Driving Lessons in Barnet

View other guides: Driving Lessons in London, Driving Lessons in Birmingham, Driving Lessons in Manchester.

How to choose a driving school in Barnet

You deserve a driving instructor in Barnet who:

• Supports you in your learning
• Makes it fun to learn
• Won’t cost the earth!

That’s why you need to do these 4 things when you’re looking for a driving school in Barnet:

1. Compare reviews

Find out what other learners have to say about the driving schools in Barnet. That way, you can make sure you pick one that suits your learning style. Using trusted review sites like Trustpilot is the best way to build up a full picture.

2. Beware of terms and conditions

Lots of learners don’t bother to read the terms and conditions. But some driving schools in Barnet invalidate your lesson package if you don’t use all your lessons up within a short period of time. It’s important to know what you can expect so that you don’t get caught out.

3. Check that you can switch instructors

Hopefully, you’ll get along with your driving instructor like a house on fire. But if you don’t, you’ll want to be able to switch. Some local driving schools in Barnet don’t offer help switching instructors, so make sure you choose a school that will match you with a new instructor for free.

4. Avoid long waiting times

Some driving schools in Barnet have longer waiting times than others. There’s nothing worse than forking out for your driving lessons only to have to wait weeks before your first lesson, so make sure you check how long the waiting times are before choosing a school.

Tips for learning to drive in Barnet

Private practice allows you to improve your driving skills between lessons and get test-ready faster. Driving instructors in Barnet have given us their top tips for places to head to in the area, to hone those skills.

• East Barnet Village: There are lots of straight, quiet residential streets in East Barnet Village, such as Park Road. According to instructors in Barnet, these are perfect for getting to grips with the basics, or for rehearsing those trickier manoeuvres like pulling up on the right and reversing two car lengths.

• Waterfall Road: If you’re new to roundabouts, head to Waterfall Road. There’s a small roundabout where it joins with Hampden Way, which is great to sink your teeth into.

• Brunswick Park Road: There are two mini-roundabouts one after the other on Brunswick Park Road in East Barnet - these are great for drilling your roundabout driving.

• High Street: Barnet High Street, also known as the A1000, is the place to be if you’re looking to sharpen up your observation skills - you’ll encounter pedestrians, parked cars, pedestrian crossings and cyclists!

• Barnet Bypass: The Barnet Bypass, part of the A1, is the ideal spot for some dual carriageway practice. While you’re there, instructors in Barnet recommend having a go at changing lanes and using slip roads.

Choosing your test centre

Your driving instructor will help you to choose a test centre once you’re progressing through your driving lessons in Barnet.

Test centre pass rates

DVSA practical car test pass rates, 2018-2019

Barnet Test Centre | Pass rate: 37%

The pass rate here is quite a bit lower than the national average, but our driving instructors in Barnet do advise taking your test on roads that you’re familiar with. There aren’t any toilets available here, so make sure you plan a loo trip into your journey.

Address: Raydean House, 15 - 17 Western Parade, Barnet, Greater London, EN5 1AD

Borehamwood Test Centre | Pass rate: 49.3%

Borehamwood has a very high pass rate - far higher than the national average of 45.8%! It’s located right by the A1, so you can expect dual carriageway driving on a test here.

Address: Unit 1 Stirling Court, Stirling Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2BT

Hendon Test Centre | Pass rate: 42.1%

You’ll find Hendon Test Centre on a quiet drive surrounded by busier roads. While Hendon’s pass rate is below the national average, it’s still better than average for a London test centre.

Address: 3 Aviation Drive, Beaufort Park, Hendon, Greater London, NW9 5TZ

Mill Hill Test Centre | Pass rate: 41.1%

Mill Hill Test Centre is situated near both urban and rural areas, so you should make sure you’re comfortable with driving on rural roads if you decide to take your test here.

Address: Unit 9, Grannard Business Centre, Bunns Lane, Mill Hill, Greater London, NW7 2DQ

Tottenham Test Centre | Pass rate: 37.8%

If you choose to take your test at Tottenham Test Centre, you can expect mostly urban driving, with lots of traffic. So, brush up on your hazard perception skills!

Address: Driving Test Centre Tottenham Annex Building, Selby Centre, Selby Road, Tottenham, Greater London, N17 8JL

Wood Green Test Centre | Pass rate: 39.3%

If you decide to take your test at Wood Green Test Centre, you’re likely to encounter busy urban roads and a range of tricky road systems. Make sure that you get plenty of practice in the area beforehand!

Address: Wood Green Crown Court, Woodhall House, Lordship Lane, Wood Green, Greater London, N22 5LF

Search your postcode on the DVSA website to see a full list of test centres near you.

Test tips from driving instructors in Barnet

We get that you want the best possible chance of passing your driving test first time. So, we’ve talked to driving instructors in Barnet to get their tips for your big day.

1. Watch out for parking!

Instructors have pointed out that there’s only limited parking in both Wood Green and Mill Hill test centres, whereas both Borehamwood and Tottenham request that you don’t park in the allocated bays more than 10 minutes before your test slot. Make sure that you research the parking situation at your test centre so that you know what to expect!

2. Drive defensively

London drivers are known for being the most aggressive in the UK, so (sadly!) you can’t expect them all to follow the highway code by the book. Make sure that you anticipate bad behaviour from other drivers and adapt your own driving to compensate.

3. Bring everything you need

You need to bring your provisional driving licence and your theory test pass certificate to your practical driving test. If you don’t, you could risk your test being cancelled without a refund. Ouch!

Choosing between manual and automatic

Choosing between manual and automatic driving lessons is a difficult but important step that needs to happen before you book your driving lessons.

Automatic driving lessons are becoming increasingly popular in urban areas like Barnet. Automatic cars make it easier to drive in heavy traffic as they remove the need to press and depress the clutch pedal each time you come to a standstill. This also means you’re likely to learn quicker and pass your test faster.

On the other hand, manual driving lessons tend to be cheaper and manual cars are cheaper to buy and hire. Many people also prefer driving a manual car because it gives them more of a feeling of control, particularly over longer journeys such as trips out of London along the A1.

Whatever you do, bear in mind that an automatic licence will only qualify you to drive automatic cars. In contrast, a manual licence will qualify you to drive both manual and automatic cars, giving you more flexibility in the long run.

Where we provide driving lessons in Barnet

Most driving instructors in Barnet cover the whole of the borough, from Chipping Barnet, East Barnet, New Barnet and South Barnet to Brent Cross, Edgware and East Finchley, while others offer driving lessons across London. Some popular areas include:

Acton, Barking, Brixton, Bromley, Canary Wharf, Clapham, Croydon, Dagenham, Ealing, Enfield, Finsbury Park, Greenwich, Hackney, Hampstead, Harrow, Hayes, Hounslow, Islington, Kingston upon Thames, Lewisham, Putney, Romford, Southall, Stratford, Streatham, Sutton, Tottenham, Twickenham, Uxbridge, Walthamstow, Wandsworth, Watford, Wembley and Wimbledon.