Foyle School of Driving

Welcome to Foyle School of Driving.

Based in Derry, NI we offer training on vehicles from lorries to mopeds, for operators from beginner to advanced instructor level. Our fully qualified, expert instructors use a thoroughly tested lesson plan based approach to ensure that nothing is missed during training. Maximising your chances of a positive result on test day.

Our director Jim Doyle has this to say:

“Some one will need to help you develop the skills you need to drive daily or maybe even become a driving instructor. This takes someone with experience, knowledge and skill. We at Foyle School of Driving have the right team in place to give the training you need. We specialize in each of the areas we provide. Click on the Training Services link for a full list of the services we provide.” “I have been successfully teaching driving instructors for over seventeen years. I specialize in all the qualifying parts of the exams, including check test and recovery training. All of the training is on an individual basis and tailored to suit the needs of the person that I am training.” “I look forward to dealing with you soon!”

Qualifications

Our instructors are all encouraged to undergo continuous training and development in order to stay abreast of the latest developments in driving legislation and to provide the best possible service to our students. Our impressive list of qualifications include:

• DOE Approved instructor, Grade 6.
• Road transport Industry Approved Large Goods Instructor
• DSA Qualified LGV/PCV Instructor
• Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register, Examiner/Instructor, Cat one
• Tutor Cat 4 (Forklifts)
• Certificate of Professional Competence for Transporting Goods by road
• Assesor, National Bus and Coach Council
• Institute of Advanced Motorists
• ROSPA Gold / Advanced Driver
• DOE Approved Motorbike Instructor
• NEBOSH, general certificate

Speedy granny passes driving test!

Maisie Crawford rips up her L Plates after passing her driving test at the age of 69.

Published Date: 11 June 2010 Derry Journal
A Derry granny who failed her first driving test two weeks ago for speeding, has finally got rid of her L plates.
When 69 years-old Maisie Crawford passed her driving test on Tuesday morning – she fulfilled her life’s ambition.

And she’s encouraging other women in their sixties who never considered driving to get out there and learn.

“It’s my dream come true,” said Maisie. “In the 1950s I fell in love with a new Mini car which I could have bought new for £450 but I never learned to drive.

“Last May I woke up one morning and decided I was going to learn to drive. I don’t know where the idea came from.”

Maisie first took lessons in a manual car, but because of problems with her leg after a stroke she had to give it up.

“I thought I’d have to forget about driving,” she said. “But then my friend Rachel told me about Joe Brolly from the Foyle School of Driving who could teach me in an automatic car.

“I just love Joe to bits. The first time we went out driving I felt so stupid, but Joe put me at ease, even when I refused to go above 15 mph.
“He always used to tell me off for not checking my left hand mirror. Finally one day he told me there was a man running past with a bare bum in the mirror, that kept reminding me to check it.

“Joe and I had plenty of tears and plenty of laughter.”

Maisie’s first test was two weeks ago when she was failed for speeding.
She told Joe to keep the date of the second test a secret and he surprised her on Tuesday morning when he told her he was taking her to the test centre.

“God was with me on Tuesday,” said Maisie. “When the instructor told me I’d passed I gave him a big kiss.”

Maisie’s now enjoying life in her new Citroen and announced that her first trip out will be to Tesco to do her shopping
“It’s amazing ,” she said. “The world is my oyster.”

Jim Doyle who owns Foyle School of Driving says many women in Derry are in Maisie’s situation, who perhaps didn’t learn to drive.

“Maisie is an inspiration to other women,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what your age is.”

Approved Motorcycle Instructor

Introduction of an Approved Motorcycle Instructor (AMI) Register and Compulsory Basic Training (CBT)

Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) will be introducing a system of Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) in Northern Ireland for those wishing to ride a motorcycle as a learner rider. In addition an Approved Motorcycle Instructor (AMI) Register, similar to that of the present Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) Register, will be introduced in order to regulate this training. Once introduced it will be a mandatory requirement that anyone delivering motorcycle training for payment must be an Approved Motorcycle Instructor. DVA plan to introduce Compulsory Basic Training and an Approved Motorcycle Instructor Register by December 2010.

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How do I become an AMI?

To become an Approved Motorcycle Instructor, you will have to complete the following three stages:

AMI Theory Test (Part 1)
AMI Driving Ability & Fitness Test (Part 2)
Instructional Ability Test (Part 3)

You must take and pass all 3 parts of the examination in this order and the whole examination must be completed within 2 years of passing the theory test. If you have not completed the examination within this time you must start again from the beginning and pass each part once again.

Individuals with relevant motorcycle qualifications may be exempt from certain stages but these cases will be considered on an individual basis.

Individuals who are already listed on the voluntary motorcycle register will have “grandfather rights” to the AMI Register and a maximum 6 month period to apply for registration once the register is introduced.

For further information contact DVA via email at dvlni@doeni.gov.uk

Do you want the same as me!

Thanks Joe Brolly
After 5 months with foyle school of driving learning to handle an automatic car,I have passed my test. I now have a wee car, It’s a smart for 2.
Now I don’t have to wait for the bus to take me shopping. I just get into my car and take off. So far in the last three days since passing my I have been up to junction 1,up to Cookstown ,and over to Strabane to Asda.I feel so free. I’m looking forward to the summer and taking off to wherever the fancy takes me.
BY THE WAY I AM 61 AND LOOKING FORWARD
Bernadette Innes
Brigade road
Waterside

Colums Story

At the age of 50 I retired from East Down College where I had worked for almost 24 years. I’m not a person who can sit about, although my wife might say different. I had taken a few of my teacher friends’ sons and daughters out on driving lessons, so I decided to train to become an ADI.
This was a walk on the dark side as I would be (pardon the pun ) taken for a ride by several so called trainers.
The first step was to look in my local yellow pages. What a lot of trainers. I rang the one with the biggest advert. Oh what a mistake. I was invited to an assessment morning at a cost of £50. Really enjoyed this and especially at the end I was told that I would make a good driving instructor. The next part was arranging to meet my trainer at a given time and place to hand over £1250 cash for one weeks training. The reason for the cash was to avoid VAT. Paid by any other means it would have been 17.5% extra.
The first day of training come and 6 others turned up so we were put into two cars, three in one and four in the other. I make that a total of £8750. Not bad for a weeks’ work for 2 people if you can get it.
At lunchtime on the Friday we were told that we should qualify in about 8 weeks’ time and were given the opportunity of taking extra lessons at £40 an hour. Remember this was 6 years ago. A bit expensive or what? To my sickening disgust I found out that when I sat part 1 I was not in the least prepared. A lot of home study went in and I eventually passed. Sat part two and again I failed.
At this point I was absolutely fuming, I had just thrown away £1250 and believe me I couldn’t afford to.
On to my second trainer, a very nice chap who took me on a drive on the test route and cleared up a few minor faults. I then was successful in passing part 3. Lessons with him were £35 an hour with a lesson lasting 2 hours. Wayhay I am on to my part three training, this should be a walk in the park as I had been teaching people who struggled with basic maths and English. I booked a session to get to grips with what the examiner would be looking for. I thought I had lost my grip. This was going to be a lot harder than I imagined so I went for session after session and had to buy my trainer cups of tea /coffee and buns each time he required a break. Then followed his smoke break. All this was being paid for me. I failed part 3 three times.
God loves a tryer and I was not about to give up. I sat my parts 1 & 2 again and passed first time. Now I had to try to find a decent trainer who knew what they were doing.
I went on to the DVA website and chose at random a chap fairly local to the test area in Belfast. A very nice chap who was obsessed with the briefings and rather than him having planned my lesson he would always do briefings followed by “now what do you want to do?”
During this time I did some searching the web and came up with Smartdriving.co.uk and I read about John Farlam. Now this was interesting, so I subscribed to his weekly news letter and booked a three day training session with him in Boyle Co. Roscommon. Did I get my eyes opened or what? He didn’t only train me as a driving instructor but trained me as to my way of thinking about ones self. This was what I call an approach to the whole person. I only had one more go at part 3 and unfortunately due to an extreme bout of nerves I failed again. This didn’t put me off and I remained a fan of John’s method of teaching.
Back and successfully passed part’s 1 & 2 again. I tried to book another refresher session with John but due to work commitments in England he was unable to take me but recommended Jim Doyle from Foyle Driving School in Derry.
I live 100 mile from Derry, so I set off @ 6.20am on a very snowy January morning. I had arranged to meet Jim in my favourite coffee place “Starbucks” so there was an incentive – A coffee and a croissant – met Jim and immediately thought “ this man could be John’s brother”.
Down with the coffee and on to the road. Well was I pleasantly surprised, this man knew what he was talking about and used similar methods to John. His favourite phrases were “LOOK AT ME” “SAY WHAT YOU SEE”. I tried to wing it but Jim always saw through me and it was back to his favourite phrases. Two 4 hour sessions with Jim was enough to pass me at part 3.
All together I must have spent at least £10,000 on training over the past number of years. Only a very small percentage was spent on John and Jim. For their work with me I am truly grateful.
Today I received my ADI number and have my signage on my car.
My tip for you is use these two men and success will come your way. I know I will probably never recoup the money wasted on so called trainers and the sooner Training is regulated the better.
Thank you both, you have made an old dog very happy when I look outside and see my name on the roof sign on my car.

ADI Part 3

ADI Part 1

ADI Part 2

More New instructors qualify at Foyle

After I passed my part one I had to find a tutor for the next stages of the qualifing exam. I took a look at Jims web site and was impressed at all the reviews. After contacting Jim I stared straight away on the part 2. After a short time applied for and passed with only 2 driving faults. We then started on the part 3. Because Jim had included some of the part 3 training as he was teaching me the part 2, I was able to pass on my first attempt.
If you are thinking of becoming an ADI then I would recommend that you contact Jim as his knowledge will save you a lot of time and money.
Thanks Jim
Paul Mc Quaid School of driving

As Part of becoming a fully Qualified ADI I completed a course in Dublin through the Irish School of Motoring. After spending a lot of time and money on training that was inadequate to pass the qualifying exams. The best thing that happened was to contact Jim Doyle who gave me 100 percent confidence towards my training and made me feel at ease at all times.
I am now a fully qualified registered driving instructor with the Road safety Authority
Thanks Jim
Rookskey school of motoring
Newtowncunningham
Tel:Ni: 07707902069
Tel:Roi: 0868673339

Theory Test

How the theory test works

At the DVLNI Theory Test Centres there is no writing involved. Their “Touch Screen” computers deliver the multiple-choice part of the theory test.

The Hazard Perception part of the test involves watching 14 clips of film on a computer. These clips contain 15 scoreable hazards and candidates must click using the mouse to score points.

We can help you prepare for the DVLNI Theory Test. We have the full range of DVLNI materials available as well as a CD-ROM produced by FOCUS which contains 100 film clips for additional Hazard Perception practice.

Making a Theory Test appointment

It is quick and simply to arrange your Theory Test Appointment. Either phone DVLNI on 0845 402 4000 or visit their website at http://www.dvlni.gov.uk.

We recommend that a Theory Test pass is achieved prior to arrangement of driver training or at the latest as soon as driver training commences.

Training Services

L Plates

We offer training for a wide variety of vehicle types and for students from beginner to advanced. Our highly qualified, experienced instructors use a fully structured approach to lesson plans. Along with our in-depth knowledge of test practices and examination methods, this enables us to provide you with the greatest possible chance of a positive result on test day.

If you do choose us, you can rest assured that you will be trained by the best, in vehicles tailored specifically to your needs. For information on specific training options. please see the menu ‘Training Services’ on the right, or contact us for further informaiton.