Driving Instructor Grades - Is Asking For The Grade Of A Driving Instructor A Reliable Way Of Checking How Good They Are?

Is the grade of a driving instructor a reliable indicator of how good an instructor they are?

I've come across numerous "guides to finding a good driving instructor" which advise learner drivers to ask for the grade of a driving instructor and to only take lessons from the highest grade of instructor...is this good advice or not? I'll give you the facts about driving instructor grading and let you decide!

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) periodically check the standards of tuition given by all Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) and assign each instructor a grade which that instructor retains until it's time for their next check.

Driving instructors are graded from 1 to 6, with 6 being the highest grade possible.
 
That grade is based solely upon a driving examiner observing ONE HOUR of driving tuition given by an individual driving instructor every four or more YEARS.
 
Nothing else is taken into account when determining the grade of a driving instructor. The grade is based solely on how the examiner thinks the instructor performed in the observed driving lesson. There's no interview, written tests or other performance related reports such as the number of test passes or feedback from past or present students taken into consideration.
 
As of February 2009 (the most recent published figures I can track down) the percentage of driving instructors in the UK by grade was as follows;
 
Grade 1 - 0%
Grade 2 - 0.09%
Grade 3 - 0.76%
Grade 4 - 51.32%
Grade 5 - 31.03%
Grade 6 - 5.99%
Ungraded - 10.81% (newly qualified instructors are officially ungraded until their first DSA "check test" is done)

Any driving instructor whose grade is less than a 4 is subject to further checks by the DSA and if the standard of their tuition fails to improve within a very short period of time, they risk having their driving instructor licence withdrawn.

So, as you can see, the majority of driving instructors are graded 4 and 5.

I'll be quite honest here and say that I have some issues with the grading system.

As far as I am aware, no other fully qualified professional body is graded in this way. I have yet to read any "advice" suggesting that I ask a qualified plumber for their grade before I allow them to mend my leaking taps, or that I ask a pharmacist for their grade before I buy a packet of paracetamol to cure a headache :)

The trouble with driving instructor grading is that it's based on nothing more than a snapshot of performance. If the driving instructor is nervous during their check test (and it's human nature to be nervous when someone is watching your every move - especially when your continuing livelihood depends on the outcome), then that can affect the way they "perform" on the check lesson and may mean that what the examiner sees bears little or no resemblance to how they usually teach or interact with their students.

I know many grade 4 instructors who have a string of test passes and happy customers as long as the Great Wall Of China...and I know one or two grade 6 instructors whose communication and people skills seem alarmingly lacking...presumably they're just better at putting on a good show for the one hour every few years that an examiner observes them?

There's another problem with asking for the grade of a driving instructor which the "advice givers" conveniently overlook...and this one's a biggie!

YOU MAY NOT BE TOLD THE TRUTH! - yes folks, take it from me, there are some naughty driving instructors out there who tell porky pies when it comes to spilling the beans about their grade...and there's no way for a member of the public to check whether what they say is true, as grades are not published and the DSA will not disclose that sort of information.

As I said at the beginning of this topic...I'll let you decide whether asking the grade of a driving instructor is a reliable indicator of how good at their job they are...

;)

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Instructor on test.

DT1 changes for observer on test
Observer on test for category B (car) practical tests will be implemented on 6 April 2010. This will need changes to how the examiner administers part of the test.
The DT1 - the standard operating procedure that examiners follow - has been updated to reflect these changes.
View the DT1 (PDF, 780Kb)
Here’s the procedure that will be used from 6 April 2010:
In the waiting room:
The examiner will ask, ‘Would you like your instructor/accompanying driver to accompany you on the test and be there for the result and end of test feedback?’.
If the customer says ‘no’, the examiner will ask, ‘Would you like your instructor/accompanying driver to be there at the end of test for the feedback?
‘Thank you, will you lead the way to your car please.’
End of test - pass and fail
The examiner will say, ‘Please switch off the engine and give me a moment to complete my paperwork.’
If the test was not accompanied and the instructor/accompanying driver comes over to the vehicle to listen to the conclusion of the test, the examiner will confirm with the customer that they want their instructor/accompanying driver present.

Driving Tests From 6th April 2010 - Do You Want Your Instructor To Sit In On Your Test?

From 6th April 2010, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will be "encouraging" driving test candidates to take an observer along in the back of the car while their test takes place.

This idea is nothing new. At present you are allowed to take someone with you on your driving test if you wish. Anyone over 16 years old is allowed to accompany a driving test candidate, but they cannot take any part in the test - they have to sit still, are not allowed to speak, or distract either you or the examiner in any way.

The difference is that at present it is your responsibility to tell the examiner that you would like someone to accompany you before the test commences, whereas from 6th April 2010, the examiner will be asking you if you'd like someone with you.

The DSA have stated:

"By having the observer present on the test, they'll be in the position to identify future development needs for a subsequent test or additional skills to build on after passing the test."

(source:DirectGov - Driving Tests - bring your instructor along)

To help you decide whether you want someone else sitting in the back of the car during your driving test, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of taking an observer along!
 
Advantages

• The observer can see any mistakes you make whilst on test and identify aspects of your driving that many need remedial action whether you pass or fail
• Having a familiar person in the car with you may help you to relax

Disadvantages

• You may find it off-putting and feel more nervous by having someone other than the examiner watching you
• Most driving school cars are "on the small side" and having someone sitting in the back may feel cramped
• Visibility may be obscured
• Extra people in the car means that it may handle slightly differently than you are used to
• Many driving instructors are accustomed to sitting in the back of the car during tests and are used to sitting completely still and silent, but if you've learnt to drive with a friend or relative, they may not find this easy - which may lead to criticism from the examiner
• Driving examiners are routinely monitored by their bosses at regular intervals to make sure that they are doing their jobs properly. When this happens an observer from the DSA will sit in the back to watch what the examiner is doing. If you want your observer along too, there could be four people in the car!

It's your decision - it's best to talk it through with your instructor before your driving test and decide what you want to do!

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