The Practical Driving Test

I cover Wakefield and Heckmondwike test centres.

When sitting your theory test, please let me know the date in advance so that I can wish you good luck but can also send you my current unavailability date list (it isn’t lengthy!) so that you can move straight on to booking your practical test if you wish.

When you have booked your practical test, please let me know when to put in my diary promptly, so that I can ensure I keep that date and time available for you if you wish to attend with me and my car. Practical tests take priority over lesson bookings, but do I have dates that I am unavailable for personal reasons or due to other student’s tests.

Remember that if the test is further into the future than you wanted, book anyway and let me know for my diary, then regularly check availability of tests with the aim to move your test to a sooner slot. The DVSA do not charge for this.

If you really cannot get a local test, book for a different part of the country and the keep searching to move the test to a centre I cover.

As I have explained in my terms and conditions (also listed below on this page), the test diary slot is a minimum of two hours, regardless of your normal lesson length. Although the test itself is only about 40 minutes, we must aim to arrive at the test centre about ten minutes before your time in order to allow long enough to calmly reverse park even if it is busy and we do have to wait whilst other students are doing the same. Please understand that examiners will not run a test if we arrive late, and you will lose your booking and test fee. I aim to keep everything as stress-free as possible for you by quietly choosing the route to the test centre to avoid traffic problems and make the drive there just the right length that we do not arrive excessively early. I reserve the right to determine if a slightly longer diary space is needed if you live quite a distance from the test centre; if your test time necessitates travelling through rush hour traffic; or if there are excessive amounts of road works at either end, causing uncontrollable delays to the journey. My whole reason for existence on test day is to get you there at the right time in a calm frame of mind!

If I am attending the test centre with you, I am working and as such require payment at the usual rate. You are using my time and my car unless you decide to use your own. If you wish, I will attend your test itself to silently observe and make notes to inform future learning, regardless of the outcome. If you prefer, I can stay behind at the test centre (some candidates feel that two people are enough in the car and what you feel is best for you is the way to go!), but you are still using my time.

I drive home all students after their test whatever the outcome. You have adrenaline coursing through your body whichever the outcome and the plan is that you are busy contacting your loved ones to share good news (if you wish).

It is legal to attend the driving test without an instructor. If you choose this option, I can provide you with more information as there is much you need to know so as not to inadvertently invalidate your test or accidently break the law by driving an uninsured car after you pass.

The content below is section 7 of my T&C’s (which I ask all students to read and sign to show understanding and agreement of):

⁃ Driving test bookings take priority over lessons. This may mean that you have a lesson which must be postponed accommodating someone else's test (with maximum possible notice), but similarly, your own driving test will take precedence over any lessons I may have booked. To facilitate this, please notify me immediately of all test bookings, alterations, postponements, and the like (by yourself or the DVSA) otherwise I cannot guarantee to be able to attend said test.

⁃ Please book your test with a mind to ensuring you have time for the final lessons running up to that date. Whilst test bookings take priority over lessons (above) lessons do not and if you move your test forward and have very limited availability in your weekly diary for lessons, this could jeopardise my agreement as to test attendance on the basis that you are not ready.

⁃ A minimum of a two-hour lesson fee is required for the use of the driving school vehicle on test. Beyond that, the duration of the diary booking for the test is dependent on both your location and the time of day (re traffic), aiming to give you a suitable warm-up drive and attend the test centre punctually. My time is charged at the usual rate.

⁃ I reserve the right on the grounds of safety to withhold use of my car for the test. Maximum possible notice will be given in such an eventuality.

⁃ I do not offer the 'loan' of the car just for the driving test. To attend the test, you must demonstrate safe, test-standard driving consistently. Any new student will first need to book an assessment drive and then commit to booking a relevant number of lessons. This is in order to develop all areas identified as necessary in good time before the date of the test.

⁃ Every effort will be made to ensure that the driving school vehicle is fully roadworthy and complies with legal requirements. However, I cannot be held responsible for any mechanical failure (including, but not limited to, light bulb function, tyre damage or engine management warning lights) during the time booked for your test and am not responsible for any subsequent losses.

⁃ I am not responsible for any test cancellations by the DVSA (due to but not limited to bad weather, staff sickness and strike action). Factors like this are beyond my control and payment for the time booked is still owed in full. Advice will be given on how to claim compensation from the DVSA for such out of pocket expenses, if applicable.

⁃ Whilst I will do everything within my power to ensure that you attend your booked driving test punctually, I am not responsible, due to extenuating circumstances, for us arriving at the test centre too late for the test to take place.

⁃ I will aim to remind you both beforehand and, on the day, to bring your driving licence to the test, but I am not responsible for this if you forget and thus the test is forfeit.

⁃ The assumption we both work on is that you are attending your test to pass. If you are not ready, we will not be attending as you need to be demonstrably able to show consistent test-standard independent driving. I will ensure to raise any concerns I have in good time, in order to move the test without penalty by the DVSA.

⁃ With the above assumption in mind, you should expect that I will have had a new student booked and waiting to take your diary space after your test date.

⁃ If we mutually agree to move your test; or strike action by the DVSA or other causes move your test; or the test outcome is not as hoped and you wish to take more lessons ready for us to attend the next test together, I will do everything I can to accommodate you in my diary but I cannot guarantee success in this.

⁃ If you do not pass and want to take the test again in my car then we again need to ensure that you are prepared, driving at the test standard but also consistently addressing all areas raised by the test report. How long this will take is likely to be proportionate to the number of areas raised as faults and the severity of these faults. I again reserve the right to withhold use of my car for reasons of safety.