DVSA update on masks after 19th of July

wearing a face covering during driving tests

The DVSA have given a highly anticipated update on wearing masks during driving lessons and tests as the UK starts to emerge from lockdown on the 19th of July. Since the Prime Minister announced that mandatory face coverings indoors will come to an end, there has been much debate as to whether they should remain for people coming into close contact situations such as driving lessons. This has left many driving instructors and pupils asking “do I still have to wear a mask during my driving lessons?” Please note: the below guidance only applies to England. Current measures will remain Read More …

Am I still technically allowed to work during lockdown 2?

lockdown driving instructor

Today I received yet another message: “can we work?” I have to pause to remind myself as an educator, why people ask questions. It’s because they don’t know the answers. To many, it appears to be very clear – but equally to many it’s not clear. I try to put my research hat on and look at the facts and I must say it all seems odd. I can certainly see why driving instructors could be confused by this whole situation. The Government announced a national lock down from 5th of November to 2nd of December. This caused nationwide confusion Read More …

Extraordinary Times…

driving face mask

We sit here, day 2 into ‘Lockdown 2’ and many like me start to ponder “what is going on with the world?” I don’t mean the pandemic or the “what on earth are we going to do with the time over the next 4/5 weeks” – but the social media talk. Instructors attacking other instructors, people attacking the government and goodness knows who or what else. Why? Well people won’t admit it, but we are all a little bit scared. These times do not meet our ‘status quo’. We like our routines, we like our comfort zones and we like Read More …

A sensible approach to risk assessing COVID-19 for Driving Instructors

driving instructor coronavirus risk assessment

COVID-19 risk assessment for driving instructors The latest figures June 21 show that 1 in 1,100 people have the virus. This is within England. This means the chances of ‘meeting’ someone with the virus is 1 in 1,100 and getting better all the time. It does not mean that that’s the chance of getting the virus and the following looks at reducing the chances of if you do meet someone, reducing the risk of catching it. (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/latest) For driving instructors this means we need to see a lot of people before we even meet someone with the virus however, we Read More …

We’re all doomed 😉 

Speculation or fact  There has been a lot of talk about the return to work for driving instructors. Much of it just speculation, dressed up like fact. In truth, nobody really knows the specifics relating to driving tuition. I have spent some time reading and re-reading the documents from the government as I seem to have a different view to a lot of people. I seem to see different things. Well known for seeing the fact not the fiction, I decided to read as much as I could. For example, I hear people say ‘you can’t go back to work if you Read More …

We are not all in the same boat!

Well 5 odd weeks into this lock down and I can see the strain for some starting to show. We see the way people are reacting to for what is a very stressful time. Stresses of health, finance, boredom and a sense of lost. ‘we are not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm’ I have just seen a very interesting graphic saying, ‘we are not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm’. On reflection this is so true. The boat for each of us is different. For Read More …

Coronavirus, it’s not fair!

Never has my inbox or phone been busier. Busy with people contacting me for some clarity in the current situation. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and how it effects the driving instructor. Social media is awash with advice, some good some misleading and some downright wrong. Again, we see driving instructor turn on driving instructor. As if the memory of Brexit was still not in our minds and the arguments and nastiness from that has again manifested into our new situation. Stick together We really need to stick together. I have made efforts to speak to other driving schools. Schools that would otherwise Read More …

Can I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel?

light at the end of the tunnel

Driving tests have been postponed for yesterday and today and theory tests for 4 weeks. Click here for up to date information from the DVSA. Now, this on the face of it might seem bad but it could have been longer. Why was it only 4 weeks? It could have been 15 weeks. We know that none of these decisions are made by one person. Rather a group who consult experts. I am sure the driving examiner unions will have been present in this panel and we know how hard they fight to protect their members. So, I think the Read More …

Why the coronavirus could be GOOD for driving instructors

coronavirus

We are all going to go mad if we keep looking at the negatives of this. I want to reassure driving instructors that, while things seem bleak and you’re all naturally worried, this is just a blip. It was described to me in a business meeting this week as ‘a recession on steroids’. It will go as fast as it came. Lets look at this rationally Lets take those pupils that are cancelling now – and some instructors are getting a few, some none and some lots, (no change there to what instructors complain about), are those pupils cancelling for Read More …

Coronavirus vs The Driving Instructor

corona virus driving instructor

Well, we are currently in an interesting time with the outbreak of the Coronavirus – or COVID-19 to give it the correct name. I am seeing the panic and hysteria on social media start along with the usual false and dramatic stories. This current story started a little earlier for me. Being married to a Chinese wife, we have a lot of family and friends in China and go there regularly. We were hearing first-hand of the problems and I first started hearing some very strange stories and hysteria. Of course, China is different to the UK in that their Read More …