Henry Snowdon ADI Driving Instructor

01/11/2026

After some recent passes, I have now an opening for a new MANUAL learner in the Mansfield area on a Wednesday early afternoon. Drop me a message for further details on: 07838695566

05/10/2026

🚗 “ANYONE WITH A LICENCE AVAILABLE TO HELP SOMEONE LEARN TO DRIVE?”

I see these posts far too often. Looking for somebody random from a forum to sit beside a learner ..
My concern is how we go from there to choosing a stranger from the internet.

Having a driving licence doesn’t automatically mean you’re a good driver, a good teacher or someone who can calmly manage a developing emergency.

Owning a saucepan doesn’t make you Gordon Ramsay.
Some people can barely manage their own driving without auditioning to supervise somebody else’s.

Imagine handing over your entire collection of bad habits to a new learner. Late braking, neglected mirrors, creative roundabout lanes and “don’t worry, everyone does thirty here”.
A family heirloom of terrible driving, lovingly passed down through the passenger seat.

Then an instructor has to unpick it all. “Who taught you that?” “A bloke from Facebook.” Wonderful.
Was his qualification a full licence or 47 likes on a comment about road tax?

For private supervision in Great Britain, you must be at least 21, hold the appropriate full licence for the car and have held a qualifying full licence for at least three years.
You must not be banned, and the learner must have the correct insurance. Some insurers require supervisors to be at least 25.

Meeting those requirements makes you legally eligible to supervise.
It doesn’t certify your teaching ability.

Private supervisors aren’t legally required to have a DBS check.
That means you cannot assume a stranger answering an advert has been checked, assessed or vetted.
A friendly profile picture and “happy to help” are hardly a safeguarding policy.

Payment matters too.
Only a DVSA-approved driving instructor or a trainee with a valid DVSA trainee licence can legally accept payment for car driving instruction.
Private supervisors cannot accept payment for supervising, including fuel money.
Calling it “a little something for your time” doesn’t create a legal loophole.

I encourage private practice with a suitable, trusted person.
Get them involved in a lesson, agree what to practise with the instructor and build on what the learner has been taught.

Done properly, it can be hugely beneficial.

Previous driving experience abroad deserves recognition, but adapting to UK roads still needs an honest assessment.
Passing the theory test doesn’t tell you how someone will handle a busy roundabout, an unfamiliar junction or a hazard developing ahead.

Before putting someone you love beside an unknown volunteer, ask yourself: what do I actually know about their driving, their judgement, their patience or their ability to help when things go wrong?

Would you arrange this for your own son or daughter send them out with a random person from a forum simply because they say they meet the licence requirements?

I certainly wouldn’t.

Share and tag your friends in 🫶🏾

Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation school of Motoring

20/09/2026

I have availability for 2 new MANUAL learners in the Mansfield area, starting immediately. Drop me a message or call: 07838695566 for more information.

06/08/2026

Congratulations to Leah Murfin on passing her practical driving test in Worksop with only 1 mark. It has been my absolute pleasure to teach youZ stay safe on the roads.

24/07/2026

Congratulations to Erik Gherasim on passing his practical driving test in Colwick this afternoon with 1 minor. It’s been my pleasure to teach you. Chocolate is always welcome, although not always necessary. 😏

This amazing success means I have space for new manual learners in the Mansfield area. Drop me a message or call: 07838695566.

23/07/2026

Congratulations Thomas on passing your practical driving test in Ashfield on Tuesday. You are now free from the bus. It’s been my pleasure to teach you and stay safe on the roads.

I now have spaces available for new manual learners in the Mansfield area. Drop me a message or call me on: 07838695566.

21/07/2026

Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed more and more posts appearing in local Facebook groups asking strangers to take learner drivers out for practice.

“Can someone sit with me for an hour?”
“Can anyone help me before my test?”
“I’ve run out of money.”

I completely understand why people ask. Driving lessons are expensive and everyone wants to give themselves the best chance of passing.

Teaching somebody to drive safely is far more than sitting in the passenger seat while they steer the car.

Just because someone has held a driving licence for years does not mean they know how to teach. In fact, many experienced drivers have developed habits that would result in driving faults on a test or, more importantly, could increase risk on today’s roads.

Road laws change.

Driving standards change.

Teaching methods change.

Professional driving instructors spend years learning how to teach, how to assess risk, how to recognise developing hazards and, most importantly, how to intervene before a situation becomes dangerous.

Our cars are fitted with dual controls. If something goes wrong, we have an emergency brake and, in manual cars, additional controls to help prevent a situation escalating. That controlled environment is there for a reason.

A friend, neighbour or kind stranger doesn’t have that safety net.

I’ve also heard of incidents during private practice where situations have quickly developed because the supervising driver simply wasn’t trained to deal with them.

Private practice can be incredibly valuable, but it works best when it supports professional tuition, not replaces it.

If you’re supervising a learner, try to reinforce what their instructor has taught them rather than introducing your own methods or saying, “That’s not how I do it.”

If you’re a learner and money is tight, speak to your instructor. Many of us would much rather help you make the most of the lessons you’ve already had than see you practising with someone who may unintentionally teach you the wrong things.

Learning to drive isn’t just about getting through a test.

It’s about becoming a safe, confident and responsible driver for the rest of your life.

Have you ever seen advice from a friend or family member completely contradict what your instructor taught you?
Share your experiences to help others 🫶🏾

Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation school of Motoring

16/07/2026

I really couldn’t agree more.

Are We Asking Too Much of Driving Instructors… or Just Not Understanding the Job?

Everyone thinks they know what we do.
Sit there.
Give directions.
Get someone through a test.

Simple.
That version of the job does not exist anymore.

Every lesson is pressure.
Real roads.
Real risk.
Real consequences.

We are not just watching traffic.
We are predicting it.
Preventing it.
Intervening in seconds when it goes wrong.

And at the same time…
We are managing anxiety.
Panic.
Overthinking.
Confidence that disappears mid-roundabout.

We are adapting for neurodivergent learners.
Rebuilding people after collisions.
Supporting adults who have not driven in years.
Sitting beside someone whose hands are shaking before the engine even starts.

But here is the part no one talks about.
We are expected to do all of that…
calmly…
consistently…
professionally…

While the world outside the car gets worse.
🚘 Costs rising
⏰ Test delays stretching months
📱 Drivers distracted and impatient
🧠 Learners under more pressure than ever

And still…
People think we are “just instructors.”

No.
We are risk managers.
We are decision makers.
We are the barrier between a mistake and a collision.

And most of it goes unseen.
So next time you get frustrated behind a learner car, ask yourself this:

Would you want that responsibility?
Would you want to sit there, knowing one missed moment could change everything?

This is not just a job anymore.
It is responsibility at a level most people will never experience.

It deserves more respect than it gets.

Please tag and share do not copy and paste my posts 🫶🏾
Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

14/07/2026