Instructor Training Terms and Conditions
General Terms and Conditions
- These terms and conditions are written in English and are subject to English Law.
- Please note you must sign and return these terms and conditions before any practical training can commence if you are a beginner or you have paid for a course. If you do not return these terms and conditions within 30 days of your initial payment/deposit, you will forfeit any payment you have made to us, unless you have requested a refund within the first 30 days of payment. See refund policy.
- If you have any doubts, please seek proper professional advice prior to signing them.
- These terms and conditions are not flexible unless stated in writing by Cowan Driving School.
- You must not share any information we send to you (by post or internet) with any other person or company without our written consent.
- We reserve the right to refuse acceptance onto our ADI training programme.
Our ADI Instructors
- All of our ADI Instructor Trainers will be experienced in training and handling PDIs through each stage of becoming an approved driving instructor.
- We promise that we won’t sub contract any PDI training out to other establishments or companies.
- We understand that this is probably your future livelihood, therefore our instructor trainers have been carefully chosen with this is mind.
- Cowan Driving School instructors will provide the ADI training in a dual controlled car that is clean and roadworthy. If the trainer deems that you may benefit from training in your car, then your car must be insured for the purpose of ADI training.
- Cowan Driving School instructors will represent themselves in a professional manner and be smart in appearance.
- Cowan Driving School has a strict no smoking policy.
- Cowan Driving School driving instructors will abide by an equal opportunity policy and will not discriminate against race, colour, creed, gender or sexual orientation etc.
What we expect from you
- It is your responsibility to ensure you comply with the DVSA legal requirement regarding your licence and eyesight. These legal requirements are available from the DVSA.
- You will apply for the criminal record check provided by and be approved by the DVSA.
- You should not work for a competitor nor should you already be a qualified instructor working independently.
- You should understand any resources, training aids or information we provide to you is solely for your use, unless you have been given written consent to share from Cowan Driving School.
- If you decline to sign the terms and conditions and would like a full refund this should be requested before logging into our training zone and done within 30 days of your initial payment, otherwise any payment(s) made will be forfeited.
- The ADI training course requires dedication, self-discipline and self-motivation.
- You have up to 2 years to pass the final part 3 test from the date you pass the part 1 test.
- You will forfeit any remaining training hours if you exceed a total of 6 months from your last recorded training session from your trainer. In the event of illness/unforeseen circumstances, you should contact us in writing. Cowan Driving School may offer a discretionary extended time frame for you to complete your training.
- It is your responsibility to present your valid UK driving licence prior to the start of your first practical, in car training session. Failure to do so entitles the instructor to cancel any training you have booked within 72 hours and you may be charged. You should also be able to pass a basic eyesight test at the beginning of your training and before taking any practical exam.
You will have to read a number plate from a distance of:26.5 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate.
27.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate.
Payments to your trainer
- Once you have made a payment to us, we will forward up to 10 hours at a time to your allocated trainer. If you have paid your trainer directly then the agreement will be between you and your trainer, therefore Cowan Driving School will not be able to assist you if there are any discrepancies later on.
- If you are paying for your training monthly or spreading the payments, we can only provide training up to the total amount you have paid up to in block of 10 hours.
- If you have paid your trainer directly, then we recommend you obtain a receipt of payment and purchase date.
- If you can’t provide proof of purchasing when paying by cash and a record of your lessons taken/received then you will have to consult the instructor trainer’s records only.
Part 2 and 3 test
- Your Cowan Driving School instructor is entitled to withdraw their car for the usage of your test, should they feel you are not ready. Your Cowan Driving School instructor will always give you a minimum of 5 working days of notice providing that you haven’t come to us at short notice (less than 5 working days).
- You are allowed to take your test(s) in your own vehicle as long as it is insured for the purpose of the DVSA test part 2 or 3.
- Very occasionally instructors can become ill at short notice. In the event that this happens, we will endeavour to find you another instructor but cannot guarantee anything at such short notice.
- In the event the instructor’s car is not road worthy for your driving test. Your instructor and Cowan Driving School will do their upmost to find you a like for like vehicle. However, we cannot guarantee an identical vehicle.
- If the DVSA examiner has declined to go out on test in your trainers car because it’s not roadworthy for any reason such as; nail in tyre, brake light not working, then your instructor trainer will pay for your second test and may offer up to 2 hours of training free of charge to prepare you for the second test.
Cancellation Policy
- You are required to give a minimum of 72 hours of notice to your instructor trainer should you wish to cancel a training session. Anything less than 72 hours and your instructor is entitled to charge you the normal lesson rate or the prorated amount if it’s a block booking/course payment which includes the discount. The instructor will provide written confirmation of the charge by text/email to avoid confusion and any misunderstanding.
- Cowan Driving School cannot be held responsible for training/test cancellation due to mechanical breakdown or other emergencies such as illness/bereavement. We will endeavour to find a replacement vehicle/instructor as soon as possible but this is not guaranteed.
Refunds & Complaints Policy
- If you have purchased instructor training and have now changed your mind, you have 30 days from the purchase date to request a full refund. You should email info@cowandrivingschool.co.uk, a manager will contact you within 48-72 hours.
- A full refund will only be issued if zero training hours have been used and we have received written confirmation to cancel within 30 days of your initial payment. If you have logged into our training zone then we will not issue a refund.
- In the unlikely event that you are not fully satisfied with a recent training session with us, please inform us of the reasons why by emailing info@cowandrivingschool.co.uk, a manager will contact you within 48-72 hours.
- If you experience difficulties booking in with your instructor trainer for whatever reasons, you must put this in writing to us before your training expires to avoid disappointment.
- If you have a complaint regarding your test preparation please tell us in advance, not after your test, so we can help you. This gives you and us the best possible chance of passing first time.
- Please understand that every instructor has their own way of teaching. If you have decided to seek a second opinion from another driving school/instructor and they disagree with our instructor’s teaching methods it doesn’t always mean your new trainer is right. If you have any issues regarding your training, then please speak to your instructor or alternatively visit our customer service section, fill in and submit an online ticket.
- You will forfeit any pre-payment for a pre-paid ADI training course if you have failed to make contact with us within 6 months of your initial payment. Once you start your practical training with your trainer (Part 2 onwards) you must continue with regular training. Please note if you have more than a 6-month gap between your training then you will forfeit any remaining training hours.
Other/Miscellaneous
- We believe that any complaints about the instructor’s training vehicle, ethnic origin, sex or training resources is a form of preference and should be stated at the beginning of the course.
Offers/Price Changes
- Cowan Driving School are entitled to change ADI training offers and prices at any time. Training prices are subject to change based on location.
- Any pre-payments are honoured at the time in which they were purchased, but the training session must be taken within a 6-month period from the date of purchase.
Use of personal information
- All personal information and details given to Cowan Driving School are used to deliver the service intended and records are kept strictly confidential. Occasionally your information may need to be shared with third parties in order for us to provide you with the requested service.
- Cowan Driving School uphold and are compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998) and the GDPR.
Limitation of Liability
- Cowan Driving School LTD and our franchised driving instructors are not liable to you (the PDI) for any loss or damage caused relating to any business interests such as lost profits, lost earnings, loss of opportunity/business or business interruption, including in no event liable for negligence or breach of statutory duty.
Driving Resources
- Any online resources obtained from the password protected sections are for the paying PDI’s use only and should not be shared, copied or sold without the written permission of Cowan Driving School LTD.
Plagiarism
We treat copying and plagiarism very seriously and will always seek to prosecute.
You should not work for a competitor.
You are not an approved driving instructor.
Materials and resources provided or supplied by Cowan Driving School are for your sole and personal use and may not be shared with or distributed to third parties for any purpose.