A good driving instructor is the person who can teach you the test standard on roads you will actually use. Price matters, and it is not the only fact. Ask about qualifications, how a lesson is structured, and whether they teach manual or automatic before you buy a large block.
Key takeaway. Book a first lesson, or a short block, until you know the teaching suits you. A big upfront block is harder to leave.
Qualifications and the car
Ask whether the person is an approved driving instructor (ADI) or a trainee giving paid lessons under the trainee rules, and check the current wording on GOV.UK if you want to confirm what is allowed. A friend with a full licence can supervise unpaid practice if they meet the supervisor rules. They are not the same thing as a paid instructor. The lesson car should be legal for a learner, including L plates, and ordinary instruction cars have dual controls so the instructor can stop the car.
Teaching, diary and place
You want someone who says what they want, lets you try, and then tells you what to change. What makes a good instructor is that loop, repeated. Ask how long a lesson is, where you are picked up, and which days exist in the diary. An instructor who never has a slot that matches your shifts will not become free because you paid in advance.
Location is part of the lesson. If the pickup is far outside their usual patch, you may spend the hour in traffic that teaches you nothing, or you may be asked to meet somewhere convenient for them. That is fine if you agreed it.
Price and gearbox
Compare the same thing: one hour, same gearbox, same area. Automatic lessons are sometimes priced differently because fewer instructors offer them. Read manual and automatic before you choose the car, because the licence follows the car you pass in. Get the cancellation rule in writing. A cheap block with a harsh cancellation rule is not cheap if your shifts move.
Feedback, and when to switch
After three or four lessons you should know what you are working on. “You’re doing fine” every week, with no next skill, is a warning. So is shouting, so is a diary that cancels more often than it runs, and so is pressure to book a test while you still need instructions at every junction.
You can change instructor. Do it with notice, pay for the hours you have had, and tell the next person what you have already covered. You do not need to restart from moving off unless your driving shows that you should.
Frequently asked questions
Must my instructor be an ADI?
Paid car tuition in Great Britain should be given by an approved driving instructor or a licensed trainee. Ask, and check the current GOV.UK rules if you are unsure.
Should I buy a large block straight away?
Not until a lesson or two has shown you that the teaching and the diary work. A short start is easier to leave.
Can I choose automatic?
Yes. Say so before the first lesson. Passing in an automatic does not give you a manual licence.
What if I do not get on with them?
Say what is not working. If it does not change, move. Progress matters more than loyalty to a stranger.
Are online reviews enough?
They are a start. A review cannot tell you whether this person can teach you, on your roads, at your time of day.
Sources and further reading
Related reading
Read ten things learners should look for and why lesson prices vary.
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