Private practice can help a learner gain experience between professional lessons, but it works best when the learner, instructor and supervising adult are working in the same direction.
Ask the instructor when the learner is ready to practise with you. They can suggest suitable routes and skills, and may invite you to sit in on a lesson so you understand the language and techniques being taught. This reduces the chance of passing on habits or methods that have changed since you learnt to drive.
Before the first session, check the legal requirements. The supervising driver must be at least 21, qualified to drive that type of vehicle, have held a full licence for at least three years and not be banned from driving. Some insurers set a higher minimum age for the supervisor, so read the policy rather than assuming.
The learner needs valid insurance for the vehicle. The car must be taxed, roadworthy and covered by an MOT where required, with L plates on the front and rear, or D plates in Wales. GOV.UK also recommends an additional rear-view mirror for the supervisor.
The supervisor must sit in the front passenger seat and remain fit to supervise. The handheld mobile-phone ban applies to the supervisor as well as the learner. Private practice cannot take place on a motorway. A learner may only drive there with an approved driving instructor in a dual-control car.
Once the legal checks are complete, keep each session purposeful. Agree one or two things to practise, choose a route the learner can manage and build difficulty gradually. Over time, practice can include:
- quiet and busier roads
- different junctions and roundabouts
- rural roads and dual carriageways
- daylight and darkness
- rain or windy conditions, when it is safe
- following signs and sat-nav directions
This is about experience, not catching the learner out. Give directions calmly and early. If either of you is angry, highly stressed or tired, rearrange the session.
Finish by asking what felt better, what was difficult and what should be practised next. Record the session and share it with the instructor. Ten focused minutes discussing the drive can be more useful than adding another unplanned lap of a familiar route.
Professional lessons remain the foundation. Private practice should extend them, not replace them or turn a parent into an unqualified instructor.