Information about the Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Standards Check

The procedure that driving examiners will follow when conducting ADI standards checks. These documents have been published so you can see how the assessment works. Link for the examiner guidance.

The standards check will assess how well you meet this standard, which sets out what you must be able to do and what you must know and understand to provide training to drivers and riders.

This is the procedure that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has given to its driving examiners who will conduct ADI standards checks. It has been published so you can see what will be assessed.

You must email ‘standardscheck@dsa.gsi.gov.uk’ within 10 days to confirm your attendance.

You must provide evidence to support cancellation of the appointment. The ADI Registrar can consider removing your name from the register if you don’t provide this proof, or fail to attend without telling us in advance.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended) requires ADIs to periodically show that they continue to maintain the minimum standards of instructional ability to remain on the register. DVSA will use the ‘standards check’ to assess how well an ADI meets the standard. The timing of the check is determined by the Registrar.

On the day you’ll need to bring:

1. your ADI registration certificate, even if you aren’t taking money for the lesson
2. a pupil
3. a motor car that is:
   
   • fitted with rear seat belts (Note If the car has rear head restraints these should be fitted)
   • roadworthy, safe and reliable (Note Soft top convertibles are not acceptable)
   • L plates (or D plates in Wales) if appropriate
   
   Your standards check will not go ahead if you don’t bring these with you. It’s your responsibility to know the area around the test centre where the standards check is taking place and we strongly advise that you take some time to familiarise yourself with it.

The standards check will be conducted by an examiner observing you delivering a normal 1 hour driving lesson. Your examiner will ask you for some background information about your pupil, like how many lessons they’ve had and what you’ve been working on recently. You must demonstrate clearly to the examiner that the needs that you identify have been discussed and agreed with the pupil. The examiner will then tell you to deliver a lesson in exactly the same way as you would normally do. You’ll be assessed against all of the competences set out on the standards check form.

At the end of the standards check the examiner will give you:

• Feedback about your performance
• A copy of the standards check assessment form

This will help you to understand your strengths or where you might look to develop your competence. You won’t get any extra written reports or follow-up letters.

Skills, knowledge and understanding required

The ADI is responsible for the standards check lesson. They should make sure they have sound knowledge of the area around their chosen driving test centre (DTC) so they can:

• Plan their lesson
• Give appropriate directions to their pupil during the standards check

The pupil they bring can be at any level of ability, but cannot be on the ADI register or have passed the ADI part 2 test.

An ADI will normally be invited for a standards check at their local driving test centre (DTC). Occasional DTCs or out-stations are not suitable because of the restrictions they impose. The ADI will get a letter that confirms the time and place of their standards check and explains the test procedure.

Typical lesson scenarios that you may need to assess fall into the following categories:

• Partly trained, inexperienced, learner
• Experienced pupil – about ready to take their practical driving test
• New full licence holder
• Experienced full licence holder

Classroom-based and ‘off-road’ lessons are not allowed for the standards check.

An increasing number of ADIs provide training to the emergency services. This training can include taking advantage of legal exemptions such as exceeding speed limits or not complying with traffic signs.

You should tell the ADI that you cannot accompany the lesson for health and safety reasons if you’re told that the proposed lesson plan includes elements which require the trainee to take advantage of the exemptions. You must stop the standards check if the ADI refuses to change the lesson plan to take out these elements.

You must conduct all standards checks in English or Welsh observing the ADI delivering a normal 1 hour lesson with a pupil.

You will assess the ADI’s delivery of instruction to their pupil based on the criteria set out in the sample SC1 standards check reporting form and the ‘National standard for driver and rider training’.

The pupil can accompany the ADI to the waiting room at the DTC. If the pupil decides to wait in the car, you should encourage the ADI to introduce the pupil to you in a relaxed way.

They should tell their pupil to behave exactly as they would normally. Some find that it helps to put their pupil at ease if they explain:

• That the examiner is there to check the ADI is doing their job
• To make sure that the quality of instruction they get meets the minimum standards

The ADI should prepare a normal lesson, with their pupil, based on the student’s learning needs or agreed development strategy.

The theme for the lesson may be one of those listed on the SC1 form, but it may be something else. In that case you should record what the theme was in the ‘other’ box.

Before the lesson starts, you’ll ask the ADI some questions about their pupil.

They should be able to tell you:

• Roughly how many hours of tuition their pupil has had
• Whether their pupil is getting any other practice, e.g. from parents or others
• Their pupil’s strengths and areas for development

The ADI can show you the pupil’s driver’s record (if they have one) before the start of the lesson to help explain their current progress in their agreed training programme.

They must display a valid ADI certificate when they attend their standards check if they’re charging the pupil. They don’t need to display their certificate if they’re not charging the pupil.

You must ask to see the certificate if it’s not displayed. You must not continue with the standards check if they can’t show you their valid ADI certificate.

You can make notes during the lesson to help you identify locations that may not be familiar to you. You should destroy the notes as soon as possible after the standards check is complete. The only record of the standards check will be the completed report form.

You can be accompanied by a senior examiner to quality assure your assessment. Whenever possible, you will tell the ADI in advance when this is going to happen. If you couldn’t tell the ADI before the assessment, 5 minutes will be allowed for the ADI to explain to the pupil what’s happening. The lesson can include (if the ADI wishes) driving to the nearest garage or tyre centre to inflate the car’s tyres to the recommended pressures for a heavier load.

The ADI can be accompanied by their trainer/mentor, but that person can’t take part in the standards check lesson in any way.

If a trainer or mentor intends to accompany the ADI and the standards check is also planned for supervision, the supervising examiner will decide whether or not the supervision goes ahead.

When the ADI arrives at the test centre, you’ll confirm their identity and complete the necessary paperwork.

The standards check requires the ADI to show their competence against all the criteria on the assessment form. You should make sure the ADI understands what they are required to do, for example by asking:

Do you have any questions about the standards check before we start?

You’ll then ask about the pupil’s background and how much experience they’ve had. For example, you could say:

Could you tell me how many lessons your pupil has had