Driving Lessons in Barnsley

Barnsley offers excellent value with driving lesson prices starting from £35 per hour, and the local driving schools maintain an impressive 4.9-star average rating. You'll find 15 driving schools and 41 independent driving instructors serving the area, with 5 schools offering automatic driving lessons and 11 independent female driving instructors available. For your driving test, you have several nearby options including Barnsley test centre with a 52.2% pass rate, though you might want to avoid Featherstone which has a notably lower 34.1% pass rate. Both Rotherham (51.3%) and the local Barnsley centre offer your best chances of success.

£39
average price
15
driving schools
41
independent instructors
4
test centres

Driving schools and instructors in Barnsley

Showing 115 of 15
Woodland Driving School

Woodland Driving School

5(4)
From £42/hr

A-rated instructor with consistently high first-time pass rates and a calm, patient teaching style that puts nervous learners at ease. Lessons start at £42/hour with 1.5-hour sessions at £62 (recommended) or 2-hour sessions at £83, with prices guaranteed not to change for 12 months. You'll drive on your first lesson in a new Ford Fiesta, and Pass Plus courses are available after you pass your test.

Manual
35 Woodland Rise, Silkstone Common, Barnsley S75 4RPView school
DH Driving School

DH Driving School

5(2)
From £40/hr10hrs for £380Save £20

Five years' experience with 100+ successful students and consistently positive reviews praising patient, clear instruction. Pay-as-you-go 90-minute lessons at £60, or save with block deals ranging from 10 hours (£380) to 30 hours (£1,230). Flexible booking with no long-term commitment, plus intensive courses available for those with test dates coming up.

AutomaticIntensive
West Rd, Barnsley S75 2DHView school
into1st Driving School

into1st Driving School

5(1)
From £35/hr10hrs for £340Save £10

Independent instructor who gets learners driving from lesson one, rejecting the industry practice of wasting early hours on classroom work. At £35/hour or £340 for 10 hours, you're paying for genuine seat time from day one, with lessons tailored to your learning pace rather than a fixed timeline.

Manual
4 Coronation Ave, Royston, Barnsley S71 4DTView school
Adam Shenton Driving School

Adam Shenton Driving School

4.9(119)
From £42/hr10hrs for £400Save £20

Built on a money-back guarantee: if any lesson falls short on friendliness, comfort, quality tuition, patience, or structured feedback, you get a full refund. Adam Shenton operates an Accelerated Learning System (ALS) that structures every lesson around your specific aims, eliminating aimless driving and keeping progress focused. Individual lessons at £42/hour or a 10-hour block for £400 with quality assurance monitoring throughout.

ManualEveningsWeekendsIntensive
4 Clifford St, Cudworth, Barnsley S72 8BAView school
Donna's Driving School

Donna's Driving School

4.7(10)
From £37/hr10hrs for £360Save £10

Solo instructor with years of industry experience who prioritises flexibility, offering lessons at £37/hour or £360 for a 10-hour block, plus theory tuition and mock tests included. Mock driving tests are conducted to simulate real test conditions and help reduce nerves on the day. Pass Plus courses also available, with all lessons offered in 1, 1.5, or 2-hour slots to fit around work and childcare.

ManualEveningsWeekendsFemale Instructors
9 Roseberry Cl, Hoyland, Barnsley S74 9DDView school
Charles Gray School of Motoring

Charles Gray School of Motoring

From £40/hr10hrs for £350Save £50

A calm, structured instructor who focuses on purposeful learning rather than aimless driving around. £40/hour or £350 for a 10-hour block, with mock tests included to ensure you're genuinely ready before test day. Pass Plus courses also available once you've passed, covering motorway, night, and all-weather driving.

Manual
Hall Royd Walk, Silkstone Common, Barnsley S75 4QAView school
Drive 2 Learn

Drive 2 Learn

5(136)

A community-focused school founded in 2021 with particular strength in supporting nervous and anxious learners. Offers intensive courses, car hire for tests, and lessons in your own vehicle, with instructors who are members of multiple professional associations including the Driving Instructors Association.

ManualIntensiveTest car available
Innovation Wy, Barnsley S75 1JLView school
Safe Roads Driving School

Safe Roads Driving School

5(47)

A well-respected school serving learners across both locations with experienced instructors offering individualized instruction in a supportive environment. The curriculum covers fundamental vehicle control through to advanced driving techniques, with flexible scheduling and a modern fleet of vehicles. Competitive pricing and a focus on both practical experience and theoretical knowledge ensure you're fully prepared for your test.

ManualAutomaticFemale Instructors
9 Kirkstall Rd, Barnsley S71 1RUView school
Armega Driving School

Armega Driving School

5(42)95% pass rate

95% of students pass their test with this school, backed by 5+ years of instruction and 200+ trained learners. Lead instructor Tache Armega holds Grade A qualification, and the team focuses on building safe driving habits and real-world confidence beyond just test preparation. One-to-one lessons are tailored to your pace, with mock tests and full test preparation included.

ManualAutomatic
47 Birk Ave, Barnsley S70 3AQView school
David Allan-Brown Driving School

David Allan-Brown Driving School

5(1)
9hrs for £375

East Lothian instructor championing automatic lessons with a practical perspective on modern driving. Manual lessons at £65 for 90 minutes or £375 for a block of 6, with automatic options at £70 for 1.5 hours or £90 for 2 hours. Theory test prep, Pass Plus courses, and post-test training in motorway and night driving also available.

ManualAutomaticTest car available
51 Barnsley Rd, Dodworth, Barnsley S75 3JWView school
Arksey School of Motoring

Arksey School of Motoring

Block bookings available

Family-run school established over 45 years ago with a focus on competitive pricing and special introductory deals for beginners and part-trained drivers. Hourly lessons and block bookings available at rates described as among the best in the area, with all instructors DBS-checked for safety and peace of mind.

ManualAutomatic
8 Kingwell Rd, Worsbrough Bridge, Worsbrough, Barnsley S70 4AGView school
Adele Burton Driver Training

Adele Burton Driver Training

Patient instructor with BTEC Level 4 coaching qualification and 20+ years' experience, offering practical and theory tuition plus motorway and eco-driving lessons. Every pupil gets access to a branded driver training app with lesson tracking, progress charts, theory resources, and electronic handouts to consolidate learning between lessons.

ManualFemale Instructors
1 Keswick Walk, Barnsley S71 5DUView school
Pass with Chris

Pass with Chris

95% pass rate
Block bookings available

An instructor with extensive HGV and car driving experience, delivering a calm, friendly approach tailored to each student rather than following a set plan. Boasts a 95% pass rate, with block booking discounts available and intensive courses on request. Blue Light and Defence Discount Service Card holders receive 10% off intensive courses.

ManualIntensive
Darton St, Barnsley S70 3PNView school
South Yorkshire auto driving school

South Yorkshire auto driving school

5(9)
Manual
Hoyland Rd, Hoyland, Barnsley S74 0HXView school
AWARD Driving School

AWARD Driving School

4.7(3)
Manual
20 Eastfield Cl, Staincross, Mapplewell, Barnsley S75 6DWView school

Intensive courses in Barnsley

Want to pass fast?

4 Barnsley schools run intensive courses, compressing months of training into days or weeks.

Barnsley Test Centres and Pass Rates

The challenging Featherstone centre drags down the overall average here, with just 34.1% of its 14,070 candidates passing between 2024 and 2025. Barnsley itself performs much better at 52.2%, as does nearby Rotherham at 51.3%, both benefiting from more predictable suburban road layouts. Men consistently outperform women across most centres, with gaps of 2-5 percentage points typical. The area's former mining towns feature steep hills, narrow terraced streets and busy roundabout systems that test spatial awareness, while automatic pass rates hover around 49% at the better centres but drop to 33.9% at Featherstone.

52%

Barnsley

7,765 tests taken
Women51.1%
Men53.1%
Automatic49.1%
51%

Rotherham

5,817 tests taken
Women51.2%
Men51.5%
Automatic49.8%
48%

Sheffield (Middlewood Road)

9,864 tests taken
Women46.3%
Men48.4%
Automatic44.5%
47%

Wakefield

7,650 tests taken
Women44.3%
Men49.1%
Automatic40.2%

Nearby areas