Cambridge Driving Centre

Disclaimer: this review references instruction I received a few years ago (leaving a review slipped my mind at the time!) and concerns a particular instructor, Jackie. It is possible that she no longer works there. Overall she seemed like a very pleasant person. But unfortunately I just do not feel that she was a good driving instructor. That is just my personal opinion.

The review below is not meant to be unkind/offensive/hurtful to her, but I feel that it should be written---what is the point of reviews if one only mentions the good experiences, after all? ------- Let me start by saying that it seems from other reviews that one instructor, Kevin, is very good. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Jackie, whom I had.

I was pretty experienced before starting, having already been on the road for many years on a motorbike. I had also driven other vehicles in the past. I really just needed to know the specific for car driving, road positioning and various other rules. I failed first time because I didn't know what to do in a particular situation---the situation was pretty basic, though, and my instructor really should have gone through it in advance.

I rebooked a test with the same company anyway as I was used to the car and the set-up. Not long before the test was due, Jackie cancelled on me, saying that another instructor would take me. I wasn't keen on this as I had kept with this fairly low-quality company basically just to take the test in the same equipment. [The other instructor was Kevin, so actually it's a shame I didn't change! Also, having used other equipment straight after this company, I can confidently say that using the same car is overrated.] I then happened to fracture my hand so couldn't drive and postponed the test anyway.

I get to the second test, which I failed again. Jackie didn't really seem to understand what had happened though---she was in the car with me. She said she would have failed me on something which the examiner didn't even give me a minor for! I asked the examiner on what part she failed me; when I looked at the test report later, I saw that what the examiner said and what she wrote were actually completely different.

A shambles both from the examiner and my instructor. I stopped with Jackie after this, many hundreds of pounds in. The particularly painful thing is that her poor instruction didn't only cost me more money but earned her more. Overall in the lessons she was not very clear or helpful, rather criticising or complaining than offering advice. Constructive criticism is fine!---just straight out criticism without then explaining the correction doesn't help. Also, don't be surprised when a new driver is not great with gear changes mangle the gears slightly---comments like "oh my gearbox" or "I won't have any gears left at this rate" are not helpful.

Her communication arranging lessons was also poor. First time she picked me up 5mins walk from my house after calling me to say she was parked on [road]. She then tried to end the lesson at the original time even though I'd spent the first 5mins walking to her car. One time she turned up at my house on the wrong day. We did lessons in winter evenings and one time she turned up with only one operational headlight. In summary, it does sound like Kevin is a great instructor so if you can get him, then maybe this company is worth going for. But I wouldn't trust the other instructors.

I was quite nervous to get behind the wheel but found Kevin to be very helpful and patient. He was very calm throughout the lessons and seemed genuinely interesting in making sure I got the most out of each one. Very organised, and I practiced everything I needed before the practical test. I passed first time so I guess that says more than anything. For automatic lessons around Cambridge, I found the price good compared to other instructors.

Highly recommend Kevin @ Cambridge Driving Centre both my children have passed 1st time and both had amazing teaching with clear help & guidance. Thank you

Yesss. I passed my driving test at the first take. A huge thank you to Roger for his support and patience. He was very flexible and helpful in getting the lessons according to my availability. Also thanks to Sharon for supporting through out. Indeed makes a big difference to full time working mum. Thank you team Cambridge Driving Centre. Wish you good luck for the future.

My daughter, aged 17, has just passed her test first time having learnt with Cambridge Driving Centre. Both my sons passed first time with the same instructor. I could not recommend them highly enough. Because of the confidence instilled in them in the lessons their nerves were quickly overcome. The service has always been reliable, friendly and very helpful indeed.

I was extremely pleased with my driving tuition. My instructor was calm and helpful, I was able to have reasonably frequent lessons, and I felt that I was making progress and getting more confident. I have no perception of how many lessons I did or how much I spent overall (that isn't a problem for me), but I'm glad I did the intensive course. I had my first lesson at the start of December and passed my practical test at the end of March!

And that's with a month and a half gap where there wasn't much availability (which was completely understandable)! I'm looking forward to doing the Pass Plus course with CDC because I want to hone my skills. Overall a great service!

Spent nearly 300 with this company never got any better did the same Arbury root for over 6 lessons just turning left, lost so much money so I started driving in my own car with parents and then switched to BSM (John Gray highly recommended) and he got me passed in no time, I advanced so quickly with him he cares about wanting students to pass not the money which is the only thing my instructor with this company cared about.

The instructor told me on the last lesson how I did bad and she was always very impatient and made me feel like I was doing everything wrong so that made my mind up for me so I left and I never got any negative feed back from my new instructor at BsM only ever positive. Please don't go with this company, I started with BSM on 14th February 2017 and I passed my driving test on 30th March 2017, and my friend has been with this company from September 2015- present (4th April 2017) and is switching to my instructor with BSM, spend that extra few pounds with BsM, it's so much cheaper in the end. This rubbish company recommended me 60hrs lessons as general and bsm recommended me 18 hours but I did it in 8 hours with practice in my own car

I was with this company and I can thouroughly say that they try to make you spend as much money as possible. I was doing stopping and starting for the first 5 lessons, and doing the exact same route for the last 4 when I was made to do stopping and starting again. I made no progress. Some one I know is also with the same company and he's been doing the same routes for over a year.

My instructor also had 0 patience and was snappy, which severely knocked my confidence. My niece did more on her first introductory lesson with a different company than I did 300 later. Do not go with this company unless you want to be seriously out of pocket with no progress made.

I can thoroughly recommend Cambridge Driving Centre. My instructor was always prompt, clear in his teaching and very positive, even when I wasn't! Cambridge Driving Centre was my last hope really after struggling, on and off, for almost thirty years to learn to drive because of nervousness and a huge lack of confidence. I started with CDC in July 2012 and passed my test in November 2012. The tuition was first rate, but most of all I am incredibly grateful for the way CDC helped me gain confidence in order to pass at long last.