Two of the three tests taken by people wishing to qualify as an approved driving instructor (ADI) will be updated by the end of December 2017, the DVSA has announced.
Regulations laid in Parliament today (1 Dec) mean that the ADI part two (driving ability) and ADI part three (instructional ability) will be modernised from 23 December 2017.
The changes are supported by the driver training industry and don’t affect ADIs who are already qualified.
The changes to the ADI part two test reflect the changes to the car driving test which come into force on 4 December 2017, and will require ADIs to demonstrate they have the skills they will be teaching to learner drivers. The changes include being able to follow a satnav and answer a vehicle safety question while driving.
The ADI part three test will become ‘a much more realistic assessment of a trainee instructor’s ability to teach a pupil’.
In the current ADI part three test, a trainee instructor provides training to a driving examiner role-playing the part of a pupil. In the new part three test, the trainee instructor will give a driving lesson to a real pupil while an examiner assesses their ability to tailor the training to the pupil’s learning goals and needs.
The examiner will look for evidence that the trainee instructor meets the national standard for driver and rider training.They will be marked on 17 areas of competence across three categories – lesson planning, risk management and teaching and learning skills.
Jacqui Turland, DVSA ADI registrar, said: “To make sure new drivers get the best possible training, we’re improving how we assess that ADIs have the knowledge, modern driving skills and the understanding they need to provide successful tuition.
“ADIs play a vital role in improving road safety. These changes mean they’ll be better prepared for the realities of teaching pupils to become safe and responsible drivers.”
Carly Brookfield, chair of the National Association Strategic Partnership for driving instructors, said: "We welcome the implementation of the new Part 2 and Part 3.
“Getting the process right for qualifying new driver trainers, and ensuring they have the most relevant skills and knowledge of driving in a modern context, is crucial in delivering the next generation of new drivers, and developing the safety of existing licence holders."
Category: Driver training.
My understanding is that under the previous grading system for ADI’s (1-6) only around 7% achieved grade 6. Under the new system it is just A, B or C, 45% have achieved an A,
Seemingly the powers that be were concerned about the number of ADI’s achieving grade 6 and wanted this improved, so the DVSA simply re-arranged the grading system to suggest this has happened. In essence by suggesting that 45% are now in the top grade the DVSA have further lowered the general standard related to driving instructors and, by inference, the standard driving test. The question is where will the slide end?
Nigel ALBRIGHT
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