Newslink December final

News: NASP Q&A
Continued from page 15
The usual refrain that legislation was
required to alter, for instance, Parts 1, 2 and 3
of ADI qualifying seemed a little weak - in
Carly Brookfield’s words, “we’re getting sick
of the excuses for not making qualifying
better aligned with the Standards Check and
the client-centred learning that is expected.”
There was still too much emphasis in the
Part 3 exam on fault spotting: “This is not
coaching, or client-centred learning.”
Mike Yeoman suggested that what was
needed was a fresh look at the L-test – “to
move it away from a fault-based assessment,
which it is at the moment, to a more
expansive drive in which candidates can gain
marks by handling situations well.”
Lynne Barrie agreed that the current test
“doesn’t always bring out the best elements
of your pupil’s ability.”
Trainee licences
NASP has raised the issue of trainee
licences being extended, as accessing Part 3
tests was becoming difficult. From the start
of Part 1, trainees have two years to book
their Part 3 test, but while that timeframe
was fair in normal circumstances, with fewer
Part 3s available now, some trainees are
starting to struggle to find a test before their
two-year qualification period expired.
So far the DVSA has not intimated it would
relax this timeframe, but NASP would keep
pushing for it.
Changes to the qualification system
Looking ahead to how the system could be
reformed in the future, it was suggested that
the DVSA may not be the best organisation
to run the training and monitoring process of
ADIs. “Perhaps it should simply focus on
testing,” was one suggestion, “and leave
professional qualifications and subsequent
assessments to outside bodies.”
On examiner quality, the DVSA is aware
that some of its examiners are not of the
standard required and it is looking into the
issue – in some areas, “different standards
seem to be being applied on tests.”
Pass Plus - future initiatives?
One questioner asked whether Pass Plus
could be made mandatory – or is it now
out-dated?
With learners now allowed on motorways
and fewer insurance companies recognising
Pass Plus with lower premiums, it seemed
unlikely that Pass Plus would become
mandatory.
However, a DIA-led project called
Milestones could lead to major changes in the
“Mike Yeoman suggested that what was needed was a fresh look at
the L-test – ‘to move it away from a fault-based assessment, which
it is at the moment, to a more expansive drive in which
candidates can gain marks by handling situations well.’
Lynne Barrie agreed that the current test ‘doesn’t always bring out
the best elements of your pupil’s ability.’
way people learned to drive, said Carly
Brookfield. Milestones was a modular
programme in which learners worked through
a pre-planned curriculum in stages, in a
graduated learning process. This would then
be followed by an L-test, and rounded off by a
post-test module.
The DVSA is awaiting results from the trial,
to gauge its effectiveness.
Digital dilemma
Returning to L-test bookings, could the
DVSA create its own app to counter the bots,
asked one ADI? Carly said that the DVSA was
not digitally proficient enough to do so; it’s
booking system was creaking at the knees
already, and she wondered what had
happened to Loveday Ryder’s promise on
taking over at the agency, of securing
funding for a comprehensive overhaul of its IT
systems. The need to build a booking system
that works for ADIs and pupils was a priority.
SEN in theory test centres
Another questioner asked if NASP could
press the DVSA to allow learners with SEN to
access theory test centres before their test,
to familiarise themselves with the lay-out
and format prior to a test. Some pupils with
SEN struggle to adapt to new settings and
environments.
Mike Yeomans said work was underway to
do something on this: “I know the DVSA is
working on a video explaining the theory test
process, but that work has been held up by
the focus on L-test waiting times.”
B + E tests
The removal of B + E testing still rankled
with some on the Q&A, and it was suggested
that the DfT now had its beady eye on D1 and
C1 testing too. NASP had lobbied hard to
prevent the removal of B + E testing, and had
then worked to create the ‘Safe towing’
accreditation, but there were still major
concerns that the loss of B+ E testing could
create road safety issues in the future.
It was particularly frustrating that B + E
tests had been sacrificed to provide extra
LGV test slots, but the alleged demand for
these appears to have been over-estimated.
Test imposters
The increase in people taking driving and
theory tests on behalf of others was a
concern, said NASP. It was suggested that
people guilty of such frauds be blocked out of
the booking system for a period, as they were
clearly exhibiting risky behaviour in this
regard which would possibly be carried over
into their driving at a later stage.
“People who make bad choices to commit
an L-test fraud are likely to make bad choices
on the road, too.”
Driver training syllabus
One questioner asked if NASP agreed with
the current driver training syllabus? Not
everything, which was why NASP is
constantly pushing the DVSA to make
improvements and would continue to do so.
Improving driver standards and road safety
was a constant fight that NASP would
continue to lead.
Sharing TIP data
There was concern that ADIs’ TIP data
could be published by the DVSA at some
point in the future, in an attempt to help the
public identify the best-performing ADIs.
Lynne Barrie pointed out that many ADIs had
concerns over such data being released
without their consent; if an ADI wanted to
publicise their L-test results, that was for
them, but not all wanted to do so, particularly
those ADIs who specialisied in training more
challenging pupils.
Finally, the panel was asked why it had not
simply rejected the TIP initiative when it was
first brought in? NASP had pushed back
against the DVSA’s plans, but it had felt like a
fait accompli when it was introduced as it had
the backing of the Government. It was felt
that TIP would help protect the public from
poor-performing ADIs. “We will have to show
that TIP is providing a lot of bad data before
the DVSA would contemplate scrapping it,”
was the verdict.
However, NASP was getting results on TIP:
Mike Yeomans pointed out that it was
pressure from NASP that had forced the
DVSA to adjust the parameters under which
ADIs were classed as a cause for concern.
16 NEWSLINK n DECEMBER 2023