The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) have a recommended list of 27 core skills that learner drivers need to develop on their journey to becoming competent and safe drivers. These 27 skills are split across 8 categories or groups - The Basics, Control and positioning. Observations, Signalling and Planning, Junctions, Roundabouts and Crossings, Manoeuvres, Road Types. Driving Conditions, and Following Routes.  Learning to drive is a 1-2-1 teaching/learning experience which is student-centric.  This means that the focus is always on you as the learner and how you feel about your developing skills and abilities.

Throughout your learning journey Coastal Driving Training proactively focuses on pupils scaling how confident they feel about their skills and progress.  Learning to drive is an intensive, interactive and collaborative experience between the instructor and pupil.  By encouraging pupils to self scale and reflect on their progress, this increases student engagement, improves decision making and problem-solving skills when mastering new driving skills, and ensures your driver training is totally personalised and paced to fit your unique needs.

Using scaling permits pupils to progress acquiring driving skills in a grounded and pragmatic way which helps pupils to make rapid progress towards passing their driving test.  We always remember that you are the most important individual in the learning process and encouraging pupils to scale their ability enables learners to fully engage in their in-car learning experience. 

When you take your driving test there is expectation that for a period of your test learners will undertake independent driving using a SatNav.  As part of your test preparation Coastal Driver Training make use of the same make and model of SatNav that the DVLA examiners currently use.  This makes for a more realistic mock test to support your development. This also increases your chances of a successful final test outcome.

There are a range of commercial practice apps that learner drivers use to prepare for their test at their local test centre using test routes purchased as part of the app.  Although these can be helpful they do not fully prepare a pupil for their test. When pupils undertake mock driving tests with Coastal Driver Training you will complete mock tests to similar standards to your real driving test and will use real test routes recently undertaken by other successful learners who have recently completed their test. Commercial test apps do not offer the same level of test preparation. 

Test centre examiners constantly modify test routes. By practicing and completing mock tests with Coastal Driver Training you have the opportunity to experience an assessment which is as close as possible to your actual test; receiving comprehensive constructive feedback from a qualified ADI instructor to help you prepare for your actual test.  

Mock driving tests are much more than simply following a known test route. Competent drivers can clearly demonstrate their driving skills and ability to complete all required manoeuvres to the required standards. Occasionally pupils demonstrate their ability to complete independent driving by following directions from the examiner instead of using a SatNav. Coastal Driver Training additionally conduct mock assessments that emulate examiners providing directions without SatNav use. When you successfully complete mock assessments you are demonstrating that you have the correct driving skills to support a life time of safe driving. Successfully completing mock driving test assessments helps build learner confidence prior to taking their formal practical driving test.

Coastal Driver Training collaborates with Confident Drivers an eLearning course provider of driver training materials to help support drivers to effectively overcome nerves and anxiety in relation to learning to drive and passing your test. Even if you consider yourself to be a confident and relaxed driver, pupils often find on the actual day of their driving test they encounter a certain level of nerves which is fully understandable. Making full use of the materials from Confident Drivers help pupils to maximise their chances of successfully passing their driving test. Using the Confident Drivers approach, pupils can change negative anxiety in to a focused driving approach of positive mindfullness. Learners often become worried that they will make driving errors during their test and be unsuccessful.  Using the Confident Drivers approach together with professional coaching from Coastal Driver Training, pupils can approach their test positively wanting to demonstrate their driving ability to examiners instead of having concern about making driving errors. Having the correct mental attitude makes a big difference to gaining a successful test outcome.

Learning to drive with Coastal Driver Training continues to provide value for money throughout your learning experience. You can use the full range of Confident Driver eLearning materials as a Coastal Driver Training pupil until you successfully pass your driving test. Purchasing the Confident Drivers material independently would cost at least £57 for each pupil. These materials are FREE for all Coastal Driver Training pupils. After working closely with a wide range of pupils requiring extra support due to test day nerves or general driving anxiety, Coastal Driver Training go the extra mile to help ensure your driving success.