This is for all C, C1, C+E and C1+E tests/passes. The national pass rate for 2017/18 is 57.8%. Do yourself a favor and check your chosen driving school/test centre before you fork out the $$$$. Some of them have a <50% pass rate…
Also an interesting bit from the DVSA themselves: “Test centre based statistics – Any statistics produced showing test centre level data will not include any centres where only one examiner has conducted that category of testing, but these tests will be included in the National Totals shown on each report. Whilst requests for individual driving examiner statistics will be considered on a case by case basis, information which would lead to the identification of an individual examiner’s pass and fail rates has previously been withheld under the Freedom of Information Act, Section 36 exemption (prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs).The Information Commissioner’s Office have considered and upheld DVSA’s application of this exemption.”
Always a helpful link so thanks for posting it. But please be aware that these are results from driving test centres - not driving schools. In some cases, eg us, they are one and the same thing. But the huge majority of trainers use public centres and it’s impossible to establish the pass rate of any particular school. Our pass rate is very good but we have lost work to trainers whose results cant be verified but apparently have a pass rate of close to 100%!
So the results you see are a combination of public test centres and trainer’s customer sites. It is perfectly possible that a trainer uses a public centre and turns in very good results. But the same centre will have trainers running at 20 - 30% so the test centre rate will be around 60%. But who can you believe? The only reliable stats are those published by DVSA which, as I said, include customer sites.
I have been campaigning for a long while to get all results publicised but the DVSA computer system cant cope with that apparently.
Peter Smythe:
So the results you see are a combination of public test centres and trainer’s customer sites.
I have been campaigning for a long while to get all results publicised but the DVSA computer system cant cope with that apparently.
Pete
I didn’t mention it because I thought it was self-evident; e.g. “Aberdeen North” without googling it I can tell that it is a stand-alone (shared) test centre; however most of the others are driving schools that also function as test centres. It would be useful to have a breakdown for the different categories but apparently to the DVSA a lorry is a lorry…and a lorry with a trailer or semi-trailer is still a lorry.
Seeing as how the national average pass rate is 57% I personally wouldn’t take seriously anyone who advertises a pass rate higher than 80-85%
Example
6 separate people go for LGV tests
5 pass first time
the other passes after 5 attempts
That is 10 tests with a test centre pass rate of 60%
The first time pass rate is 83+% but that is not shown
Example
6 separate people go for LGV tests
5 pass first time
the other passes after 5 attempts
That is 10 tests with a test centre pass rate of 60%
The first time pass rate is 83+% but that is not shown
True for a test centre that had 10 tests but most of the ones in the list have had 100s or 1000s of tests so if a test centre/driving school displays a trend for a low % pass rate that’s on them as much as it is on their trainees. After all, if DS are happy to take credit for a high pass rate for their students, surely they ought to be accountable for a low pass rate?
“We have a good (higher than average) pass rate, therefor we provide top quality training” vs. “We only have a 40% pass rate but this is because half of our 300+ trainees are crap and can’t drive”. Definitely other factors at play as well, like location, who the examiner is (I find it hilarious that the DVSA won’t release individual statistics for their examiners, I would be VERY interested in a detailed stat sheet), time of day the test was done etc.
In another stat sheet I saw young candidates (<25) were more likely to pass 1st time (>60%) than older drivers (age 35+; <55%) yet youngsters are considered more risky drivers (by insurers and employers alike) - assets.publishing.service.gov.u … rt0503.ods
From our statistics, there is no measurable difference in test times. As far as individual examiners are concerned, if an examiner had a significantly higher fail rate than his colleagues in the same centre, this would flag up and the senior staff would be investigating. The same applies is with a fantastically high pass rate. Although there are no targets (any suggestion of that is based purely on myth) there are expectations that each examiner will be working within a margin. Do be outside the margin on a regular basis could indicate a problem.
Speaking only for ourselves, our normal test day will look like this: 4 tests, 3 or 4 passes. The huge majority of candidates pass first time. Some will have 2 or even 3 attempts cos strange stuff can happen on test! And whilst we cant guarantee a pass, we do undertake to make sure that folks are ready for test as a minimum.
There are outside factors that will have an effect on pass rates. Our biggest is when the candidate is being sent by an employer and the candidate is really not interested in becoming a driver. This is a flaw in the employer’s selection process. Where possible we point this out before it’s too late, but too often the person is barely ready for test and then they don’t pass. The same folks will turn up late for training and possibly forget their licence on test day. We had a massive contract with DWP at one time and that yielded a pass rate of no more than 35%. This is half of what would be expected. Conversely, we are currently working on a large contract and the first 30 have passed first time, zero fails, 12 clean sheets! So “unpredictable” springs to mind!! The customer was previously using another “trainer” who they sacked because of the lack of passes. So the difference there is clearly the trainer and the facilities.
All interesting points. But another point see If location can make a difference on pass or fail rates as can the training school or the people taking the tests.
For example I would expect Peters place for example to have a decent pass rate but a provider who is a city centre for example might have a lower pass rate.
Not because of standard of training etc but down to traffic in the area causing drivers to fail or busier roads.
I know I found my class 2 a lot harder at garret green in brum than my C+E at Mansfield.
Not saying it will always be like that but I imagine it can make a difference.
Yes, without a doubt the location of the training centre/test centre is a factor and we have a distinct advantage in that respect. But a poor instructor in the same area wouldn’t succeed. Whereas a properly trained instructor will be capable in any area.
