6th form - mandatory attendance vs driving lessons

Spendless

Poquito said:

As you knew he was going to Uni, was there no option to continue lessons in the area where his uni was. It seems strange to travel that distance weekly for driving lessons.

An intensive course is not ‘expensive’ if you plan and set aside the money from now. 

No guarantees when anyone will pass their test, and yes no guarantees around timetable either in yr13 which is why they should ideally work around it.

He took his theory at the end of August and passed first time. I am still of the belief that the DI should have entered him for his theory  earlier, especially since he knew that DS was moving away to Uni , which he did 3 weeks after passing theory. To me it made more sense for him to commute and stick with the driving instructor, car and roads he knew than start again in a new area. He then passed first time mid November, around 8 weeks after he'd moved out. I still think travelling home  for lessons for 8 weeks was a quicker option for him to pass than started with lessons in his Uni town.  Had he not passed practical first time  , or failed his theory, we would have had to re-assess whether commuting to continue lessons here was the correct thing to do. Yes, it was a gamble, but fortunately it paid off.  That's why I think the OP's daughter needs to take her lessons and test whilst she'd still at sixth form before she moves away or starts working f-time, it just makes things easier. 

  

Poquito

Spendless said:

Poquito said:

As you knew he was going to Uni, was there no option to continue lessons in the area where his uni was. It seems strange to travel that distance weekly for driving lessons.

An intensive course is not ‘expensive’ if you plan and set aside the money from now. 

No guarantees when anyone will pass their test, and yes no guarantees around timetable either in yr13 which is why they should ideally work around it.

He took his theory at the end of August and passed first time. I am still of the belief that the DI should have entered him for his theory  earlier, especially since he knew that DS was moving away to Uni , which he did 3 weeks after passing theory. To me it made more sense for him to commute and stick with the driving instructor, car and roads he knew than start again in a new area. He then passed first time mid November, around 8 weeks after he'd moved out. I still think travelling home  for lessons for 8 weeks was a quicker option for him to pass than started with lessons in his Uni town.  Had he not passed practical first time  , or failed his theory, we would have had to re-assess whether commuting to continue lessons here was the correct thing to do. Yes, it was a gamble, but fortunately it paid off.  That's why I think the OP's daughter needs to take her lessons and test whilst she'd still at sixth form before she moves away or starts working f-time, it just makes things easier. 

  

Well done to your son for passing so quickly.
OP’s daughter is not on a time constraint. I’m assuming she still has another 18months before Uni/ working f/t…

you are right it does make things easier to do get this done before they go… but to consider going against the school rules to do this seems a bizarre choice for OP, when you have other options available as many have illustrated in previous posts.

would you encourage your DS at Uni to miss weekly lectures to attend driving lessons…as everyone knows 1st year doesn’t really count….right! 😉

Spendless

Poquito said:

Spendless said:

Poquito said:

As you knew he was going to Uni, was there no option to continue lessons in the area where his uni was. It seems strange to travel that distance weekly for driving lessons.

An intensive course is not ‘expensive’ if you plan and set aside the money from now. 

No guarantees when anyone will pass their test, and yes no guarantees around timetable either in yr13 which is why they should ideally work around it.

He took his theory at the end of August and passed first time. I am still of the belief that the DI should have entered him for his theory  earlier, especially since he knew that DS was moving away to Uni , which he did 3 weeks after passing theory. To me it made more sense for him to commute and stick with the driving instructor, car and roads he knew than start again in a new area. He then passed first time mid November, around 8 weeks after he'd moved out. I still think travelling home  for lessons for 8 weeks was a quicker option for him to pass than started with lessons in his Uni town.  Had he not passed practical first time  , or failed his theory, we would have had to re-assess whether commuting to continue lessons here was the correct thing to do. Yes, it was a gamble, but fortunately it paid off.  That's why I think the OP's daughter needs to take her lessons and test whilst she'd still at sixth form before she moves away or starts working f-time, it just makes things easier. 

  

Well done to your son for passing so quickly.
OP’s daughter is not on a time constraint. I’m assuming she still has another 18months before Uni/ working f/t…

you are right it does make things easier to do get this done before they go… but to consider going against the school rules to do this seems a bizarre choice for OP, when you have other options available as many have illustrated in previous posts.

would you encourage your DS at Uni to miss weekly lectures to attend driving lessons…as everyone knows 1st year doesn’t really count….right! 😉

The thing is though the OP's does have self imposed by the school time constraints alongside the availability of driving lessons in her area. She's got school hols this year and possibly next when she'll be busier with exams, or leave till next summer, assuming she is going to Uni and not job hunting and can pass on an intensive course . Also she's not actually missing school  lessons for the time she could learn to drive in she's missing registration. I'm not one for whatever rule a school imposes  should never be questioned, I've got a younger child ill with her MH over this (PTSD from going to school - yes it still beggars belief to me) because she was at  an institution who cared more that their pupils had dark coloured school bags, then dealt with the bullying going on which we weren't made aware of. 

If DS course had been more 'full-on' as some are, then it wouldn't have been an option for him to return for lessons. We have that situation with DD (not that she's currently interested in learning), she's at a drama school where the hours are 9-6 Mon-Friday.    

Poquito

This went a bit round the houses tbf.
I got a tad confused by your ‘self imposed by the school time constraints’ as I’ve never heard of ‘rules’ described in this way.

Are you referring to the timetable being full on or the intensity of the course?

so if your DD’s timetable is like this when she’s 17 and wants to drive … would you genuinely be complaining to the school??

Personally I think the numerous options for the OP have been covered and the ‘alternatives’ have been eye opening to say the least. 

Have a good one.

Spendless

Poquito said:

This went a bit round the houses tbf.
I got a tad confused by your ‘self imposed by the school time constraints’ as I’ve never heard of ‘rules’ described in this way.

Are you referring to the timetable being full on or the intensity of the course?

so if your DD’s timetable is like this when she’s 17 and wants to drive … would you genuinely be complaining to the school??

Personally I think the numerous options for the OP have been covered and the ‘alternatives’ have been eye opening to say the least. 

Have a good one.

I was answering your bit about the OP's daughter is not on a time constraint. I disagree she is, due to the school wanting her to come in for registration despite no lessons until 10am meaning she can't take the available 8-10am slot.

My daughter is almost 20. She turned 17 a week after lockdown1, so had she been interested in learning to drive, she wouldn't have been able to, because there wouldn't have been enough time before she moved to another part of the UK at 18.5.  If the pandemic hadn't happened and she'd wanted driving lessons, then that would have been easier as she attended an FE college, so didn't attend 5 days a week.

 If I'd been in the same situation as the OP I'd have emailed again putting the issue to them and see what if anything they come up with (which I've previoulsy posted on here) .

Thank you, you too. 

sheramber

If all the driving instructors only work weekdays and finish at 4pm how do those who work M toF 8am  to 5 pm learn to drive. 

Not everybody can take time off during the week ( teachers e'g;) so would be restricted to holidays 

Spendless

sheramber said:

If all the driving instructors only work weekdays and finish at 4pm how do those who work M toF 8am  to 5 pm learn to drive. 

Not everybody can take time off during the week ( teachers e'g;) so would be restricted to holidays 

I should imagine they're currently reduced to having to do an intensive course or travel elsewhere on a weekend (lift, public transport). That's why I said that the OP's daughter needs to be having passed by the end of A levels, in case she itnends working f-time after that.

Currently there's a back-log of people wanting to learn, so demand outstrips supply, so the  DI in OP#s area are able to pick and choose hours  

theoretica

Spendless said:

sheramber said:

If all the driving instructors only work weekdays and finish at 4pm how do those who work M toF 8am  to 5 pm learn to drive. 

Not everybody can take time off during the week ( teachers e'g;) so would be restricted to holidays 

I should imagine they're currently reduced to having to do an intensive course or travel elsewhere on a weekend (lift, public transport). That's why I said that the OP's daughter needs to be having passed by the end of A levels, in case she itnends working f-time after that.

Currently there's a back-log of people wanting to learn, so demand outstrips supply, so the  DI in OP#s area are able to pick and choose hours  

Or, as many people do, learn from someone who is not an 'instructor' but family or friends.

goater78

sheramber said:

If all the driving instructors only work weekdays and finish at 4pm how do those who work M toF 8am  to 5 pm learn to drive. 

Not everybody can take time off during the week ( teachers e'g;) so would be restricted to holidays 

Driving instructors will clearly work after 4pm in the local area. Be ridiculous if nobody did

sheramber

Spendless said:

sheramber said:

If all the driving instructors only work weekdays and finish at 4pm how do those who work M toF 8am  to 5 pm learn to drive. 

Not everybody can take time off during the week ( teachers e'g;) so would be restricted to holidays 

I should imagine they're currently reduced to having to do an intensive course or travel elsewhere on a weekend (lift, public transport). 

just as the OP's daughter can do