By David Allen, Qualified ADI Instructor @ A Grade Driver Training

Introduction

I have decided to write this article to briefly explain the difference between having an excellent pass rate when getting learners through their driving tests for the first time and successfully passing either a Standards Check or a Part 3.

Having read many posts on social media, I often see instructors feeling disheartened about failing a Standards Check or Part 3 when they have an excellent pass rate.

Excellent Pass Rate

Let’s start with an excellent practical car test pass percentage. Well done you.

You clearly have good judgement when deciding whether a pupil has reached the required standard to pass a forty-minute assessment, covering different types of road and traffic conditions. This is especially true if you teach in a complex and busy environment, such as a highly populated area.

Well done, too, because you have the resilience to manage the pressure from pupils, parents, partners, or even career opportunities. You are able to stop a pupil attempting a test when you know they are not capable of passing.

However, did the pupil know the route they were on, meaning they were learning by rote?

Or do they have the decision-making skills that would allow them to pass their driving test at any test centre in the UK?

This was explained in one of my previous articles. See: Should ADIs use test routes?

Passing a Standards Check/Part 3

Now, to the point of this article, which is the differences between having an excellent pass rate and passing with a good mark on a Standards Check or a Part 3.

The first reason is simple. They are different types of assessment, with different factors affecting a successful outcome.

Being successful on a Standards Check or ADI Part 3 is based on three main aspects:

  • Was it the right lesson for the pupil?
  • Was the vehicle kept safe?
  • Was learning maximised, taking into account the pupil’s stage, ability, and learning needs?

Also, your pupil needs to be involved in the learning process, using client centered techniques and a conversation based on mutual respect.

Yes, you may have an excellent pass rate, but has learning been maximised? Could the pupil have taken fewer lessons to get there? If the lesson you have planned is right for the learner driver, and they feel safe and comfortable, with risk managed appropriately by either you or them, then learning will be maximised.

Some will say, “I won’t make as much money from my pupils if I adopt this approach”.

But if you help most of your pupils to pass their test first time with a minimum amount of lessons, they are more likely to recommend you when they tell their friends and family about their success.

Summary

So, let me summarise the main points. Being successful at achieving an excellent first-time practical car test pass rate typically requires:

  • Good judgement of the pupil, and whether they have reached the required standard to drive independently in different situations
  • Possibly good knowledge of the routes, junctions, or situations that the DVSA commonly use during driving tests
  • The resilience to stop pupils attempting a test when you know their driving standard is not yet good enough to pass

Whereas being successful on a Standards Check or ADI Part 3 is about:

  • Planning the lesson correctly to maximise learning
  • Keeping the vehicle safe, so both you and your pupil feel comfortable enough for learning to take place
  • Using the right teaching tools for the pupil to maximise their learning
  • Allowing the pupil to take part in the learning process, so they become decision makers who can self-evaluate and continue improving after they pass the driving test

© David Allen
A Grade Driver Training

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