Driving Lessons in Ilford
With 25 driving schools and 40 independent driving instructors, Ilford gives you considerable choice when starting your driving journey. Pricing is competitive, ranging from £27 to £40 per hour with an average of £35, and the schools maintain a strong 4.8-star average rating. Automatic driving lessons are widely available at 22 schools, while female driving instructors can be found at 9 schools and among 9 of the independent driving instructors. The nearby Goodmayes test centre saw over 21,000 tests in the latest DVSA reporting period with a 43.7% pass rate, while Barking's 36.3% pass rate is notably more challenging.
- £35
- average price
- 25
- driving schools
- 40
- independent instructors
- 3
- test centres
Top driving schools in Ilford by what matters most
The standout school for each of the most-asked questions.
A Class Learners
Cheapest manual driving school in Ilford.
Orange School of Motoring
Highest-rated manual driving school in Ilford.
Orange School of Motoring
Top-rated for automatic driving lessons in Ilford.
Driving lessons in Ilford
25 driving schools and 40 independent instructors.
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Showing 1–20 of 65 driving schools and independent instructors in Ilford.
Orange School of Motoring
Manual and automatic
98% pass rate with 12 years' experience and a team of professional instructors. £35/hour for single lessons or £340 for a 10-hour block, with Pass Plus courses also available. Caters to learners aged 17 to over 70, structuring all training to individual needs.
Andy's School of Motoring
Manual
Trained by BSM and formerly a franchisee, Andreas brings chauffeuring experience and a friendly, patient approach to every lesson. Standard lessons at £37/hour drop to £35/hour with a 10-hour block, and fast-track intensive courses are tailored to your ability, from 40+ hours for complete beginners to 10 hours for recent test retakes. Beyond learner lessons, Pass Plus and motorway driving courses help newly qualified drivers build confidence and potentially unlock insurance discounts.
SMA Driving School
Manual and automatic
SMA Driving School offers competitive block booking deals starting at £33 per hour for manual lessons (5 lessons for £165) and £36 per hour for automatic lessons (5 lessons for £180), with test car hire available for £150 including a free warm-up lesson. Beyond standard courses, they cater to diverse learners including foreign drivers adapting to UK roads, older people with discounted rates, and those seeking refresher or advanced training. Intensive courses compress learning into 1-2 weeks for those needing to pass quickly.
Ilford Driving Instructors
Manual and automatic
An East London driving school offering flexible hourly lessons from £36 on weekdays, with up to 25% savings on block bookings. Beyond standard tuition, they provide mock driving tests, motorway training, and refresher courses for nervous drivers, plus structured lessons aligned with test standards and progress tracking.
PJ Driving School
Automatic
Automatic-only driving school offering a standout introductory deal of 10 lessons for £335. Instructors are trained to the highest standards with regular DBS background checks and drive newly maintained vehicles. Pass Plus courses also available to help new drivers reduce insurance costs and build confidence in adverse weather conditions.
MyLearners
Manual and automatic
Competitive pricing from £35/hour for manual lessons or £37/hour for automatic driving lessons, with block deals at £340 for 10 hours. Introductory 2-hour trial available at £65, plus test day support with doorstep pickup included in all lessons. Offers intensive courses, Pass Plus, motorway training, and refresher lessons tailored to individual needs.
Craigen Driving School
Manual and automatic
75% first-time pass rate with instructor Fuhad, who has a strong track record of students passing on their first attempt. £35/hour for both manual and automatic lessons, with personalized tuition designed to build confidence in nervous learners. Standard Check Test training and Pass Plus courses also available.
Pass Class Driving School
Manual and automatic
Structured lesson planning following the DVSA syllabus, with some instructors boasting over 10 years' experience and 100% customer satisfaction ratings. Weekday lessons from £36/hour or £350 for a 10-hour block, with 2-hour sessions available at £72. Mock tests and motorway training help build confidence before your test.
Xpress Driving School
Manual and automatic
Instructors with experience from BSM, AA and RED bring professional standards to this East London school. £37/hour or from £33.50/hour with a 40-hour block at £1,340, plus an introductory offer of 4 hours for £130. Test car available for your driving test, and Pass Plus courses on offer for newly qualified drivers.
Driving Hub
Manual and automatic
98% first-time pass rate across 450+ students with 15 years of instructor experience. Flexible pricing from £40/hour for standard weekday lessons to £45/hour on weekends, with block deals starting at £38/hour for 10 hours (£380) and a flash sale Diamond package offering 30 hours for £1,100. Both automatic and manual driving lessons available with personalized one-on-one instruction focused on building confidence.
Hajra's Expert Driving
Automatic
Best-rated driving school in London (2021/2022/2023 on Google) with an excellent first-time pass rate. £36.50/hour or £345 for a 10-hour block, plus 2-hour lessons at £72. New customers get a free 30-minute introductory lesson.
Driving Academy Ltd
Manual and automatic
Competitive pricing from £33/hour for manual lessons or £37.50/hour for automatic, with 10-hour block deals at £340-£350. Intensive courses range from 20 to 48 hours (£780-£1920), plus test car hire from £160 including a lesson. Reviews highlight instructors like Noman and Shohag for their calm teaching style, flexibility, and ability to get learners test-ready quickly, with one student passing after just 3-5 lessons.
SAM School of Motoring
Manual and automatic
One of East London's highest-rated driving schools, trusted by over 5,000 learners with 49 instructors across 199 vehicles. Lessons from £35/hour weekdays or £37/hour evenings/weekends, with 10-hour packages at £330 (weekdays) or £350 (evenings/weekends); test day car hire including a pre-test lesson from £150. Multi-language support in Italian, Bangla, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, and Punjabi, plus Pass Plus courses also available.
Joanna's Driving School
Automatic
A friendly female instructor specialising in automatic driving lessons across the area. Two-hour sessions at £40/hour, or £38/hour with a 10-hour block deal; test day includes a pre-test lesson, car hire, and drop-off home from the test centre for £150.
Ladies School of Driving
Manual and automatic
99% pass rate backed by 15+ years of experience and five-star reviews. Single lessons at £40/hour, or save with 5-hour packages (£180), 10-hour blocks (£350), and intensive courses from £680 for 20 hours. Multilingual instructors teach in English, Farsi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Pushto, with test day car hire available for £200.
LDN Drive
Automatic
Senior instructors with 15+ years' experience, some of whom have trained other driving instructors to ADI standard. A high first-time pass rate backed by 100+ students passed and consistent 5-star reviews. Lessons start at £35/hour, with block deals from £340 for 10 hours down to £33/hour for 20-hour packages.
3R Driving School
Manual and automatic
Specialises in manual driving instruction with experience training civil engineering professionals and those seeking career-ready skills for logistics and transport roles. £40/hour or £70 for 2-hour lessons; 10-hour blocks at £330 and 20-hour blocks at £650 include free pick-up and drop-off. Particularly good with nervous drivers and the elderly, with test car available and six-day-a-week scheduling.
Daily Driving School
Manual and automatic
The UK's most affordable intensive driving course provider, with courses ranging from 6 to 48 hours depending on your experience. Standard lessons cost £40/hour weekdays or £45/hour weekends, with a 10-hour block at £390. Instructors focus on making nervous beginners feel at ease while building confidence on the road.
B1st
Manual and automatic
18 years' teaching experience with free theory test preparation and structured courses from complete beginner through to Pass Plus. £33/hour or £300 for a 10-hour block in Ilford, Barking and Redbridge areas, with semi-intensive and intensive courses available. Welcomes nervous pupils and students of all abilities.
GSM Driving Academy
Manual and automatic
Established in 1977, GSM Driving Academy pioneered the 'pay as you go' block booking model, letting learners pay only for the 1st and final lessons upfront while settling remaining lessons with their instructor. Manual lessons from £28/hour (5-hour block from £140) and automatic from £29/hour (5-hour block from £145), with 2-hour lessons also available at £42–£46 depending on transmission type.
Block booking
Best block deals in Ilford
Pay for a block of lessons upfront and the hourly rate drops. The best block here saves you £40.
How much do driving lessons cost in Ilford?
Most learners pay £35–£40 an hour. Under £35 is a good deal, over £45 is at the higher end.
Based on prices from 21 driving schools in Ilford.
Intensive courses in Ilford
Want to pass fast?
17 Ilford schools run intensive courses, compressing months of training into days or weeks.
Ilford Test Centres and Pass Rates
Goodmayes is the busiest centre here with 21,374 tests between 2025 and 2026, recording a 43.7% pass rate where women passed at 39.1% and men at 47.2%, with automatics at 41.5%. The wait there is 21 weeks, the longest in the area. Wanstead managed 44.4% with women at 41.7% and men at 46.1%, automatics at 42.1%, and a 20 week wait. Barking is the toughest at 36.3% overall, where women passed at 34.3% and men at 37.5%, with automatics at 33.4% and a shorter 16 week wait. The roads around Barking include busy industrial areas and challenging junctions near the A13, while Goodmayes has dense residential streets and the North Circular nearby. Across all three centres, 35,175 tests were taken.
Wanstead (London)
8,258 tests taken · 20 week waitGoodmayes (London)
21,374 tests taken · 21 week waitBarking (Tanner Street)
5,543 tests taken · 16 week wait| Test Centre | Female | Male | Automatic | Overall | Tests | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wanstead (London) | 41.7% | 46.1% | 42.1% | 44.4% | 8,258 | 20 weeks |
| Goodmayes (London) | 39.1% | 47.2% | 41.5% | 43.7% | 21,374 | 21 weeks |
| Barking (Tanner Street) | 34.3% | 37.5% | 33.4% | 36.3% | 5,543 | 16 weeks |