If you have a question or query, please do feel free to browse this page to answer any questions you may have! If you are unable to find an answer, please do get in touch and we will be glad to help you! Please email us at enquiries@lpodacademy.co.uk
When browsing the questions, click on the “+” on the left-hand side to our answers!
Courses are planned in one of two ways. As a minimum, most instructors are free from 6 weeks onwards, due to pre-existing learners & commitments.
Your course could be planned where a portion gets planned with your instructor. Your instructor will contact to discuss dates with you. For example, if you book a 30 hour course, you may get 20 booked in, and then the last 10 are kept back for whenever the practical test falls!
If your course is on the shorter side, then it could be a case of waiting until a practical test is booked and then your hours will be booked right before the test.
We offer courses ranging from 10 – 50 hours. You can choose which course is suitable for you by clicking here.
We recommend all candidates to follow the DVSA’s guide of 47 hours of professional & 23 hours of private practice to become test standard. If you’re still unsure, please phone a member of staff and they will be able to help you on 0800 112 3515.
We aim to get the test date as close to the end of your course as possible. In some situations, we may wait for a test date, then work backwards from it to book the training.
Where it may be difficult to obtain a test date in the local test centre, we often update candidates with steps they could take to increase the likelihood of passing their driving test.
We keep in constant touch regarding the progress of the test date for all candidates.
Of course! We often have candidates who are in employment or in education.
If you’re employed, most candidates tend to book time off work with their employer after receiving dates from their instructor.
If you’re in education (School, College, Sixth form or University), depending on your timetable, some learners may have free times during the week, where they could use this time for sessions. Some learners, only attend education part time. In some scenarios, where you are in education full time, you would look at half terms or study weeks as time to do sessions.
Note: When you book, you’ll have an opportunity to inform us of dates you can / cannot do. This would be on the form you would fill out when booking.
We offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate your personal circumstances, including options that don’t require staying away from home. Our goal is to make your learning experience as convenient and accessible as possible.
We cover most areas in the UK. Most of our instructors do provide home pickup but there could be a case, you’ll travel into a local town / city to conduct your training.
Visit our areas page, for more information: www.lpodacademy.co.uk/areas-we-cover/
We cover most areas in the UK. However, if you’re based in a remote village or outside the instructor’s service area, we may ask you to travel into a local town / city, potentially, at a train station, bus station or a public place.
Sometimes, a lot of course hours get eaten up by home pickup / drop-off. To best maximise your course, if you can get yourself into the town/city where your local test centre is, this will be far more beneficial for you.
The price of our courses can be found here: https://booking.lpodacademy.co.uk
You will need to input the following, on the website:
You will see the deposit, remaining balance and full cost on the right hand side (if on computer) or scroll down (if on mobile device).
If you’re unsure what package you need, you can read our recommendations here: https://www.lpodacademy.co.uk/our-courses/
Of course! You can book as early as you wish. If you’re yet to turn 17, and you decide to book early, we can only carry out our service until we have a copy of your provisional. We will be able to start allocating you an instructor before you turn 17, and start the process of booking your theory test.
If partway through your course, your instructor deems your not quite there yet, then of course! You can add more hours with your nominated instructor.
When doing so, please bare in mind, that it may be too short notice to add more hours if a test date is beyond the last date to cancel or your instructor may not have availability within the same time you’re doing your lessons.
Our courses are designed to provide comprehensive training, including different driving conditions wherever possible. We also provide additional resources and tips for driving in varied weather to ensure well-rounded skill development.
If your driving instructor deems you will be ready for your test in fewer hours, they could put you through your test on the agreed amount of hours. If you pass, you may have them reimbursed or used as pass plus.
In the eventuality you fail, you may use any left over hours prior to a 2nd test.
You can expect to have breaks during your course. The breaks will vary but they are generally at the halfway point of the session. Your driving instructor will set out the timings of your training day.
Intensive courses suit various learning styles, but they’re not for everyone. We recommend a preliminary assessment to determine if this format aligns with your learning needs. Often, candidates can use 1 of their hours in their course to get a “feel” for how they will get on.
We understand intensive courses can be demanding. That’s why our instructors are trained to provide supportive, paced learning tailored to your comfort. Plus, we offer resources and guidance to help you manage the learning process effectively.
While intensive courses can be challenging for complete beginners, we offer a structured program that starts with the basics. Our experienced instructors will ensure you build your skills progressively to become a confident and safe driver.
We understand that flexibility is key. Should your availability change, we offer easy rescheduling options for your course. Our aim is to accommodate your needs while ensuring you receive complete training.
Of course, if you are anticipating not being able to pay the outstanding balance straight away, then you would be able to inform on your booking, that you would only want lessons from a certain date onwards. Often, candidates would need to wait until their pay day comes round and then are they able to pay.
The service we provide contains more risk and it could pose a financial burden on the instructor if plans were made but you decide to cancel at short notice. As there is a lot of hours at stake, the risk to the instructor is greater than weekly lessons.
Your deposit also contains your test fees, which will allow us to quickly get onto booking your desirable theory & / or practical test dates too.
Also, it informs us that you are committed and ready to pass. Your deposit will contain all your test fees as well, which will allow us to book your theory / practical test imminently.
A deposit payment shows commitment to the course and this will provide confidence to the respective instructor that the candidate in question is committed.
The driving course industry follows this practice to ensure no instructor suffers financial loss due to cancellation.
All questions regarding cancellation terms of our booking, can be found on our terms and conditions here.
If you are unable to pay your allocated driving instructor no later than 28 days before the agreed start date, we will need to postpone your course until payment can be arranged.
If you feel you won’t be able to commit to the remaining balance please do let us know immediately. We may be able to assist and create a plan that works for you. Please understand that our instructors are self-employed and a late notice cancellation can disrupt our instructor’s livelihoods.
While the upfront cost of intensive courses tends to be higher, they can be more cost-effective in the long run. We offer flexible payment plans to help manage this investment, ensuring you can access quality training without financial strain.
Yes, we can book you a theory test within your course package. Before your course starts. We will aim to book your theory test before your course start date and if you pass, we can then book your practical test date.
Please refer to your confirmation of course booking email if you are eligible for a free retest!
You can still book if you haven’t passed your theory test. Whether you have booked your own theory or we will book it for you, we will always aim to bring it earlier, so you can pass the theory test as early as possible, which then helps us secure you your practical driving test sooner!
Not to worry! We will work with you to get another theory test booked (Your course may include a free retest, ensure to check your confirmation of course booking email). We charge a set fee for theory bookings, or you can easily book the theory test yourself at https://www.gov.uk/book-theory-test.
Yes, we do! We provide all of our candidates free access to our online theory course! This online programme is perfect for you if you are needing help with theory test revision & studies. The course encompasses all 14 theory topics, hazard perception training & case study training.
Yes, we do cover and help you pass the theory test as part of your course. We give all learners access to our theory course.
If you fail your theory test, your driving course will continue as planned. We will get you another theory test booked and be in touch to discuss options. Your course can be rescheduled if they need to be rescheduled.
The theory test is divided into two parts: a multiple-choice section and a hazard perception section. You’ll face 50 multiple choice questions in the first parr, needing at least 43 correct answers to pass. And the hazard perception is scored out of 75 and you need 44 to pass. It’s important to also focus on hazard spotting, a crucial part of the theory test.
Yes, there are books and online resources that provide mock tests for the multiple choice section of the theory test. Our theory course does include mock questions to mimic what the theory test is like.
Ideally, yes. But you can still book without & most do book without passing the theory test. You need to pass the theory test before booking your practical driving test.
You can book your theory test via the DVSA (yourself) or it comes included in your course. Make sure you have your provisional licence and a payment method, as the test costs around £23 or the cost is included within the booking with us if added.
The theory test consists of 50 multiple choice questions from a pool of over 1,000, with a pass mark of at least 43 correct answers. Preparation should include studying the DVSA theory test handbook, which contains useful tips and example questions.
Hazard perception is a crucial part of the theory test, following the multiple-choice questions. It includes video clips featuring various driving hazards. Adequate preparation for this part of the test is essential for success.
Consistent and thorough revision is key. Be confident in answering any of the questions from the DVSA. Practice for the hazard perception part of the test is also crucial, as there are specific pass marks for each section.
Yes. When you pay the remaining balance to your driving instructor, you can request a copy from your instructor & receive a receipt at the time of payment. Typical payment methods include bank transfers or cash.
If you are not happy with your instructor please do contact us and explain why. In most cases, we can come to a solution and most times, candidates and instructors continue.
If nothing can be resolved, then we will look at closing the arrangement with your initial instructor and provide alternative options.
If your instructor’s car breaks down, your driving instructor will provide an alternative set of dates. Whilst it can be unfortunate and inconvenient, sometimes instructor’s tuition vehicles experience mechanical breakdowns, therefore, it’s important that any affected training sessions, get rescheduled to the next earliest date.
All our courses are conducted by the same instructor from the start to the end. If however, your course circumstances change or the instructor’s circumstances change, then we will work with you to source an alternative solution.
In some cases, some candidates may take themselves to test in their own vehicle.
If your driving instructor has not turned up to your course. Please send us an email to customercare@lpodacademy.co.uk as soon as you can.
Sometimes things can get disrupted, If this does happen to you – we firstly apologise in advance, we will take the necessary steps to resolve the matter.
Our instructors are fully qualified and seasoned in delivering driving tuition. They are committed to providing top-quality instruction and personalised support to each learner, ensuring you receive the best possible training.
Intensive courses allow for quick results. You can complete the course and get your license faster, often in a matter weeks than months, which is ideal if you need your license urgently for work or other commitments
Intensive courses offer immersive learning. Spending several hours per day driving helps reinforce skills and build confidence more rapidly. The accelerated pace means you’re less likely to forget what you’ve learned.
Most intensive courses offer flexible schedules, catering to the student’s availability. They can be tailored for lessons on weekends or evenings, benefiting those with busy schedules or other commitments.
Intensive courses have a higher success rate for passing the driving test on the first attempt, with rates as high as 76%, significantly higher than traditional driving lessons.
They can be more affordable in the long run. Despite a higher upfront cost, you save money by completing your lessons faster and paying for fewer lessons overall.
These courses are ideal for people who need to learn to drive quickly, such as for a job offer or relocation. The condensed format fits well into a busy lifestyle.
If you fail your test after an intensive course, you usually only need a few lessons to polish your skills, which is fewer than after regular weekly lessons.
If it’s taking longer than anticipated to source an earlier / desired test date, then we will always provide candidates alternative options:
These may include:
On some occasions, your local test centre may have to call off your test due to bad weather or any other circumstance. They will notify us of a rescheduled test date and we will inform you of the new date.
You can claim out of pocket expenses, by contacting the DVSA.
Whilst we hope you achieve a first-time pass, in the eventuality of a fail, then your booking could be eligible for a free retest. Please email us at test-bookings@lpodacademy.co.uk to claim your retest, so we can start to rebook your retest appointment asap.
If your booking isn’t eligible for a retest, then we can book your new practical test & manage it for you for £100. If you wish to rebook the test yourself, then you can directly book it through the DVSA here: https://www.gov.uk/book-driving-test
It’s not always possible to get a test on the last training day of your course. There are many factors that determine what dates are available on the DVSA’s website
Some of these factors may include:
To help search for test dates, we use a cancellation checker service which scans for potential test appointments 24/7. We will work with you and your instructor’s diary to ensure both of you can go can attend a test.
If you include the practical test upon booking the course, you will have a practical test booked by us & we will manage the appointment for you.
No, you must pass your theory test before booking a practical test.
Yes, booking an intensive driving course before passing the theory test is encouraged as it allows more time to allocate a driving instructor and it gives you more time to study whilst we prepare your driving course.
An intensive course consolidates hours of tuition into a short time-frame, focusing on areas you struggle with. It typically ends with the practical test, and is designed to get you to pass as quickly as possible.
The success rate can be as high as 76%, which is higher than traditional driving lessons. However, it varies based on the learner’s ability, experience, and instructor quality and other factors that contribute to the success of a candidate.
If possible, practicing with friends and family is a good way to get some extra practice in. Knowing the area of where your test is based at and becoming familiar with tricky junctions are all good tips!
Absolutely. Whether using your instructor’s vehicle or your own, familiarise yourself with it thoroughly. It’s ideal to of spent a good amount of time in the car you intend to take to test.
Learn from common mistakes others make during the test, visit the test centre before your test day for familiarity, and prepare thoroughly, including mental and physical readiness.
While these courses provide focused training, they do not guarantee a pass. Success depends on personal preparedness and confidence. Anyone guranteeing you will pass is giving you a false statement.
These courses are beneficial for all types of learners, including experienced drivers, and can enhance driving skills or prepare for tests in a shorter time frame. Beginner drivers are often better suitors for an intensive course as they can learn from best principles from their instructors.
The cost varies depending on the provider and location. They can be cost-effective in the long run due to fewer lessons needed overall. And weekly lessons has more “phantom costs” such as change of instructor, frequent cancellations and disruptions.
These courses are not more risky than traditional learning programs. More driving sessions in a short period of time can build confidence and driving skills more quickly, potentially enhancing safety.
These courses are recognised and accepted by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency), just like traditional driving lessons.
These courses are not a ‘shortcut’ but a different method of learning. They require the same level of skill and knowledge to pass the test but the structure is different.
Not everyone is suited for these courses. Factors like personal schedules, stress, and anxiety levels should be considered before enrolling.
Intensive course participants often get as much or more experience behind the wheel compared to those in regular hourly lessons. There is usually less brief & debriefs inbetween each lesson too.
Many intensive courses actually have higher pass rates due to the recency and intensity of training before the test which boosts any candidates’ chance of passing.
The delay in test comes down to many factors. If you are fully flexible, willing to travel and don’t need as many training, you will be one of the candidates to experience getting a test sooner than others.
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Sales: 0800 112 3515
Enquiries: enquiries@lpodacademy.co.uk
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