The best part three training to be a driving instructor

I often say we offer the best part three training to become a driving instructor, but I thought I would write an article to explain why I think and know this.

Let me first remind you with a short background to my credentials as to why am a leading expert in this and not just a driving instructor who is trying the hand at training driving instructors. Over 20 years ago, when I first qualified, I was not convinced of the training quality. Whilst the school and instructors I was with claimed to offer the best part three training to become a driving instructor, I found it difficult but did not at the time know why. One trainer was great at the part two training to become a driving instructor, but was woefully unqualified to teach me the part three training to become a driving instructor.

I went to another independent driving school owner who claimed her was the best part three training but today I know it was not and I know why. So how do I know for certain? Well, I got qualified. Not just qualified to become an instructor trainer, if there is such a qualification, but qualified as a teacher too. I went to college and became a qualified adult education teacher. Here I learnt how to teach properly. I could see where my past trainers were not teaching me as such but telling me to do as they did.

Now in schools and colleges, we left this draconian style of teaching at the door in the 60’s but there is little regulation in driver training, so it says. Ok, so now I am a teacher, what about my subject knowledge? I started to undertake every course available until there were none left in the industry. I attended CPD events all over the country. The industry was just getting into coaching but few within understood it properly. So, I went outside the industry. I took coaching courses, read books, and attended seminars. I did not stop there, I wanted to show I truly understood the requirements, so I looked for the highest source, a degree. This resulted in me achieving my masters degree in Driver Training Education, probably the only one in the world still, to have achieved this degree.

What makes our course the best, for part three training to become a driving instructor?

Well firstly, it’s not a specific part three course. All our training is blended or holistic so what was formally part one, part two and part three training is blended so that the three parts become whole. In plain English, the part one is the knowledge that you need for part three. The part two is the skill you need to be able to demonstrate to the pupils in part three. The part three is how you transfer those skills to your pupils. You will read in many other articles how instructors fail part three because their knowledge is weak. This is because many driving schools just tell their trainees to use an app and study. The same driving schools that often complain when pupils just an app to study their theory.

Social media is full of well intentioned trainers giving advise as to just download an app. Is this the best part three training to become a driving instructor? Our course has the app, yes. But our course also has the online support and online training to supplement it. From day one, you will be invited to attend coaching calls where you can ask questions of myself and a few other trainers and trainees. We hold these weekly. We try to ensure that the knowledge you arrive at the part three test with is factual, of the DVSA own syllabus and from the official sources. Now does that sound like the best part three training to be a driving instructor?

What about the part two test?

The part two is no different. Here, rather than your trainer trying to show off their skills and tell you this is an advanced test, you will be coached to show this is about the standard to show pupils and the standard to teach. I have met many trainers who have XYZ driving qualifications and try to tell trainees, this is how you should drive. Some use different methods to the DVSA and use Roadcraft, the police method. They are more showing off their standard than showing you what’s involved.

Does this sound like the best part three training? Our trainers will get you to demonstrate your current skill, then if needed, coach what would be required for pupils. They will get you to use your drive as if you were demonstrating to a pupil. Using the latest DVSA methods and the DVSA’s own standards to teaching driving. They will show you the systems to use when teaching our pupils and how you can adapt your own driving to include them. This will make teaching your pupils much easier when you get to part three. Does this sound more like the best part three training to become a driving instructor?

Training like no other

I mentioned earlier that the training was ‘holistic’. No need to understand my terms if you don’t want to but it means all round. It means we use many different methods because we know not everyone learns the same. One of the things I realised was missing from driving instructor training was the ability to be able to observe actual driving lessons taking place. Typically, part three training consists of the driving instructor role playing a pupil, often very badly, and make mistakes. You were expected to correct those mistakes. Trainees would find it difficult to see their trainer driver perfect, then drive with faults. I would love £1 for every time i have heard a trainee complain they can’t get their head around the role play.

So, I though about this and realised, it’s simple. Most good ideas are. Let’s include observational sessions in your training. Not just where you sit in the back and watch how amazing your trainer is. Sit and have a structured approach to what to look for from the 17 competencies you will be assessed on to become a driving instructor. Now don’t panic Mr Mannering (those of you who remember will know) everything is explained simply and to top it off, we include a full set of videos online and you’ll be invited free of charge to attend classroom sessions occasionally, lead and taught by myself.

This is a chance to learn first hand and meet others just like yourself. All in all, our course has a minimum of 104 hours training and more if you attend the weekly zoom calls. You are not restricted in the number of calls or classroom training sessions we give and we even provide a free lunch at classroom training sessions!

Now does that sound like the best part three training for driving instructors?!

And there’s more…

I almost forgot! You may have seen my products that I sell to many driving instructors helping them to pass the part three test or get a better standard check grade. Training with us means you get a free gold edition lesson planner and access to the PDF files of these products, something others don’t offer.

P.s Over the 23 years as on 2023, I have trained hundreds of driving instructors from scratch and helped thousands via calls and videos. You too can be one of the many I’ve helped by filling out the form below to start your journey. It would be my pleasure to help you 😊

*Whilst there are a few driving instructors with Masters degrees, when I last checked, they were all in ‘Driver Training’ and not ‘Driver Training Education’. The ‘Education’ extra was something I had to specifically ask for as my specialist subject was education of instructor training and not driving instruction.