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Welcome to Jo Folkes Driver TrainingWelcome to
Jo Folkes Driver Training
Female Automatic and Manual Driving lessons in Bedford
We are a manual and automatic driving school providing lessons in Bedford and the surrounding areas.
Latest News
We are very pleased to welcome Kath Bools to Jo Folkes Driver Training who is proving to be very popular with our pupils. She is a great asset to the school as she believes in the same teaching standards and ethics as I have used for many years.
Contact 01234 342989
07778 008989
e-mail jo.folkes@ntlworld.com
Automatic and Manual Driving Lesson with female instructors
- Fully qualified DSA ADI (Driving Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructors)
- Over 11 years teaching experience.
- Grade 6 Driving Instructor
- Pass Plus registered
- BTEC in Driving Science qualified
- Member of the ADI Federation
- Member of MSA (Motor Schools Association)
- Member of DIA
Dedicated to teaching 'safe driving for life’
Our aim is to teach our learners to drive safely. We may not be the cheapest driving school but we do pride ourselves on ensuring our pupils are taught to drive with safety in mind. Learning to drive is not just about just passing a test. We take our profession very seriously and believe our pupils benefit from our advice. We do not encourage you to take your theory or practical test until you are totally ready. This way you will not have to retake your test numerous times, which can happen if you take it before you are ready. Obviously, anything can happen on the day and we cannot guarantee you will pass but we will do our utmost to prepare you well and give you as much out of town experience as possible. Taking numerous tests can be both costly and demoralising!
History and Background
I established Jo Folkes Driver Training in 1999 where I trained and worked under the wing of my Father, Tony Folkes DOT ADI. I completed my training with Neville Stamford of Three Shires Driving Centre and qualified as a DSA ADI and 2000.
Therefore, I have been teaching in Bedford for over 11 years and have plenty of previous experience to pass on to my pupils. I like to ensure pupils leave me as safe and confident drivers. Obviously, there is no accounting for the actions and situations a new driver may find themselves in but I have always done my utmost to provide them with as much information as possible and pass on experiences of mine and others. I feel it important for a pupil to learn from other driver’s experiences and having covered 1,000 miles per week for 6 years in a previous job, have numerous situations and circumstances to pass on.
My philosophy is and has always been to adopt the DSA’s motto of teaching 'Safe Driving for Life’. With this in mind, I believe it is important to encourage and teach pupils to drive safely for the rest of their lives and not just to pass a driving test.
I always endeavour to provide a friendly, reliable and professional service to my pupils. Whilst I like to make driving a fun experience, I focus heavily on the safety of the driver, their passengers and all other road users.
Lesson Prices
Contact Us
Please find below current lesson prices and vehicle details. In the meantime if you wish to contact us for further information please:
Call 01234 342989 (evenings and weekends)
07778 008989 (leave a message if no answer and will return your call as
soon as possible)
e-mail jo.folkes@ntlworld.com
Current rates are as follows:-
Manual driving lessons
- Standard driving lesson fee - £25.00 per hour.
- Special Discount for 10 hours prepaid in advance - £24.00 per hour. (Total - £240.00)
- Standard driving lesson fee - £27.00 per hour.
- Special Discount for 10 hours pre-paid in advance - £26.00 per hour (Total - £260.00)
Training Vehicles
All vehicles are the new Peugeot 207, 5 door hatchback, power steering, fully adjustable drivers seat, (if you are under 5 ft or over 6 ft you will fit in!) twin airbags, ABS and all the usual mod cons! All our pupils find these cars comfortable and easy to drive.
Lesson Times
Lesson TImesThe first driving lesson usually starts at 9am and the last lesson is usually finished by 5pm. These times can be flexible in order to accommodate a pupils working hours or to practice night driving etc.
Most lessons are carried out in two hour sessions as from past experience and pupils' preference, one hour does not give long enough to work effectively on the necessary subjects. However, in certain circumstances the length of lesson can be altered.
Availability
Lessons are usually carried out Mon to Fri with some availability on Saturdays and Sundays.
Your questions answered
What should I to expect on my lessons?
All lessons will be tailored to suit your needs and carried out at a pace to suit you.
We use the DSA recommended syllabus in conjunction with our own, that way we ensure nothing is left out.
On your first lesson you will be asked to read a number plate at the legally required distance, so it is a good idea to make sure you can read a new -style number plate at 20 metres and an old-style number plate at 20.5 metres. You may need to bring your glasses with you if you think you will need them for driving. You may also like to bring a drink with you, particularly in the hot weather.
We will also ask you to bring both parts of your provisional Driving Licence to your first lesson.
You will be provided with a wallet in which to keep your appointment card (including the syllabus/drivers log) and a set of notes to monitor your progress and detail areas which need more practice.
Will I drive on my first lesson?
Yes, our aim is to get you to drive after we have explained how the car and all the controls work. It is important to have a good understanding of how to operate any piece of machinery and because a car could be dangerous in the wrong hands, you will need to understand how it works. This may seem like a waste of time but you will appreciate knowing what you are doing and it will give you more confidence too!
After your first lesson we will move onto basic exercises and car control and show you how to deal with all junctions, road systems, dual carriageways and then move on to maneuvering the car in various ways.
Will you help with my theory?
We will recommend certain text books to you so that you may gain the best knowledge in order to pass your theory test and fully understand all aspects of driving safely. We will encourage you to study from these books rather than learn from the question and answers. That way you are more likely to retain the information you have read for when you are driving alone. If you purely learn questions to answers, you are likely to forget what you have learned and therefore not remember vital information for developing into a safe driver. In fact, as from next year the DSA will no longer be publishing the questions and answers. We are pleased about this!
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