5 things you can do to support your pupils and their parents with private practice

Earlier this year we launched the ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign to improve learners’ and their parents’ understanding of what it means to be test ready and how they can assess their readiness.  

As part of our campaign research, 71% of parents agreed more information is needed on the knowledge, skills, and practice needed to be a good driver. So, we’ve published a new supervising learner drivers guide on GOV.UK which offers guidance and advice to parents who decide to take their learner out for private practice.  

As many you know, learners who have a combination of professional driving lesson and private practice are 1.5 times more likely to pass their driving test than those have no private practice.  

So, we are asking you to do these 5 things to help support your pupils and their parents with private practice: 

• proactively encourage and promote the benefits of private practice and observing a lesson to your pupils and their parents 
• encourage the parents of your pupils to read the new supervising learner driver guide on GOV.UK 
• invite parents to observe a lesson before starting private practice when you feel that your pupil is at an advanced level to take on an additional passenger without it affecting their ability to drive safely 
• advise parents when their son or daughter is ready to drive under their supervision and help them to plan a practice session 
• explain to your pupils and their parents how they can record their private practice using the record of pupil’s progress sheet on GOV.UK 

Keep a record of this professional development 

And remember, reading Amanda Lane’s blog post about ‘How we plan to improve parents understanding of the learning to drive process’ and the new supervising learner driver guide counts as continuing professional development. So, keep a record of what you do.