ADI Part 3 is to test your ability to teach. If you have properly studied and passed your part 1, have passed your part 2 and have full confidence in your driving skills and routines, part 3 is a test on your ability to teach these skills.
Part 3 is the final part of the ADI qualifying exams and is often regarded as the most difficult part to pass. The reputation of the part 3 test can be backed up by the pass rate which is around 30 percent.
The part 3 exam takes around one hour and is conducted by a specially qualified driving examiner known as the ‘SE’, or senior examiner. The pupil that you’re required to teach can be either a real learner driver or a full licence holder, but cannot be a fully qualified driving instructor or a potential driving instructor who has passed the part 1 and part 2 exams.
Part 3 Lesson Themes
Examples of the part 3 lesson themes include:
- Junctions
- Town & city driving
- Interaction with other road users
Dual carriageway / faster moving roads - Defensive Driving
- Effective use of Mirrors
Independent driving - Rural roads
- Motorways
- Eco-safe driving
Recap a manoeuvre - Commentary
- Recap Emergency stop
Part 3 Scoring
The examiner will score you based on your competence at providing a client-centred approach driving lesson and level of risk management. To pass the part 3 exam, you’ll be required to demonstrate a good level of lesson planning, risk management teaching and learning strategies. You’ll be scored based on 17 areas of competence:
- No evidence: 0 mark
- Demonstrated in a few elements: 1 marks
- Demonstrated in most elements: 2 marks
- Demonstrated in all elements: 3 marks
During the part 3 exam, the examiner will be assessing your ability to:
- To identify the pupil’s learning goals and requirements
- To identify and agree on a lesson structure and to provide the appropriate level of tuition based on the pupil’s experience
- To carry out the lesson in appropriate areas
- To if necessary, adapt teaching techniques as the lesson progresses
- To encourage the pupil to analyses problems and to take responsibility for their learning
- Provide feedback that is appropriate and timely during the lesson
- Identify any faults made
- Analyse and explain faults
- Rectify faults
- Keep control of the lesson
- Provide feedback at the end of the lesson
- To encourage the pupil to reflect on their own performance at the end of the lesson
How to pass ADI Part 3 test
The ADI part 3 exam is divided into three key areas; lesson planning, risk assessment and teaching and learning strategies. You should of course employ the skills of a good ADI trainer in order to pass part 3, but in general, the following advice should be regarded for passing.
Lesson Planning
Lesson planning is usually undertaken at the start of the lesson, but if you do not know the pupil, it’s acceptable to ask them for an assessment drive prior to planning the lesson.
It’s important that the instructor places the pupil at the centre of the learning process and that the instructor asks the pupil what they wish to gain from the lesson and that the instructor asks questions to ensure there’s an understanding of what the pupil’s needs are.
As the instructor, you will be expected to correctly identify the pupil’s training needs and to achieve a satisfactory outcome at the end of the lesson. An appropriate lesson structure based on their level of experience should be explained and agreed with the pupil and carried out in a suitable location. As the instructor, you should be able to adapt your teaching methods around the pupils’s needs.
To understand your pupil’s needs, questions should be asked and efforts carried out during the lesson to fulfill the pupil’s needs. It’s important that the instructor is able to adapt rather than simply delivering a pre-planned lesson that may not fulfill the pupil’s needs. Marks are awarded based on this outcome. If the instructor makes no attempt to ask questions and understand the pupil’s requirements, it may result in a lower competence mark, or no marks awarded.
Risk Management
Risk management is about the safety of the pupil, other vehicle occupants and other road users. As the instructor, you are ultimately responsible for the safety of yourself, the pupil and other road users, but must develop the awareness of the pupil’s ability to understand risk.
The instructor should explain clearly what is expected of them and what is expected of themselves in terms of risk management. The balance of risk management will vary depending on the pupil’s level of experience.
Risk management is marked based on whether the instructor understands fully that the pupil knows where their responsibility lies and how it’s shared. It’s the instructors responsibility to ensure directions and instructions are provided to the pupil clearly and in good time. Any confusion or bad timing is likely to see lesser marks awarded. The lesson should conclude with feedback to help the pupil understand any safety issues that may have arisen during the lesson.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
This is about your teaching style, whether it’s suited to a specific pupil and your ability to adapt if the pupil is struggling to understand. In certain situations, you’ll be expected to provide a practical example if you feel it will help the pupil understand. As the instructor, you should at all times provide information and instruction that is accurate and correct as information that is is not correct may cause a risk issue. You will also be expected to respond to any faults made by the pupil in a timely manner.
Trainee Licence
Once Part 2 has been passed and you have completed 40 hours of ADI Part 3 training, you may want to consider applying for a trainee driving instructor licence. If the trainee licence is granted it will enable you to instruct for a maximum of 6 months for pay. The experience gained in these 6 months will help enormously towards aiding you in the Part 3 test. It is not essential to become a trainee driving instructor (PDI), but If you believe you are struggling with your Part 3 training or your trainer recommends that becoming a PDI will benefit you, it then may be in your interest to apply for one. Generally only one trainee licence is permitted, although in certain circumstances a second can be granted.
Take time to learn the roads and routes around the test centre. In particular the more complicated parts such as one way systems or difficult roundabouts. This will help immensely in your test for If you happen to use these routes in your Part 3 test then it will provide you with a much better understanding of what is approaching. This will allow you to relay instruction to the examiner in good time.
Keep control of the situation. The pupil at any given time will make error after error and they will come thick and fast if you let them. These errors escalate quickly and before you know it, all control is lost. The moment you see an error, deal with it rather than letting it go. If the errors are coming in fast then ask the pupil to pull up on the left, making sure it is a safe convenient and legal position (SCALP).
ADI Part 3 training
There are many training establishments that will teach Part 1, 2 and of course ADI Part 3. It’s important to use a trainer that you feel comfortable with and one that you clearly understand their teaching methods and instructions.
An ORDIT registered trainer doesn’t necessarily mean they are good, it simply means they follow a particular criteria set out by the DVSA. You may find a local independent ADI trainer better as they are more likely to offer a 1 to 1 service with a more personal approach. You may find this to be cheaper also. ADI Part 3 training can be expensive, so try to judge your decisions initially on recommendations and reviews. Before signing up to an entire course, meet your trainer first and ask to have a short introductory assessment lesson. This will enable you to see if you get along and understand them clearly, which is important.
Ask also if it is the same trainer throughout the entire course as it’s beneficial that it is. Sharing the vehicle with other trainee driving instructors has it’s advantages as you can learn from others mistakes. Make sure however that if there is sharing, ensure you are guaranteed an amount of actual behind the wheel training yourself.