So you want to become a driving instructor?
Earn up to £30,000 a year and enjoy total freedom!
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There’s no doubt that you can make a big impact on peoples lives when you become a qualified driving instructor.
The benefits and the rewards are plain to see, but the greatest pleasure is in meeting such a wide variety of people and helping them to achieve their personal goals.
The diversity and variety that this career offers could open up a whole new world of possibilities . . .
Ask yourself these questions..
Do you want to be free of your 9 to 5 existence?
Do you want to work when you want to, where you want to?
Do you want to be your own boss, making your own decisions?
Do you want a challenging and rewarding new life?
Or do you want an extra part time income?
Well done with taking your first steps towards becoming a driving instructor, we at Bumpers believe that given the right training now you will flourish in your new career and enjoy all the financial and personal benefits of becoming a fully qualified ADI.
At the end of your training you will have a choice of working for yourself or joining the Bumpers Franchise which we believe is one of the fairest and most cost effective franchises on the market place, we care about our instructors and in turn most people keep coming back to us.
However before you can reap the benefits of your new career there are certain steps that you will need to take and exams that you will need to pass the information below will give you the initial information that you need about the process required to qualify as a fully qualified ADI, we wish you all the best with your new venture!
Legal Requirements
Before you can apply to have your name entered onto the register you must also satisfy certain legal minimum requirements. The main requirements to teach people for money or moneys worth are set down below.
You must have held a full UK driving license for a continuous period of at least four years.
Your license period must be continuous. If you currently have more than 6 penalty points it is possible that your application will be refused.
You must be a 'fit and proper person'
This relates to criminal convictions not spent under the rehabilitation of offenders act.
You will have to under take a criminal records bureau check.
If you want to become an ADI, you will need to apply to the Registrar before you start the qualifying tests.
Once you have passed the second part of the qualifying examination - the driving ability assessment - you can apply for a trainee licence.
This allows you to be legally paid for giving driving instruction, but you should not see it as an alternative to registering as an ADI.
Once registered, a ADI must also pass special tests - 'check tests' - at certain intervals. These are to satisfy the registrar that the ADI still meets the DSA's standards for ability and fitness to give instruction.
Criminal Records Check
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) requires people who are applying to register as a Potential Driving Instructor and existing Approved Driving Instructors who are applying to extend their registration or re-register to have a criminal record check.
The DSA uses the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to obtain criminal record checks of people in England and Wales, and Disclosure Scotland for people in Scotland.
Before starting the Potential Driving Instructors (PDI) qualification process, you will need to get an enhanced level criminal record check.
To apply for this, you will need to fill in a disclosure application form and send it to the Capita Recruitment Vetting Service (CRVS) - one of the Driving Standards Agency's (DSA) criminal record checks contractors.
You can request a disclosure application form from the CRVS Helpline on Tel 0870 850 2455.
Once you have returned this form, you will receive the disclosure report and reference number. You will need to put the report's reference number on your ADI 3 form - Application for registration as a PDI - before you send it to the DSA. You will find the form in your starter pack, or you can download the ADI 3 form from the DSA website.
The Qualification Process
You must pass a three-part examination set and administered by the DSA.
A theory test
A driving ability assessment
A test of instructional ability
To be entered in the Register of Approved Driving Instructors you must pass all three parts of the Qualifying examination within a two-year time period, starting from the day you pass part one, and have paid the requisite registration fee.
To be licensed you must pass the first two parts of the qualifying examination, sign a declaration that you have met the statutory training requirements and pay the requisite fee.
The first thing you need to do is complete an application pack to register yourself as a trainee instructor.
Then you are free to start the exam process.
The 3 Qualifying Exams Explained
Part One
The first of the exams on your route to qualification is in two parts, the Theory test and an on screen Hazard Perception Test ( HPT ).
Both parts of the test must be taken together and you must pass both parts on the same attempt to progress towards the part two test.
Part one is entirely computer based. You will be asked 100 multiple choice questions about all aspects of driving and driver training. The questions follow a similar format to those set in the learner's theory test but cover a much wider spread of topics including teaching practice and principles.
The questions are banded into four sections and you must score 80% in each band and achieve an overall mark of 85% to pass. This means that it is possible to get a score of 94% and still fail if you are weak in a particular band of knowledge. In order to pass Part-One you also need to attain a pass mark of 57 in the HPT. If you do not achieve this you will have to do the whole test again, including the theory test, even if you gained 85% or higher in the questions.
The HPT comprises of a selection of short videos, showing real road scenes and potential hazards. You will be tested on fourteen film clips. These clips will be chosen at random from a selection of two hundred. You will be assessed on how soon you spot and respond to the dangers shown on screen. You will watch the video clips on a computer screen and you will need to click the mouse button at the correct time to identify the developing hazard ahead.
Your Bumpers trainer will advise you on the study materials you will need to have the best possible chance of passing this test.
You may have as many attempts at this test as you need in order to pass.
Part Two
Part 2 is the foundation on which your part 3 skills are built!
Part two is a test of your driving ability.
This test normally lasts for about an hour. You are limited to three attempts at part two.
If you fail three times you will have to wait two years from the date that you passed your Part One exam before you can start over again. You will then have to re-take Part One.
Your Part two training should be thorough, structured and developed as a firm foundation for the work to come at Part three.
A common mistake in lots of training programs is to try and get through Part two as quickly as possible, at Bumpers we believe that much of the understanding required for the Part three exam starts at Part Two.
You need to demonstrate expert handling of the car controls and a progressive yet defensive driving approach. During the test you will show that you can control the vehicle safely, follow correct road procedure, recognise and deal with any hazards that occur using the MS-PSL routine and complete some basic set manoeuvres.
Anticipation of other road users and the ability to act on this anticipation is also one of the key skill areas that your Bumpers trainer will teach you at Part two.
Your part 2 knowledge will lead to part 3 success.
Never forget how important part 2 actually is.
Part Three
Part three is a test of your instructional ability. The test lasts for approximately one hour, and is the final part of the qualifying process. When you pass part 3 you become a fully qualified driving instructor
One of the most common misconceptions about the Part three exam is that it all about briefings and Pre set tests, this without a doubt is one of the reasons for the low pass rate for this exam with most PDI's ( potential driving instructors ) failing at this point.
Whilst the briefings and Pre set tests are important the ability to deliver a well structured, safe and controlled driving lesson with a good understanding of the core competencies ( your ability to find, analysis and remedy faults ) and instructional techniques are without doubt the key areas to success not only in qualifying but also to ensure your continued success as a fully qualified ADI and for check testing purposes.
As with part two, you are only allowed three attempts, after which you must start all over again with the theory and hazard perception tests after 2 years. The pass rates for this stage of the ADI qualifying process are not high.
At present, only approximately 28% of those who take the test will pass
Part-Three is split into two 'phases' each lasting about 25 minutes
During phase-one the examiner will role play a learner with very little or no experience at all of the subject that you are asked to teach. During phase-two the examiner will play the role of a pupil with more experience and prior knowledge of the subject you are asked to teach.
You will be assessed on your ability to match your instruction to the level of the pupils portrayed, observe and correct any errors and maintain a safe controlled learning environment and the ability to spot, remedy and give analysis on any faults that you see.
At first you may find that role play feels unnatural to you however through careful structured training you will become much more confident with this most vital of skills.
You need to combine this with your ability to demonstrate the core competencies and good instructional techniques and you are well on the way to getting your hands on that coveted green card.
You can then start your new career as a fully qualified and most importantly well trained ADI, enabling you to run a successful business and train the drivers of tomorrow to a high standard.
It's not as bad as it seems! With the right guidance you can pass quite easily.
We can show you how!
Your Bumpers Trainers
At Bumpers we only use Grade 5 and Grade 6 ADI's for our Instructor training.
Grade 5 is rated by the DSA as a good overall standard reached and Grade 6 has a very high standard.
Whilst most high quality ADI training establishments use only the higher grades for trainers it is not uncommon for some schools to use grade 4 trainers which the DSA only rate as adequate and in some case only just so.
It is vitally important that you check the qualifications of any establishments that you intend to take training with!
At Bumpers we use only the best!
Training Program
Your Training program with Bumpers will always be prepared and adhered to the highest standards there will be NO CLASSROOM training with us all your training will be carried out on a one to one basis ( at times it may be useful to have more than one trainee in the car but we will always ensure that this mutually beneficial to all parties ).
We view the car as a mobile classroom and we are mindful that each hour you spend with us is of vital importance to you both from a financial and learning perspective.
Whilst it is important that you understand the theory behind what you are doing you will benefit far more sat in the passenger or driver seat of the training vehicle than you will sat behind a desk.
The course is broken down into 20 hours at Part two, ( you may find other schools offering to get you through this part of the training at a much reduced amount of hours but please remember Part 2 is the foundation on which your part 3 skills are built!
The failure to gain the correct skills at Part two are a we believe a major factor for failure at Part three.
Training for your part 3 exam is 40 hours.
However please note that this is the minimum time we feel we will need to show you the skills you will require to be successful, you will need to put in twice this time on your own for you to succeed and become a fully qualified instructor.
Iin other words a 60 hour course is a 180 course with the commitment required on your part, YOU WILL NOT succeed at this unless you are a 100% dedicated.
Realistic Pricing
Your training can be payed for on a pay as you go basis at a cost of £30 an hour or for a full 60 course an upfront fee of £1500 which is an amazing saving of £300!
We are flexible in our approach to payment and course fees like the course itself can be tailored to suit an individuals requirements, we are friendly and honest in our dealings with you, please ask if you are unsure about how to proceed we will be more than happy to make every effort to accommodate any reasonable request.
This is what you get . .
- No expensive franchise or contracts!
- You're in charge, you decide!
Pay as You go Training for part 2 and part 3.
- Very High quality training - you get every hour of the training you pay for.
One to One training, NOT 4 people in the same car like some training companies!!
- You could become fully qualified for less than £2,000!
- You can speak to your personal trainer before you start!
Money Back Guarantee
If you start your training and you are not totally satisfied, you can have your money back.
So you have nothing to lose!
ADI Training FAQ's
Are there any Hidden Charges?
No, none at all. All prices are agreed before you start. No hidden extras.
What Can I Earn?
We are often asked about the potential earnings for driving instructors. Clearly, this is not an easy question to answer, but your potential earnings depend only on one thing – YOU!
You can decide how many hours you will work and you can decide what you'll charge based on current local prices for your area.
Throughout the UK lesson prices vary from £16 up to approximately £25.
You will be able to work out a guide to your income based on the lesson price, how much work you want to do and your car expenses.
So you have to be realistic, we would suggest not buying a new BMW Mini to teach in at £15000, save a fortune and buy a Hyundai for £6000. It does the same job!
Let s look at tpical instructor charging £20 per hour and teaching for only 30 hrs per week. He will earn £2,400 per month.
That’s an income of £28,800 per year.
An instructor charging £18 per lesson and working for only 20 hrs per week would earn £1440 per month.
That’s an income of £17,280 per year.
So why do companies go on about huge wages from £30,000 to £50,000 in some cases?
Yes it can be done, but please think about your prices and how many hours you wish or need to work..
You will need to deduct petrol and car running costs, business expenses and any other costs that you decide to incur, but as you’ll realise, the way you run your business is your business
The choices are all yours. You’re the boss – you decide!
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Remember that instructors with a good reputation are ALWAYS busy...!
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Please call us to ask any questions you like, we are here to help!