Driving Lessons in Northampton
With 26 driving schools and 41 independent driving instructors, Northampton gives learners plenty of choice when booking driving lessons. Schools here maintain a solid 4.8-star average rating and charge £32.50 to £42 per hour, while 16 offer automatic driving lessons and 14 provide intensive courses. There are 6 female driving instructors working independently, plus 5 driving schools that offer female driving instructors. Local test centres show varying difficulty levels, with Wellingborough recording the highest pass rate at 55.1% based on the latest DVSA data (2024-25).
- £39
- average price
- 26
- driving schools
- 41
- independent instructors
- 3
- test centres
Top driving schools in Northampton by what matters most
The standout school for each of the most-asked questions.
Fast Start Driving School
Cheapest manual driving school in Northampton.
Driving Solution
Highest-rated manual driving school in Northampton.
Driving Solution
Top-rated for automatic driving lessons in Northampton.
Poets Corner School of Motoring
Top-rated manual driving school with female instructors in Northampton.
Driving schools and instructors in Northampton
Drive Like A Boss
Rebranded from Duke & Duchess driving school, this team emphasises a supportive learning environment where mistakes build confidence rather than undermine it. Semi-intensive courses run 4-12 weeks with flexible 3-8 hour weekly options, while weekly lessons come as 90-minute or 2-hour slots. Learners praise instructors like Carl and Jaz for first-attempt passes with zero minors, and motorway lessons are available to boost confidence on faster roads.
Block booking
Best block deals in Northampton
Pay for a block of lessons upfront and the hourly rate drops. The best block here saves you £31.
How much do driving lessons cost in Northampton?
Most learners pay £35–£40 an hour. Under £35 is a good deal, over £45 is at the higher end.
Based on prices from 12 driving schools in Northampton.
Intensive courses in Northampton
Want to pass fast?
14 Northampton schools run intensive courses, compressing months of training into days or weeks.
Northampton Test Centres and Pass Rates
Automatic drivers in Northampton performed notably better at Wellingborough (55%) compared to the main Northampton centre (46%). The county's two centres handled 14,302 tests from 2024 to 2025, with Wellingborough's 55.1% pass rate significantly outperforming Northampton's 50.4%. Both centres show similar gender splits, with women achieving 50-54% and men 51-56%. Northampton's busy town centre features complex one-way systems and the challenging Grosvenor Centre roundabout, while Wellingborough offers quieter suburban roads that may explain its higher success rates.
Wellingborough
1,477 tests takenNorthampton
12,825 tests takenKettering
8,489 tests taken| Test Centre | Female | Male | Automatic | Overall | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellingborough | 54.3% | 56.0% | 55.2% | 55.1% | 1,477 |
| Northampton | 50.0% | 50.7% | 46.2% | 50.4% | 12,825 |
| Kettering | 46.3% | 45.7% | 40.8% | 46.0% | 8,489 |