Driving Lessons in Essex
From £22/hr·Average £37/hr
Essex's Top Picks
Driving Schools in Essex
132 schools
MY CAR
Single-instructor school with consistently strong testimonials praising patience and clear teaching. Lessons start at £38/hour, with 10-hour blocks at £360 and 20-hour blocks at £700, offering meaningful savings for committed learners.Single-instructor school with consistently strong testimonials praising patience and clear teaching. Lessons start at £38/hour, with 10-hour blocks at £360 and...
Streetlife Driving School
Established in 2005 with a strong track record across Essex, this school offers guaranteed pass courses and intensive driving lessons alongside standard tuition. Manual lessons start at £36/hour (£340 for 10 hours), automatic at £40/hour (£380 for 10 hours), plus a special introductory offer of £10/hour for the first 2 hours for beginners. All instructors are DBS-checked and trained to agency standards, with Pass Plus courses also available.Established in 2005 with a strong track record across Essex, this school offers guaranteed pass courses and intensive driving lessons alongside standard...
Rapha Driving School
Patient instructor with years of experience teaching learners of all backgrounds and abilities, from complete beginners to test-ready drivers. Lessons are 2-hour minimum sessions at £40/hour, with block deals starting at £350 for 10 hours (Starter package) up to £1,320 for 40 hours (Test Ready package). Early morning, daytime, and evening slots available throughout the week.Patient instructor with years of experience teaching learners of all backgrounds and abilities, from complete beginners to test-ready drivers. Lessons are...
iDrive Driving School
Ex-AA Driving School instructor Mike runs this school with an impressive 86% first-time pass rate, well above the national average of 49%. Lessons start at £49/hour for weekday sessions, with 10-hour blocks at £490 (£46.66/hour) and 20-hour blocks at £970 (£46.19/hour); Mike caps himself at 30 lessons weekly to ensure you get quality instruction without instructor fatigue. Two-hour lessons are recommended for faster progress, and intensive courses from £480 for 8 hours are tailored to individual needs.Ex-AA Driving School instructor Mike runs this school with an impressive 86% first-time pass rate, well above the national average of 49%. Lessons start at...
Drive EBS
Specialist in nervous and anxious learners with 17 years' driving experience and a track record of first-time passes. Andrei's calm, patient approach has earned consistent five-star reviews, with students praising his ability to build confidence on roundabouts, motorway driving, and test preparation. Single lessons at £40/hour or £380 for a 10-hour block with priority booking.Specialist in nervous and anxious learners with 17 years' driving experience and a track record of first-time passes. Andrei's calm, patient approach has earned...
Steer We Go Learners
Fun and friendly instruction across Colchester, Clacton, and Chelmsford with an excellent Facebook reputation. Two-hour lessons start at £75 for manual and £80 for automatic, with 10-hour blocks from £350 (manual) or £375 (automatic). Intensive courses range from 16 to 50 hours, all including free access to Theory Test Pro and no hidden charges.Fun and friendly instruction across Colchester, Clacton, and Chelmsford with an excellent Facebook reputation. Two-hour lessons start at £75 for manual and £80...
Confident Driving School
Confident Driving School focuses on nervous drivers and those seeking flexible scheduling, with lessons available six days a week at £35/hour. Both male and female instructors welcome students within a 5-mile radius, and the school's training car is available for test day use.Confident Driving School focuses on nervous drivers and those seeking flexible scheduling, with lessons available six days a week at £35/hour. Both male and...
Johnson School of Motoring
Johnson School of Motoring has built a strong reputation through patient, supportive instruction that consistently delivers first-time passes. £40/hour for single lessons, or save with block deals from £380 for 10 hours down to £1,460 for 40 hours. Multiple instructors including Lauraine, Steve, Lee, and Debbie ensure a personalised approach to building confidence and safe driving skills.Johnson School of Motoring has built a strong reputation through patient, supportive instruction that consistently delivers first-time passes. £40/hour for...
AB-Drive-Anchor
£38/hour for manual lessons or £40/hour for automatic, with block deals starting at £365 for 10 hours. On test day, book a two-hour warm-up session at your standard lesson rate, and intensive courses are tailored to individual needs rather than one-size-fits-all.£38/hour for manual lessons or £40/hour for automatic, with block deals starting at £365 for 10 hours. On test day, book a two-hour warm-up session at your...
Hawkwell Driving School Hockley
Instructor with 30,000+ hours of learner teaching experience since 1984, holding advanced qualifications including RoSPA Gold Grade and IAM Advanced Driving Test passes. Multiple first-time pass testimonials highlight his calm, patient teaching style and memorable learning techniques. Two-hour trial lesson at £70, then £40/hour, £60 for 90 minutes, or £70 for two hours, with no extra charges for evenings, weekends, or test days.Instructor with 30,000+ hours of learner teaching experience since 1984, holding advanced qualifications including RoSPA Gold Grade and IAM Advanced Driving...
Bills Wheels
Grade A instructor with over 20 years' experience and a specialist background in teaching pupils with anxiety and SEN needs. £42.50/hour or £395 for a 10-hour block, plus a special offer of £150 for your first 4 hours. You'll take your test in the same modern automatic car you trained in, with pickup and drop-off included.Grade A instructor with over 20 years' experience and a specialist background in teaching pupils with anxiety and SEN needs. £42.50/hour or £395 for a 10-hour...
True Path Driving School
£37 per hour or £360 for a 10-hour block booking. Quick test date assistance available to help you secure your test slot faster.£37 per hour or £360 for a 10-hour block booking. Quick test date assistance available to help you secure your test slot faster.
Andy's School of Motoring
Specialises in learners with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other neurodiversities, with patient, personalised instruction from an A-graded instructor who achieved a rare 51/51 Standards Check score. Two-hour lessons only at £36/hour (manual) or £40/hour (automatic) during weekday daytime, with evening and weekend slots available. Pass Plus and motorway lessons also offered.Specialises in learners with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other neurodiversities, with patient, personalised instruction from an A-graded instructor who achieved...
Pass SLT
Retired Police Sergeant with 30 years advanced driving experience brings professional expertise to every lesson. At £35/hour or £315 for a 10-hour block, with test day car usage available for £100, this is straightforward, confidence-focused instruction backed by DBS clearance.Retired Police Sergeant with 30 years advanced driving experience brings professional expertise to every lesson. At £35/hour or £315 for a 10-hour block, with...
Drive Pass
Specialises in nervous and anxious drivers, transforming them into confident, safe drivers through patient, step-by-step instruction. £30/hour for manual lessons or £32.50/hour for automatic, with intensive courses from £29/hour (20, 30, or 40-hour packages available). First lesson free when you book a block package, plus Pass Plus courses to build motorway and night-driving confidence.Specialises in nervous and anxious drivers, transforming them into confident, safe drivers through patient, step-by-step instruction. £30/hour for manual...
Driving Explorer
Automatic driving lessons at £38/hour (£75 for 2 hours), with weekend availability at a small premium. Test car available for your practical exam, subject to instructor approval and a minimum 2.5-hour booking on test day.Automatic driving lessons at £38/hour (£75 for 2 hours), with weekend availability at a small premium. Test car available for your practical exam, subject to...
SG Pro Driving School
Flexible pricing across hourly lessons and block bookings, with 1-hour manual lessons from £40 and 10-hour blocks from £360. Intensive courses range from 20 to 50 hours, plus Pass Plus courses available for both transmission types. Theory tuition also on offer at £25/hour.Flexible pricing across hourly lessons and block bookings, with 1-hour manual lessons from £40 and 10-hour blocks from £360. Intensive courses range from 20 to...
Superdrive Academy
£41/hour or £395 for 10 hours, with a 100% money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied with any lesson. Voted best driving school in the South of England, this academy offers automatic lessons only in Harlow with both male and female instructors, plus free theory and student apps to track progress.£41/hour or £395 for 10 hours, with a 100% money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied with any lesson. Voted best driving school in the South of England, this...
Southend Driving School
Grade A instructor with autism training certification and 32 years of teaching experience across diverse sectors. £35/hour or £399 for a 12-hour introductory package (5% saving), with block deals up to 20 hours and Pass Plus courses also available. Same instructor throughout your course ensures continuity, plus free access to theory test training via the Total Drive app.Grade A instructor with autism training certification and 32 years of teaching experience across diverse sectors. £35/hour or £399 for a 12-hour introductory...
A1 National
Family-run school specialising in nervous beginners, with Grade A 51/51 instructors and consistently high first-time pass rates across intensive courses. Automatic lessons at £35/hour or £340 for a 10-hour block, with test fees included on all intensive packages ranging from 10 to 50 hours. The SUREPASS option offers unlimited lessons and tests until you pass for complete peace of mind.Family-run school specialising in nervous beginners, with Grade A 51/51 instructors and consistently high first-time pass rates across intensive courses....
Block Booking Deals in Essex
71 schools offer block deals - book in bulk and save.
Intensive Courses in Essex
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Essex Test Centres and Pass Rates
Based on the latest DVSA data, 2024–25 | 6 nearby test centres
Hornchurch achieved the highest pass rate at 48.3% while Basildon proved most challenging at 45.6%, with 36,397 tests handled across six centres between 2024 and 2025. Essex's road network combines the M25 orbital approaches with traditional market town centres and new town developments around Basildon. Automatic drivers saw consistent results around 38-45% across all centres, with the county's mix of roundabouts and dual carriageways providing relatively standard conditions. Men outperformed women most significantly at Southend (51.5% vs 44.7%), where the seafront's wider roads and faster A13 approaches seem to favour more confident drivers, while the differences remained smaller at inland centres like Chelmsford and Brentwood.
Tilbury
4,185 tests takenBrentwood (London)
5,485 tests takenHornchurch (London)
6,310 tests takenSouthend-on-Sea
4,797 tests takenBasildon
4,862 tests takenChelmsford (Hanbury Road)
10,758 tests taken| Test Centre | Female | Male | Automatic | Overall | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilbury | 47.9% | 50.1% | 44.4% | 49.1% | 4,185 |
| Brentwood (London) | 48.3% | 48.6% | 44.3% | 48.5% | 5,485 |
| Hornchurch (London) | 47.3% | 49.1% | 45.5% | 48.3% | 6,310 |
| Southend-on-Sea | 44.7% | 51.5% | 40.3% | 48.1% | 4,797 |
| Basildon | 44.4% | 46.5% | 38.6% | 45.6% | 4,862 |
| Chelmsford (Hanbury Road) | 43.2% | 46.0% | 40.2% | 44.7% | 10,758 |