Coaching is not just a case of asking questions (which instructors do already as part of their everyday teaching).  It is about asking questions which raise the awareness and responsibility from within the coachee.  There are many tools that instructors can use from within the coaching toolbox and the effects of using coaching with learners can be quite profound.

Sir John Whitmore & Ged Wilmot

To date, there has been little information available about coaching specifically for driving instructors. Last year, the University of East London ran its pilot course – a Postgraduate qualification in ‘Coaching for Driver Development’ in which a handful of the best professional driver trainers and coaches from all aspects of the driving world were invited to attend.  I was fortunate enough to be one of the delegates invited to attend that course, along with my good friend and colleague Kathy Higgins of Insight2Drive. We have recognised that courses and workshops for driving instructors are few and far between and so we have developed a one day coaching course specifically designed for Approved Driving Instructors.

The one day ‘Practical Coaching Techniques for Driving Instructors’ interactive workshop offers driving instructors essential information which can be incorporated into the everyday work of an ADI.  The content will include basic principles and benefits of using coaching in driver training, what makes a good coach, and lots of practical coaching techniques.  There are two workshop dates currently available, Monday 22nd February 2010 in Oldham and Thursday 18th March 2010 in Liverpool.

Both courses will be run by me (Ged Wilmot), Claire Wilmot and Kathy Higgins. Having a wealth of driver coaching experience, we are excited to be able to offer such a course to ADI’s throughout the North West of England.

The course fee is £139, which includes lunch and refreshments. Spaces are limited and going fast, so you’ll need to act quickly!

If you would like further information about the course, please contact Claire Wilmot on 07956 104160 or complete the contact form on the Active Driving Solutions website.

Our new fast ‘pass in a week’ crash course means that customers can now start their lessons on a Monday and pass on the Friday!

Although these courses are referred to as ‘crash courses’, rest assured, we will not be teaching you to crash!  Quite the opposite.  Lessons taken intensively mean that with little time to forget in between lessons, learning is much quicker.

In fact, latest Government research found that of all successful test candidates, the average number of hours taken with an instructor was 47 and the average time taken to pass the test was 13 months!  With our pass in a week crash course, the cost will be much lower than taking weekly lessons.

Our all-inclusive ‘pass in a week’ crash course is being offered at an introductory price of just £599, which means that compared to taking lessons weekly, you could save hundreds of pounds.  Although the majority of our customers pass in less hours than the national average, based on the national average figures, you could save over £400 with our ‘pass in a week’ crash course!

We’re also so confident that the vast majority of our customers taking the ‘pass in a week’ crash course will achieve a pass at the end of the week that we guarantee to pay for your next test if you are unfortunate enough not to pass on the first attempt!

Places on the ‘pass in a week’ crash course are limited so to avoid disappointment, we recommend that you ring us on 0161 345 3452 or contact us through our website asking for an application form.

We are officially 8 years old today!  Latics Driver Training was launched on 5^th November 2001 by business partners Claire Wilmot and Glyn Crossley who have more than 25 years experience in driver training between them.  The company has expanded steadily over the years to become Oldham’s biggest and best driving school and has helped thousands of happy customers pass their test.  Our team of dedicated instructors and our happy customers have been paramount to the success of Latics Driver Training.

Over the last 12 months, we have been busy expanding and offering new products.  Director Claire Wilmot has visited local schools to give presentations and deliver road safety messages, our new ‘Pass in a Week Crash Course’ has been launched, and all the vehicles have been signwritten with the fantastic new Latics Driver Training branding.

Over the next 12 months, we aim to deliver the same high standard of driving instruction and customer service.  We will also be launching our new and improved pupil progress system and updating our instructors with some of the new breed of extremely successful coaching methods being introduced to the driver training industry.

The driving school provides driving lessons in Middleton, Ashton, Rochdale, Oldham, Saddleworth, Hyde, Manchester and most surrounding areas.  See our website for more information.

According to the Romford & Havering Post, Cara cruised through her driving test first time with only five minor driving faults, observed by two examiners from the Hornchurch Test Centre.

She was presented with her driving test pass certificate and was so pleased that she immediately phoned family and friends to tell them her fantastic news. But Cara’s celebrations were short-lived when examiners contacted her four hours later to tell her that the pass certificate was invalid because the examiner had made a mistake during the test.

“I got home chuffed to bits as I’ve wanted to do this for years, only to be told I had failed,” said Cara, who has spent more than £600 on lessons and tests. “I drove exactly how I was instructed, but the examiner had only done one manoeuvre and forgotten to do a second one. Now I’m being penalised and have failed the test.”

The DSA have told Cara she can re-sit the exam free of charge, but she is still in shock. She said: “I want to know how two examiners could let me walk away for four hours without realising they had messed up.  I could have been out on the road illegally.”

After exhausting all her options, including seeking legal advice, Cara has conceded that she will inevitably have to retake her driving test. “No one expects to have to sit their driving test after passing it.  It was nerve-wracking enough the first time, but doing it again is going to be a nightmare,” she admitted.

A spokesman for the DSA said: “We apologise for what was a genuine mistake.  The examiner missed out one of the manoeuvres, which made the test illegal. We have offered a free re-test and will bring someone in especially for this so the candidate is not waiting weeks. We would like her to get in touch as soon as possible. We are very sorry and understand how disappointed she must be.”

BBC Radio 1’s newsbeat reports the story of Adam, an 18-year-old who works for his father’s waste company.  Until now he’s been helping out, knowing that it would probably be a while before he got to drive the lorries himself. But today, he took his first lesson in an LGV.

Adam said: “I was over the moon that I could do it. It’s just better money, it’s just better everything. It means more responsibility.”

He says the lessons are hard: “They make you reverse into really tight gaps, it’s quite nerve-wracking.  You’ve got to drive around narrow streets, you feel a bit worried about what you’re doing. But it’s all good.”

An extra qualification has also been brought in – the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), and all professional lorry drivers will need to have one.  For more information on Driver CPC, click here.

But even with all the extra training, is 18 still too young to drive a vehicle of this size?  Adam doesn’t think so: “I should be alright because I’ve got more driving experience anyway.  Driving this means I should be a better driver for later on in the future.”

Jo Tanner from the Freight Transport Association (FTA) also thinks 18 is a suitable age: “You don’t get many people trying to do a hand-brake turn in an HGV.  There are no boy racers behind the wheel of an HGV truck but there may well be behind the wheel of a souped-up hatchback.”

However, concerns have been expressed about just how many driving jobs are out there for teenagers who do get their licence.

Jo said this should improve once the recession’s over: “Sadly there have been an awful lot of redundancies in the industry, so when the recession is over we’re concerned there’ll be a severe skills shortage because the older drivers will have gone into retirement.

“So having these younger drivers come in now and get trained up, so they’ll be ready and raring to go when the jobs are there, is great news.”

Claire Wilmot, Managing Director of Latics Driver Training believes otherwise: “Statistically, the 17 to 24-year-old age group is of the highest risk, mainly due to poor decsion-making by the driver.  Allowing 18-year-olds an LGV licence could potentially have disasterous consequences if the wrong decision is made behind the wheel.  There’s a big difference between the outcome of crashing a small car and crashing an LGV.”

What do you think?

Source:  BBC Website

The changes in legislation were prompted by the murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells by caretaker Ian Huntley in 2002.

Under new legislation from July 2010, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) have powers to bar unsuitable people from undertaking paid or volunteer work with children (up to age 18) and vulnerable adults.

ISA registration uses data collected by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to decide if a person is unsuitable.  Any person who has to apply for an enhanced CRB for work purposes will automatically have to gain ISA registration which means that all driving instructors will have to comply with the scheme.  It also means that to comply with the ‘fit and proper person’ requirement for Driving Standards Agency (DSA) registration, anyone starting the qualification process to become a driving instructor from July 2010 will have to have an enhanced CRB check and gain ISA registration, even before they intend to teach either on a trainee licence or a full licence.

Existing driving instructors will have until 2015 to register.

Registration costs £64 and is for life.

“I felt the need to write after completing my training today with Keith in his Fiat Punto, I have passed first time at the Rochdale test centre today and feel I couldn’t have done this without his superb teaching skills. Keith is everything you would want in an instructor, I have found him to be very patient and teaches at a level that is easy to understand and follow. As a nervous driver on my first lesson with Keith, he easily calmed me down and gave me the confidence I was lacking. I am so happy I chose Latics and that you directed me to this instructor and will be recommending you to my friends.  Please pass on my sincere thanks to Keith.”

Thanks for your email Rachel and congratulations!  (And well done to you too, Keith!)

Look out for updates to our website coming soon – our ‘Recent Passes’ page will be updated with photographs of all our students who’ve recently passed, and we’ll also be launching our ‘Pupil of the Month’ feature.

Marie is a fully qualified female driving instructor in Milnrow and offers driving lessons in Rochdale, Royton, Shaw and most of Oldham.

Welcome on board Marie, we know you’ll be a great asset to the team!

Sadie Parsons ADI

Congratulations to Sadie Parsons ADI, who achieved a Grade 5 in her Check Test today. Sadie has been a driving instructor at Latics Driver Training for 5 years and is delighted at her result. All driving instructors must undergo periodic Check Tests and are graded 1 to 6. With just under 6% achieving a maximum Grade 6 and just over 50% achieving the average Grade 4, Sadie has done well to achieve a great result. Well done Sadie!

Sadie is available to give driving lessons in Saddleworth as well as most of Oldham.

Look out for all our cars throughout the area as they are branded with the new eye-catching design over the coming weeks!

Latics Driver Training's new vehicle branding

Ric Hughes, one of the Latics Driving Instructors covering Ashton under Lyne, Glossop, Hyde and Oldham was the first to have his car branded with the new design.  Ric said, “It looks great, and all my pupils love it!  My car’s been turning heads wherever I go!”

Let us know what you think!