Driving Lessons in North Shields
Two driving schools serve North Shields, with one charging £40 per hour and one offering female driving instructors on staff. You'll have access to several DVSA test centres in the area, with Sunderland and Blyth both exceeding 50% pass rates (51.1% and 50.9% respectively), while Gateshead has a notably lower rate at 37.5%. Gosforth handles the most tests locally with 10,531 conducted during 2025-26.
- £40
- prices from
- 2
- driving schools
- 4
- test centres
Driving schools and instructors in North Shields
Thumbs Up Driver Training
Kim Gibson's school boasts an excellent first-time pass rate backed by 66 five-star reviews praising her patience, knowledge, and ability to build confidence in nervous learners. Lessons are £40 per hour or £400 for a 10-hour block, with flexible one, one-and-a-half, or two-hour sessions available. Free online theory support and hand-outs are included with all packages.
Block booking
Best block deals in North Shields
Pay for a block of lessons upfront and the hourly rate drops.
North Shields Test Centres and Pass Rates
The three centres around North Shields handled 23,686 tests between 2024 and 2025, with Gateshead proving most difficult at 37.4% compared to Sunderland and Blythe both achieving 47%. Gateshead's challenging Tyne Bridge approaches and steep hills around the town centre create tough driving conditions, while coastal Blythe offers more straightforward suburban routes. Women performed slightly better than men at Blythe (49.7% versus 45.3%), but the gender split was minimal elsewhere. Automatic pass rates remained low across all centres, ranging from just 31% in Gateshead to 38% in Sunderland, reflecting the region's challenging road conditions.
Sunderland
10,436 tests taken · 9 week waitBlyth
6,973 tests taken · 14 week waitGosforth
10,531 tests taken · 16 week waitGateshead
9,512 tests taken · 7 week wait| Test Centre | Female | Male | Automatic | Overall | Tests | Wait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 51.1% | 51.2% | 42.7% | 51.1% | 10,436 | 9 weeks |
| Blyth | 52.4% | 49.7% | 39.4% | 50.9% | 6,973 | 14 weeks |
| Gosforth | 46.7% | 49.8% | 44.3% | 48.4% | 10,531 | 16 weeks |
| Gateshead | 37.9% | 37.2% | 32.7% | 37.5% | 9,512 | 7 weeks |