If you didn't already know, ADI Network has partnered with Intelligent Instructor+ to bring you the best continued professional development in the industry — and all for free.

Once you've passed your part 3 exam, that shouldn't be the end of your learning. It's important to continue your driving instructor training to improve your coaching skills, keep up to date with industry trends and be the best instructor you can be.

The DVSA were at the 2024 National Driving Instructor Conference in September. If you missed it, or want to jog your memory, catch-up on Loveday Ryder's industry update and Q&A session. Log in to the ADI Network app for the full video.

DVSA Industry Update and Q&A

Pupil Reflection in Your Standards Check by Mike Fowler

Mike Fowler hones in on one key area of your Standards Check Test in this new article:

"At the end of the session - was the pupil encouraged to reflect on their own performance?"

Does reflection only happen at the end of a session? Would it not be fair to think that reflection happens every time you pull up and elicit feedback, and your reflection at the end of a session is a “Summary” of sorts of all the times you have elicited feedback as you have adjusted the lesson?

There are many “Frameworks” for encouraging self-evaluation: Scaling, Grow, GIBBS’ Reflective cycle, Kolb’s experimental model, and many more. Some instructors will find great success using these models, but our role in the car is to use the technique best suited to our client’s learning style. That technique may simply be “a conversation.”

Want to find out more about how to ace this crucial part of the test? Download the ADI Network app for free to read the rest!

Not sure how to make sure you pass this part of your Standards Check Test? Sit down with Ray Seagrave as he gives you his top tips.

Explain & Demonstrate Skills and Techniques by Ray Seagrave

Phillip Cowley discusses section 4 of the Driving Essential Skills book, which covers mirrors and plenty of other information you'll find useful in lessons.

Driving Essential Skills: Mirrors by Phillip Cowley

We'll hear from the DVSA again next month, with two more videos from key staff.

Amanda Lane (Deputy Chief Driving Examiner & Head of Driver Testing and Training Policy) will be discussing the content and benefits of the Ready to Pass? campaign, including the importance of mock tests, advice on conducting them, and the benefits they bring to the learner.

Plus, David Mann (Enforcement Delivery Manager) and Colin Stewart (Assistant Chief Driving Examiner) talk about how your driving test data, coupled with sitting in on tests, helps you self-analyse, ensuring consistency. This open and honest approach improves learner outcomes and promotes road safety through data-driven insights and real-time observations.

Remember, you can watch these videos and explore our ever-growing library of CPD content by downloading the ADI Network app and signing up for free.

Continued Professional Development: November 2024

If you're looking for extra work, adding yourself to the DVSA's website is a free way to gain more customers. If you're not sure how to get added, we've got everything you need here.

How to Add Yourself to the DVSA's Website

When looking for driving lessons, it's absolutely vital for learners to make sure their instructor is actually qualified. Only DVSA-registered instructors are qualified to teach and legally allowed to charge for lessons. If you end up learning with someone who doesn't have the right qualifications or training, you could end up endangering yourself and other road users. So it's crucial that you check your instructor is fully legal.

In this guide, we'll look at how you can check another instructor is approved by the DVSA, how to make sure you're on the DVSA's list of approved instructors, and what to do if you think you're learning with an illegal driving instructor.

Anyone offering driving lessons must be a Potential Driving Instructor (PDI) holding a valid trainee driving instructor licence, or an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI). If they're not, and they're still charging money for their lessons, then they're breaking the law. Only DVSA-approved instructors are legally allowed to charge for their services. Don't just take our word for it — GOV.UK lays this out in no uncertain terms on their website:

To legally charge anyone money (or monies worth) for driving instruction in a car, you must either:

Have a trainee driving instructor licence

It's illegal to charge someone for driving lessons if you're not qualified and registered, or if you don't have a trainee driving instructor licence."

Worse still, this problem isn't as uncommon as you may think — we found there were almost 1,000 reports of instructors teaching illegally between 2014 and 2019.

Do you want to check whether a new instructor in the area is qualified? The first thing you need to do is check the DVSA’s handy ‘Find your nearest driving instructors’ tool. This database contains a list of DVSA-approved instructors who have signed up to be listed. You’ll be able to simply type in your postcode and find instructors that are the closest to you. When you do, you’ll be able to see their:

And that’s not all. You’ll also be able to see if an ADI has committed to a voluntary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme and if they have agreed to abide by the ADI Code of Practice (CoP).

Additionally, if an ADI has chosen to disclose it, you’ll see their Standards Check Grade. If an instructor hasn’t disclosed their grade, don’t assume this is because they failed their standards check! If ADIs don’t pass the standards check, they get two more tries before they have to retake all three ADI tests again. You can find out more about this in our guide to the process of becoming a driving instructor.

Can't find the instructor on the list? Before you start jumping to conclusions, we’d like to emphasise that this database is purely voluntary. In other words, ADIs choose whether or not they want to be included on the list. For all you know, your instructor could just prefer to advertise their services by word of mouth or their personal website. Fortunately, the DVSA database isn’t the only way to check your instructor is DVSA-approved.

What if I think an instructor isn't DVSA-approved?

If you can’t find your instructor in the DVSA’s database and you haven't been able to see their badge, it’s important not to panic or jump to conclusions. There might be a number of legitimate reasons explaining this.

If you don’t feel comfortable asking them to prove that they’re qualified (if you suffer from that awkward British politeness!) then you can get in touch with the DVSA and ask them to check for you. To help the DVSA with their search, you will need the name of your instructor and their ADI number (if you can). Then, get in touch with the DVSA’s customer support:

DVSA Customer Support adireg@dvsa.gov.uk  Telephone: 0300 200 1122 Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm

Alternatively, if you’re pretty certain that you've come across an illegal driving instructor, you can report them to the DVSA’s counter-fraud and integrity team. Feel like you're going a bit overboard? The DVSA takes this matter very seriously and looks into every report. So, if you're reasonably sure, you should definitely get in touch:

DVSA Counter-fraud and Integrity Team cfi@dvsa.gov.uk Telephone: 0300 123 3248 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

While you're checking the DVSA's database of instructors, it's worth seeing if you're on there yourself. Like we said, it's completely up to you whether you want to be added to the list or not, but we'd recommend doing it.

Being on the DVSA's list of instructors means your current and future learners can make sure you're fully qualified, which will help them to feel more at ease during their lessons with you.

As well as that, a lot of learners use the DVSA's website when they're looking for driving instructors in their area. If you show up when a learner enters their postcode, you'll receive more business.

How to add yourself to the DVSA's database

You can give your permission to appear on the DVSA's database in a few taps. Just use your online user ID to update your ADI registration.

If you've already opted in and you've decided you no longer want to show up on the database, you can follow the same steps and update your preferences online.

If you've forgotten your password or user ID, or you're having any issues figuring out what to do, you can email the DVSA's customer service team at customerservices@dvsa.gov.uk.

Driving tuition is in high demand, which means it's the perfect opportunity to grow your business and make it even more successful. Find out how you can do that with ADI Network.

How to Manage Your Business

Being a driving instructor takes a lot of work and effort, but not all of your time will be spent teaching. Since most instructors work for themselves, they'll need to handle the day-to-day tasks that come with running your own business.

If you're daunted by tax returns or you're trying to get your head around marketing, don't panic. ADI Network have collaborated with Intelligent Instructor+ to bring you tons of free content that will improve your professional development.

Tommy Sandhu is an entrepreneur, ADI, ORDIT, and Fleet Driver Trainer who runs the leading independent driving school in Coventry with a fleet of 58 drivers.

He has been on an entrepreneurial path since leaving school, but has more recently applied this skillset as a driving instructor and consultant to offer his insight to other driving schools and organisations.

Some of the content available on ADI Network includes:

How do I start my own multi-car driving school? by Tommy Sandhu

Grow a Following on Social Media by Mark Zondo

Business & Tech Advice

Continued Professional Development: November 2024

How to Add Yourself to the DVSA's Website

How to Manage Your Business