA have assessed our courses, trainers, processes, office and premises to ensure we meet their standards.
 
The DVSA Assessor said in our inspection:

“This is exceptional. It is of the highest standard.
This is how everyone should do it. I’m really impressed”

High praise indeed.
 

Guide

When training to become a Driving Instructor, there are a lot of fundamental topics you must cover as outlined by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency).
 

Below, we have put together an extremely comprehensive guide covering all of the important aspects and things that you MUST know about what the DVSA will be looking for.

Preparing for part 1

As Part 1 is just a more comprehensive version of a test you have already passed, it is possible to pass it with little or no training and many people do try this. Indeed, many instructors would tell you this is the bit you can do Part 1 by yourself.
 
We would beg you NEVER to do this…. Part 1 is so critically important in creating a foundation and knowledge. So many problems we see in Parts 2 and 3 come from a lack of knowledge at Part 1 – Please do part 1 thoroughly!
 
Any responsible training company will have workbooks and training for Part 1.

The DVSA Say:

“You should prepare with a professional structured programme of tuition. Preparing for Part-One requires a degree of self-discipline and self-management; this is because you will have to spend quite a lot of time reading and studying.” DVSA has compiled the list of books which you may find useful to help you study for the multiple choice part of the theory have been based on information contained in these books.”

Our Advice…

You may ask us “Can’t I just buy the disc?” – in reference to the DVDs/CDs you can buy. Whilst we recommend use of a DVD, you MUST do some kind of Part 1 course along side them. The issues that we see most commonly at part 2 and 3 are from a lack of knowledge at Part 1!

Why is this?

As you only need 85% correct to pass the multiple choice part, it is possible to pass this test without any knowledge and simply guess – the test is a 4 way multiple choice test so the correct answer is actually on screen!
 
We would ask you: Do you want to pass it the test with limited knowledge or do you want to ensure your are successful at part 2 and 3 and on the road as a Driving Instructor?
 

preparing for Part 2

As you are already an experienced driver, Part 2 is fairly straight forwards; however the examiner will be looking for a greater understanding and level of decision making than the learner’s test you have already passed.
 
This is the subject you will be teaching so you need to study and practice your skills on the process and understanding of driving just as much as your ability to actually perform them.

The DVSA say:

“To pass the test, you must drive to a high standard of competence, demonstrating the principles of eco-friendly driving, and a well-planned positive, progressive drive, adhering to and attaining national speed limits when safe and where possible.”

Our Advice

Preparing for Part-Two requires self-discipline and self-management as well as driving skill. This is because you will also spend time studying and practising the knowledge, understanding and skills.

 
You may be a very good, careful and observant driver, but you may also have a number little habits or do things that were once taught by instructors.
 
But don’t worry, many of these are very easy and straight forwards to fix.

What do I need to learn?

Ask any ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) about their ADI training and they will tell you that when they trained, they studied hard and developed their skills by revising, researching and PRACTISING their skills away from any “driving lessons” they may have had.
 
So the DRIVEOnline course is developed to do just that. The syllabus is broken into easy to follow ‘bite-sized’ sections to help you study, learn and understand. Nothing is left to chance as we develop your knowledge with a step-by-step approach using structured video tutorials and visual training systems, created by our experts.
 
You will build your skills and ability using our structured, practical exercises to guide you. To help you our training team provides UNLIMITED tutor support for Part-Two – we are always ready to help you. You can practise at times to suit you, and remember that you can repeat the online work as often as you like – truly unlimited training and support.
 

So how do I check I am doing things correctly?

Once you have completed all of your DRIVEOnline coursework, as a bonus, one of our DRIVE Specialist Trainers will spend a time with you on-the-road to check that every is done correctly.

Part 3 - Instructional Ability Test

IF you have completed the first two parts properly, Part 3 is very straight forward. The examiner wants to see your ability to pass your knowledge onto your pupils and to be able to fix faults in a client centred manner.

The DVSA Say:

“As a responsible, professional driving instructor you’ll want learners to have the skills to be safe and responsible drivers for life when they leave you. Sometimes you’ll find that you need to balance this against their aims – they might want to pass the test quickly, and with as little expense as possible. This is not an easy balance to achieve – you may need to persuade your learners of the benefits of not just learning to pass the test.

People learn in different ways and at different speeds. If someone who likes time to reflect on their learning is forced to move on to the next thing too quickly it could slow down their progress. Or if someone who likes to learn by trying things out is made to watch too many demonstrations without having a go they will get frustrated.

Client-centred learning is an approach to learning that takes into account how the learner prefers to learn. When people learn in this way they are more likely to retain information and skills. People are also more likely to keep learning if they are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning at an early stage – this is the second aim of client-centred learning.

How to teach in a client-centred way:

At its simplest, this means listening to your learner (the client) to find out how they like to learn, the things that are getting in the way of their progress and how you can help.”

Our Advice

Just as with Parts 1 & 2, preparing for Part-three requires a degree of self-discipline and self-management; this is because you will have to spend quite a lot of time studying and practising the skills.
 
There are three main competency areas, with which you need to be familiar:

  • lesson planning
  • risk management
  • teaching and learning strategies

 
The 17 areas of competence are listed in the ADI part 3 test report form, which the examiner will fill in at the end of your test.
 
You’ll get a score from 0 to 3 for each of the 17 competencies, which are added up to work out if you’ve passed the test, and what your grade will be.
 
These 17 competencies cover the range of skills you need to be successful in the Part 3 examination and qualify as an Approved Driving Instructor.
 
Just as with Parts 1 & 2, Part 3 preparation requires a degree of self-management and self-discipline because you will have to spend quite a lot of time studying and practising.
 
However our online syllabus, making use of step-by-step videos, breaking these competencies down into small detail and illustrating how they are marked against the and refer to the national standard for driver and rider training and the ADI part 3 test report form, makes the study an revision needed both enjoyable and easy.
 
It also means no time is wasted once on the road when practical training starts.
 
Traditionally, Part 3 has been viewed as a problem area for many students, however this need not be the case. In fact, at DRIVE, by following the structured DRIVEOnline format, Part 3 should now not only be enjoyable, but also the culmination of all your efforts and straight-forward.
 
Problems typically arise because of poorly delivered in-car training or insufficient study and/or training or simply because the driving school providing the training insisted that the trainee goes onto a ‘Trainee Licence’ when it simply wasn’t the most suitable option for them.
 
That is why it’s so important to speak to us..

 

SO HOW DO I CHECK I AM DOING THINGS CORRECTLY?

Once the DRIVEOnline course work is complete, you will have up to 76* bonus hours with one of our Specialist Trainers to develop and assess your understanding and knowledge.
 
In the unlikely event that you fail a test, we can provide further training with one of our team and in the even more unlikely event that you should fail three attempts, we will provide full training at no extra cost to prepare for the process again.

Once you have passed

When you pass the Part 3 Test, you are a Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructor (DVSA ADI)!
 
Congratulations!
 
You are now ready to take up your position as an ADI!

The Trainee Licence

The Trainee Licence is an optional route to your full ADI qualification.

You may have heard it called “the Pink Badge”, “the Pink Triangle”, “the PDI”.

The licence costs £140 and you must be sponsored (work with) an ADI.

The licence is valid for 6 months.

Once you have passed Part 2 you will enter into our ‘Trainee Licence Support Agreement’. This will allow you to continue working in your current job while you start teaching real life pupils to get experience, ‘earn as you learn’ and start building your diary.

If you’re not working, our Career Support Managers will discuss the best options for you.

Applying

The DVSA say:

“You can apply for a trainee licence to give instruction after passing Part Two of the Approved Driving Instructor (AD) qualifying examination. You examiner will give you the Trainee Licence application form -titled ‘Application for Trainee Licence (Licence to Give Instruction)’ form (ADI3L).”
To apply online, click here: Online.
However this is where a lot of confusion comes in; you MUST also complete 40 hours of Part 3 training too – passing Part 2 is not enough on its own.

ADI 21T

The DVSA say further:

“The ADI 21T form is a declaration that you have already completed a training programme of at least 40 hours of training. It must be signed by the ADI Trainer.”
The ADI21T form (Click here to download.) is then completed by your trainer and forwarded to the DVSA with:

  • the current fee
  • a recent passport-style photograph
  • a completed ADI 21T form

Use of the Licence

The DVSA say further:

“You are responsible for the use of your licence.
You must not advertise yourself as if you were a fully qualified instructor. Your trainee licence shows the name and address of your training establishment. You can only give instruction from there. You are not allowed to work independently of your supervisor, eg by setting up your own school.

You must receive the required amount of supervision or additional training while your licence is still valid”.

 

You must receive supervision or further training from your school after you have been issued with a trainee licence to give driving instruction.

When you complete and send the ADI 21T form to the Driver & Standards Agency (DVSA) to apply for your trainee licence, you will have two options to choose from.

You cannot change your option once your application has been received, so you should consider which one will be best suited to you.

Option One - ADI 21 S Sponsor Supervision

Your sponsoring Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) will supervise you for 20 per cent of all lessons you give.

A record must be kept on the Licensed Trainee Supervision Record – form ADI 21S – which will be issued with the trainee licence.

You can download form ADI 21S – licensed trainee supervision record by clicking here.

This must be signed by both you and your ADI and returned to the DVSA when the licence expires.

Option Two- ADI 21AT Sponsor Additional Training

You will complete a minimum of 20 hours additional training in the topics in the training programme.

This extra training must take place within the first three months of the licence or before you take your first attempt at part three – whichever is sooner.

The training must be recorded on the Instructor Training Declaration form ADI 21AT, which will be issued with the trainee licence.

You can download form ADI 21AT – instructor training declaration by clicking here.
The completed ADI 21AT form must be sent to DVSA before the end of the three month period, or presented to the examiner who carries out your ADI part three test – whichever is sooner.
At least 25 per cent of the training must be practical in-car training, with usually no more than two trainees to one ADI.
If you fail your first or second attempt at the ADI part three test, you must provide evidence that you have taken five hours additional training at the time of your next attempt, otherwise your trainee licence may be revoked.

Declaration of Manager or Owner

The DVSA say:

“Declaration by the manager or owner of a driving instructor training company that they’ll provide training to a trainee driving instructor.”

Click here to download.

This form should only be used to accompany an online application for a trainee licence. Please complete Section 2 and then arrange for the manager/owner of your sponsoring school
to complete Section 3. You should then send this form, together with your completed ADI 21T and two photographs to the DVSA address on the form.

here to help

All the way through the process, we are here to help you.

Follow our advice and complete the training and you WILL become a Driving Instructor.

The Training course for the ADI certificate has been very well developed and delivered. All aspects of the course are developmental and put into practice as you progress. Manageable timelines and targets are set, this allowed me to be organised and set time aside to complete the work to the timelines. All this while working at the same time. The support is outstanding and available as and when required, by email or phone. The strange and unexpected experience to arise is that I feel that while completing the online and live driving course, all of the staff I have been involved with within the course delivery have made me feel as though I was an important part of the team. In short, outstanding course materials, delivery, online support, face to face support and very professional staff.
Jizza

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