I took manual lessons in NortHampton with Tamas Adrian at Driving Skills Academy. When I started, I felt most nervous about roundabouts. What helped me most was that was calm and explained everything... See more
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I learned with Driving Skills Academy in Northampton and had manual lessons with Chris Barker. At the beginning, the thing I worried about most was everything had never driven before. What helped me... See more
I had manual lessons with Driving Skills Academy in Wellingborough with Gary. At the beginning, the thing I worried about most was parking, roundabouts and gears. The biggest help was that he explaine... See more
I had manual lessons with Driving Skills Academy in Kettering with Adrian. Before starting, I was struggling with nerves and procrastination to book the test. What helped me most was that Adrian helpe... See more
Company details
Written by the company
Driving Skills Academy is a Northamptonshire based driving school providing professional manual driving lessons, driving instructor training and career opportunities for people looking to become driving instructors. We support learners across Northampton, Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden, Raunds and surrounding areas, helping new drivers build confidence, develop safe driving habits and prepare properly for the practical driving test. Our approach combines structured coaching, client centred learning and modern teaching methods so lessons are tailored to the individual rather than being one size fits all. For learner drivers, we focus on more than simply passing the test. We aim to help people become safe, confident and responsible drivers for life. Whether someone is a complete beginner, returning to lessons after a break, or preparing for their test, we work to make lessons supportive, productive and enjoyable. We also provide driving instructor training in Northamptonshire for people who want a new career, as well as ongoing support for trainee and qualified instructors through our academy and franchise opportunities. At Driving Skills Academy, we are passionate about raising standards in driver training, supporting road safety and helping both learners and instructors progress with confidence.
Contact info
Driving Skills Academy Ltd Innovation Centre, University of Northampton, Green Street, NN1 1SY, Northampton, United Kingdom
- 03337722718
- info@drivingskillsacademy.co.uk
- drivingskillsacademy.co.uk
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Garry a amazing instructor I passed…
Garry a amazing instructor I passed first time this academy brilliant I had issues with instructors in the past with red then I met driving skills academy they a re do brilliant if there was 6 million stars I would tick them all there amazing and thank you all and thank you Garry
And that's a HAT-TRICK!
Well what can I say, if this doesn't showcase the excellence of Chris Barker the driving instructor then I don't know what will. We've known Chris for 4 years and he's successfully instructed all 3 of my daughters, all of which passed first time with a handful of minors and my youngest just passed with zero minors. Great communication, good value and I simply couldn't recommend Chris enough.... Thank you Chris (five stars from us!)
5 Stars for Chris Barker!
5 Stars for Chris Barker! Johnny passed his test first time today and is so very thankful to Chris for his patience, encouragement and help. He boosted Johnny's confidence immensely and we would highly recommend him. Thank you!
Amazing Instructor
Chris was an amazing instructor. From the beginning he made me feel very comfortable about being on the roads. The efficient lessons meant it only took 12 of them to pass. He is flexible and friendly, I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn to drive.

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
Couldn’t recommend enough!
Chris was the best instructor I could have asked for. He was patient, friendly, encouraging and most importantly, with lots of experience, he knows exactly how to make you a confident driver with tips and tricks he tailors to your style. My lessons were always very productive and he always made sure any mistakes were reflected on and everything was explained in a clear manner. He is flexible with your lessons and very understanding should anything come up. His passion and effort as a driving instructor shines through and he goes above and beyond to make you confident - whether that be through extra lessons, or answering any queries you have by text message.
Chris’ knowledge and expertise led me to a first time pass and this shows how great he is. I couldn’t recommend Chris enough as a driving instructor.

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
Chris was a great driving instructor
Chris was a great driving instructor, He helped me become a confident driver and pass first time.Chris is very calm in the car and makes you feel very relaxed.He was also very patient with me. I would recommend him if you’re looking for a great driving instructor
Excellent driving instructor. Very professional and highly experienced.
I had just over 15 hours of private lessons with Chris and passed first time with 0 faults. He was very patient throughout all my lessons and taught me all the fundamentals on how to pass my test within the short amount of time I had with him. He encouraged me to drive my own car with my parents to keep lesson costs down. Chris also got my test date moved 3 months forwards meaning I could pass within a shorter period of time. I would like to say that Chris is an excellent driving instructor and made my lessons very enjoyable. I would recommend him as he is highly experienced and very professional.
Chris was the most amazing driving…
Chris was the most amazing driving instructor and I would highly recommend him to any learners.
He had been an excellent teacher and I have gained so much confidence from our lessons! 100% recommend😊

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
An exceptional driving instructor.
I first met Chris back in February 2018 as my trainee pursuing a new career on his first driving development session with me. It was evident from the word go that Chris is a genuine and nice person and as I got to know him more I noticed a very caring side to his nature, one which is key to being a successful instructor. Over the past two years I have watched him develop and grow into a very capable instructor and coach. Chris has an unbelievable amount of patience and this clearly helps more anxious learners to grow and develop to fulfill their maximum potential. Balanced with an ability to structure a lesson and a desire to serve, Chris has a desire and passion to try to understand people which helps him to unlock learners maximum potential and helps them to build confidence which for a learner can be life changing. Chris has not sat back since passing his final instructors exam in the summer last year, and is instead continuing to review and improve his skills on a daily basis. I have no doubt that Chris is an exceptional instructor and in years to come I see Chris developing into one of the leading experts in the driver training sector. If you live in Northampton or the surrounding areas and are looking for a driving instructor Chris should be number 1 on your list.

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
An excellent driving instructor
An excellent driving instructor. Would wholeheartedly recommend Chris because he is a very calm and joyful person, which is really good to have when you’re learning something that’s quite daunting for new people. Chris has a really Good way of teaching, as it feels tailored for each learner. I appreciated the lessons Chris, thank you

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
One of the best
Chris is an excellent instructor. My confidence when driving has grown massively due to his calm and helpful approach and he is able to adapt to any specific needs. Chris knows exactly what to do to ensure you’re constantly improving

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
A massive thank you to Chris
It’s been a year since I have passed with Chris, and I still go on about his Lessons as if they only happened yesterday !
I had such a fantastic experience with Chris, he helped me progress by focusing on my strengths and working with me to get better at things I struggled with .
Every lesson was a joy and I couldn’t wait to tell my partner what I had learnt that day.
I highly recommend Chris to anyone who wants to learn to drive and do so with confidence.
Chris is a character you will never forget for all the good reasons!
My son is currently learning to drive…
My son is currently learning to drive with Chris and was coming to the end to take his test but the virus has delayed that for now. Chris has been great with his communication and understanding especially when my son broke his ankle - he made sure he was accommodated. My son enjoys learning to drive with Chris and would recommend him to anyone when the lock down is lifted - Mark P
I am currently driving with chris.....
I am currently driving with chris and have been for a couple months now and he has helped my confidnece grow massively within driving. He has many websites and links to help support you as a driving and helps you achieve the best you possibly can.

Reply from Driving Skills Academy
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