At The Driving Academy we have fully qualified ORDIT trainers.
ORDIT stands for; official register of driver instructor training Approved by the DSA.

You can find out more about ORDIT by clicking below:


In order to train to become an approved driving instructor you must have held a full UK/EU licence for a minimum of 3.5 years. You must be over 21 years of age and you should have no more than 5 points on your licence as this may prohibit application.
The first step is to complete the application form and the criminal record disclosure form, from the ADI 14 starter pack which you can get from The Driving Academy or from the DSA direct on 0300 123 11 26.

The next steps to become a driving instructor are to pass the exams Part 1, 2 and 3.

Part 1.
Partly home study, with a series of reference aids which include books and CD-ROMs supplied by The Driving Academy.
The Driving Academy also includes 2 hours of in-car training using a laptop computer. The part 1 test comprises of a theory test consisting of 100 multi-choice questions. The overall passmark is 85% however candidates must achieve 80% or more in any of the four sections listed below:

• Road Procedure.
• Traffic signs and signals, car control, pedestrians and mechanical knowledge.
• Driving test, Disabilities and Law.
• Publications & Instructional techniques.

There is also a hazard perception test which consists of 14 video clips each lasting about a minute. The clips feature various types of hazards, you should respond by pressing the mouse button as soon as you see a hazard developing. The test is taken and passed at the same time as the theory. The pass mark for this is 57 out of a possible 75 points.
There is no restriction to the number of attempts you may have at the theory test.

Part 2
This is conducted in car and consists of 10 x 2 hour lessons. Also includes preparation of lesson plans with pictures and drawings. And if you wish you will be accompanied to the part 2 test.

The part 2 test consists of an eye sight test and an hour long driving examination similar to the "learner driver test" yet more advanced. Candidates must drive to a high standard in a wide variety of road conditions and complete six manoeuvres while demonstrating sound knowledge of good driving skills and road safety. A maximum of six driver errors are permitted with no serious or dangerous errors allowed.

At the start of the test you will also be asked questions on basic vehicle safety, based on a show me and tell me format.
Once you have passed your theory you have two years in which to complete the part 2 and 3 exams and you are limited to three attempts at each.

Part 3
This will be conducted in car and consists of 20 x 2 hour sessions. The sessions will develop your ability for, Fault finding, Teaching, Construction of lessons and lesson plans etc. Our instructor will also attend the practical test with you.

At this stage you will have the opportunity to apply for a trainee licence this allows you to be legally paid for giving instruction and should only be used to prepare you for the part 3 exam not as a means of making a living. If you choose this option you will require a further 20 hours of training.

The Part 3 test is a practical role-play based test of your ability to give effective instruction; it consists of two 30 minute phases of either:

• A novice or partly trained pupil.
• A pupil who is about test standard.
• A qualified driver undertaking driver developer training.

This is considered to be the most difficult of the three qualifying tests. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to pass on their knowledge, experience and skills and be able to identify, analyse and correct faults in a pupil's driving.

You are only allowed three attempts at your part 3 exam.