Driving Lessons in Chatham
Chatham's driving instruction network includes 15 highly-rated schools (4.9-star average) alongside 48 independent driving instructors, creating excellent choice for all learners. Schools charge £36-£40 per hour, with 5 offering automatic driving lessons and female driving instructors available through both 3 schools and 10 independent options. The area benefits from access to Gillingham test centre's outstanding 57.2% pass rate and Maidstone's strong 58% success rate.
- £36
- prices from
- 15
- driving schools
- 48
- independent instructors
- 3
- test centres
Top driving schools in Chatham by what matters most
The standout school for each of the most-asked questions.
Driving schools and instructors in Chatham
A7 Driving School Automatic
5-star rated school specialising in automatic lessons with competitive pricing: £40/hour or £390 for a 10-hour block. You'll stay with the same instructor throughout your learning, and all cars include reverse cameras and front/rear sensors to build confidence. Test day car hire available from £80, plus intensive courses at £46–£47/hour depending on weekly volume.
Topclass Driving School
Beginner-focused school with a confidence-building "Try Us & See" guarantee: 10 hours of structured tuition for £300 (manual) or £320 (automatic), or start with just 6 hours for £186/£198 , both backed by 100% money-back guarantees if unsatisfied. Pay-as-you-go lessons from £36/hour (manual) or £38/hour (automatic), with intensive courses ranging from 20 to 40 hours for those wanting to fast-track their licence within 1–6 weeks.
1st-Learn to Drive (Automatic Driving School)
Specializing in automatic driving lessons with a calm, professional instructor who's been in the industry since 2002. Trial lessons at £40/hour (2 hours for £80), intensive courses from £450 for 10 hours, and test day car hire at £120 for existing clients. First-time pass testimonials highlight punctuality and confidence-building instruction.
AXLR8 School of Motoring
Police Advanced Driver with 21 years' experience and ROSPA Gold certification, offering 1.5 or 2-hour personalized lessons tailored to your pace. Motorway training and Pass Plus courses available, with instruction across Kent and East London.
Axlr8 driving school lesson in chatham kent
Police Advanced Driver certified instructor with 21 years' experience and ROSPA Gold accreditation, offering 1.5 or 2-hour personalized lessons tailored to your pace. Lessons cover motorway driving and Pass Plus courses, with flexible scheduling across Kent and East London.
Simon says driver training
Kev & Lianne - Ellwood’s Driving School
Burn Those L Plates
AA Instructor Dan Boulton
Pearson Professional Centre - Chatham
Dan Boulton Driving School
My Driving Theory
Driving instructor
AA Instructor Tony Mortimer
Block booking
Best block deals in Chatham
Pay for a block of lessons upfront and the hourly rate drops. The best block here saves you £40.
Intensive courses in Chatham
Want to pass fast?
3 Chatham schools run intensive courses, compressing months of training into days or weeks.
Chatham Test Centres and Pass Rates
Maidstone achieved 58%, leading the three centres that saw 25,276 tests between 2024 and 2025. Gillingham followed closely at 57.2%, while Tilbury dropped to 49.1%. The Medway towns benefit from well-planned road systems and less congested routes than London, though the M2/A2 corridor creates some challenging dual carriageway scenarios. Kent's road network generally offers good practice opportunities without overwhelming complexity. Men outperformed women by 2-5 percentage points at each centre, while automatic drivers achieved their best results at Gillingham (54.1%).
Maidstone
6,330 tests takenGillingham
14,761 tests takenTilbury
4,185 tests taken| Test Centre | Female | Male | Automatic | Overall | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maidstone | 55.4% | 60.2% | 51.8% | 58.0% | 6,330 |
| Gillingham | 57.3% | 57.0% | 54.1% | 57.2% | 14,761 |
| Tilbury | 47.9% | 50.1% | 44.4% | 49.1% | 4,185 |