I was taught to stick my head out of the window when I did my C+E test, mostly as a way of keeping an eye on the front offside tyre in relation to the curb/yellow line. Also, there are units out there that don’t come with a wide angle mirror on the offside, so when you run out of offside mirror on a reverse, sticking your head out of the window seems like an obvious, simple safety measure… Personally, I wouldn’t be half as good on skips if I didn’t stick my head out of the window when reversing up to one. As an aside; when you pull away, the observational procedure is nearside mirrors - forwards - offside mirror - over your shoulder. In my view, the “over your shoulder” bit is fairly close to sticking your head out of the window (and is easier with the window down anyway)
If the events are as you say, the company should be bending over backwards to make amends…
We make sure we have regular meetings to standardise our training procedures.
I remember doing my test a few years ago and still remember my trainer making a massive deal about getting a look out of the window and even demanded “I don’t care if it’s pi$$ing down, you will get your head out and have a good look”
As has been said already, surely as long as the manouver is completed under control and without hitting anything it’s a pass ?
Try not to dwell too long on it though as this is all you will be thinking about on you’re re-test 
Head out of window on CE reverse makes perfect sense. But it should be kept to a sensible minimum (to check osf tyre to yellow line) and be compensated with at least as much attention to the left mirror. I suggest it’s best to use mirrors as much as possible once clear of the yellow line with the odd check over the shoulder just to reassure that the trailer is actually going where it’s meant to! I’ve taught that for many years with no problem 
Many thanks to you all for taking the time to give me your thoughts and opinions. I went to the training school yesterday and asked the very nice and helpful lady who takes the bookings etc to go to this site. I let her read my posting and all your replies, she was shocked at my story and said she would sort something out. About 3 hours later she phoned me with a test booked for 2.30 this Monday, with training all day Friday and Monday morning for free. Thanks to you all for your help and support.
Seems like a good and satisfactory solution 
Seems to me that the only thing to sort out now is why you’re being told not to hang out of the window when it seems that it’s allowed on the test, hopefully the training company will put that right now.
Good luck with the training and the test 
Sounds like i’m the only one who was taught using Mirrors only
I don’t think that there is anything to be achieved by bringing the two instructors together,you may find that if you don’t pass this time ,bringing about confrontation now may bring problems in the future.Forget about it and concentrate on your driving.Given that the school have admitted liability for the matter ,I would have thought they would have offered you ,your choice of instructor.
williemc:
Many thanks to you all for taking the time to give me your thoughts and opinions. I went to the training school yesterday and asked the very nice and helpful lady who takes the bookings etc to go to this site. I let her read my posting and all your replies, she was shocked at my story and said she would sort something out. About 3 hours later she phoned me with a test booked for 2.30 this Monday, with training all day Friday and Monday morning for free. The only problem is the training is going to be with the second instructor, who caused the confusion in the first place. When I arrive for the training on Friday I am going to have to do as suggested and try to get the 2 instructors together, to clear up their difference in opinion. I have to say though that the mirrors only instructor was the one who took me through my class C from start to finish and I found him to be very very good and professional. It seems that the school just appears to have a bit of confusion on this one part of the C+E test, that needs to be addressed. I will keep you posted on Friday on how it goes with the 2 instructors and my result on Monday. The only trouble now is after making such a fuss the pressure is really on now to pass ha ha. Thanks to you all for your help and support.
After reading this whole thread i am in total disbelief… they may have given you free training a re-test. But Will we ever know who was really at fault ?
1/ Was it the 1st instructor
2/ Was it the second instructor
3/ Was it the learner interpretating wrongly what was explained ?
4/ Would be worth finding out what the instructors pass rate is and if its ok it could be back to interpretation or a simple misunderstanding
IF i was you i would not get both instructors together you need to get the company to do that and get it sorted before you go back
Interesting story and I very much agree with what Rog, Peter and most other trainers have said.
It is a sad fact that a lot of trainers seem to want to make their mark on a candidate if only for a few hours. Almost like they are trying to prove themself better than their colleagues.
Of course it doesnt matter whether you look out the window or not. Probably best look out for the start to clear the yellow line then generally it works better to use the mirrors, (not always with every student but generally)
Some instructors demand the candidate gets out for a check at the back on the line and some insist the candidate trusts his reversing mark and stays in the cab. Who is correct? There is normally always more than 1 correct way to do everything.
My advice to this chap is don’t build this episode up so much that you think the only thing you have to do on Monday is crack the reverse !!! There is a long way to go after that. Think about the reverse only when actually doing it then forget it.
The next 60 minutes are far more fraught with danger than the reverse that you say you can do perfectly anyway.
Good luck from everyone on here. You will be fine
Regards
John
Do the reverse in the way that you are comfortable with it - provided it is done safely then it will not be a problem
ROG:
Do the reverse in the way that you are comfortable with it - provided it is done safely then it will not be a problem
With the corect observation to DSA STANDARD…
What you are comfortable with may not be enough to pass the test YOU still need the instructor …( That is why you pay them )
C-Kay:
Sounds like i’m the only one who was taught using Mirrors only
I’ll join your list also 
All the DSA say is :-
You will need to display the ability to control the vehicle safely
whilst reversing to the left, right, when parking on the road or
into a parking bay. You must take good effective all round
observation throughout the manoeuvre and show consideration
to other road users.
The blue bits are really for car drivers.
Source:- DSA DL25 Driving Test Report Explained.
NikNik:
C-Kay:
Sounds like i’m the only one who was taught using Mirrors onlyI’ll join your list also
And me, my instructor bollocked me when i glanced back at the rear of the trailer, I could only look out my window straight down to see how close the front wheel was against the yellow line.
C-Kay:
Sounds like i’m the only one who was taught using Mirrors only
NikNik:
I’ll join your list also
FarnboroughBoy11:
And me, my instructor bollocked me when i glanced back at the rear of the trailer, I could only look out my window straight down to see how close the front wheel was against the yellow line.
These ‘rules’ by some instructors can be to ‘encourage’ the trainee to try and do it by mirrors only or by the instructor incorrectly believing that this is what the ‘rules’ are for passing the DSA test.
2 pages to explain you need good control and all round observation - Do what works for you to achieve this - simple lol.
Big D:
2 pages to explain you need good control and all round observation - Do what works for you to achieve this - simple lol.
Not easy if the instructor is insisting it is done in a certain way which does not work for the trainee !!
In real life, where you’re backing onto a bay from 90 degrees the only real way to do it is head out of window and look back of trailer… obv you can use small mirror but that’s silly and is as bad as doing it blind side.