How to teach every DVSA driving skill
All 27 skills from the DVSA syllabus, in the order most learners meet them. Each guide covers what to teach, the faults to watch for and how pupils can practise between lessons.
Phase 1Before moving
- How to teach legal responsibilitiesLicence, insurance, tax, MOT, eyesight and who is allowed to supervise. The first ten minutes of lesson one, and the ones that cause the most trouble if skipped.
- How to teach safety checksShow me, tell me questions and the simple checks before a drive: tyres, lights, fluids, wipers and the doors.
- How to teach cockpit checksDoors, seat, steering, seatbelt and mirrors. The routine that makes every later skill easier.
- How to teach securityLocking the car, valuables out of sight and leaving the vehicle safely.
Phase 2First drives
- How to teach controls and instrumentsPedals, gears, steering, handbrake and the dashboard. Smooth control is the foundation of everything after it.
- How to teach moving away and stoppingMoving off safely, including on hills and at an angle, and stopping smoothly in a safe place.
- How to teach safe positioningKeeping a sensible position on the road, in lanes and around parked cars.
Phase 3Awareness
- How to teach mirrors: vision and useUsing the mirrors early and often, and acting on what they show.
- How to teach signalsSignalling clearly, at the right time, and only when it helps someone.
- How to teach use of speedKeeping to the limit and driving at a speed that suits the road and conditions.
- How to teach anticipation and planningReading the road ahead and planning early, so nothing is a surprise.
Phase 4Meeting the road
- How to teach junctionsTurning left and right, emerging, and crossroads. Where most test faults happen.
- How to teach pedestrian crossingsZebra, pelican, puffin and toucan crossings, and what each one asks of the driver.
- How to teach roundaboutsMini, single-lane and multi-lane roundabouts: lane choice, giving way and signalling.
- How to teach other trafficMeeting, overtaking, crossing and dealing with cyclists, buses and lorries.
Phase 5Manoeuvres
- How to teach reversingReversing in a straight line and round corners with full observation.
- How to teach turning the car aroundTurning in the road and using driveways safely.
- How to teach parkingBay parking forwards and in reverse, parallel parking and pulling up on the right.
- How to teach emergency stopStopping quickly, safely and under control.
Phase 6Wider roads
Phase 7Conditions
Phase 8Ready for test
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