Elephant Driving School

Fantastic experience: Elephant Driving school gave me the skills and confidence to pass my full UK manual test after I thought id never be able to drive! It turns out that I was a decent driver the whole time. I needed an understanding and patient instructor who simply just got what was going on with me and was willing to help change my life! So thank you Richard at elephant driving school for helping me pass, life gets better after this and I will forever be thankful. 5/5 Stars

Fantastic experience: I had a super lovely experience with Richard and Millie! They’re understanding me than my own self. Leaning with him help me a lot to become a good driver. I remember, even though I made mistakes ( quite a big one ) he still remained himself calm and never raised his voice at me and always reminding which part I need to improve. Richard and Millie are not just my driving instructor they are also my personal therapy It has been really great journey with them and Thank you so much to help me pass my practical exam!!

Fantastic experience: I can’t think Richard enough for helping me become a confident driver. After years of learning how to drive on and off and multiple instructors, I started my lessons with Richard in October 2023. Richard has a very calm demeanour and gentle approach which put me at ease. I finally passed my driving test on my 2nd attempt in October 2024. I can’t recommend him enough!!

Fantastic experience: i really recommend richard as a driving instructor, he helped my mum and sister pass as well and they’ve all had amazing experiences just like me! richard is really calm, understanding and knows how to teach i couldn’t recommend him anymore

Fantastic experience: I had an incredible experience learning to drive with Richard! From day one, he was patient, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable. His clear instructions and calm demeanor made me feel at ease behind the wheel, even when I was a bit nervous. Richard's teaching methods are top-notch, focusing on safety and confidence-building. He tailored each lesson to my specific needs and progress, ensuring that I was fully prepared for my driving test. Thanks to Richard, I passed my test on the first try! I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a fantastic driving instructor. Five stars all the way!

Fantastic experience: I have autism and I think learning to drive could have been a very stressful and difficult experience if it wasn't for how patient and supportive Richard was with teaching me to drive. I never felt pressured by him and he understood when I was having a difficult day to take things a bit easier. However he wasn't afraid to challenge me when he knew I could handle it, which I think really helped grow my confidence with driving. He explained things very clearly and gave ways to visualise concepts to help me understand them. On my test day he explained very clearly and thoroughly what would happen which helped reduce the stress of the unknown. When my test was cancelled (for reasons out of our hands) he was very helpful with organising a new one and helping to claim back money for the test. He is very knowledgeable about both the rules of the road, and how driving tests work, which made me feel I was in safe hands. With teaching he gave options on how to do things, so if one way wasn't working I could try something else to see if it worked better, and he very much let me lead with what I wanted to do in a lesson. Of course Millie was a wonderful addition to have in the car who really helped keep me calm and could tell when I was having a bad day and would stick her head through to check on me before we started. She also knew when it was time to settle down though and besides from an occasional grumble from the backseat, she did not disrupt the lessons at all. Overall, Richard is a very experienced and effective teacher, who made what could have been a difficult experience, much easier and enjoyable.

Fantastic experience: Richard (and Millie!) have been amazing instructors and support throughout my 9 month driving journey. I struggled a lot with anxiety and nerves and made that clear from day one, which is also why I chose Richard in the first place, having seen that he specialises in those who may need that extra bit of support. We started my journey of learning to drive together in July 2023, I was terrified to be in charge of this big metal box that could cause some serious injury and worse, as I had built it up in my head for so many years and my anxiety was at an all time high. At the age of 34, Richard welcomed me and took each lesson at a time, didn't rush me but gave gentle encouragement when he saw that it was my own head causing me to hold back and not my actual skills, he saw what I could do and not what I had convinced myself I couldn't do. I've had full blown meltdowns of crying and swearing and everything in between in the last 9 months and Richard has been with me every step of the way, pushing me when I needed it and letting me take breaks or repeat things when I needed that. I can now say that I have passed on my 3rd driving test, nerves having gotten the best of me with silly little mistakes in the first 2, and I still can't believe it! But let me tell you who does believe it, Richard! He knew I could do it even when I was doubting myself, he wouldn't let me give up but he never pushed me too far out of my comfort zone, and now I am looking forward to finding my own metal box of SAFETY! Because thanks to Richard, that is how far he's taken me, from being terrified to now feeling safe, confident and absolutely in control, I am loving driving, the freedom, the control, all of it, I couldn't have done it without him and I never thought I'd get to this point! 35 years old and I have my licence and I actually enjoy getting in the car for a drive, I never ever thought I'd see this day! Thank you Richard for your endless patience, encouragement and support, you are the absolute best! And thank you Millie for all the cuddles and kisses and making me feel better when my anxiety was getting a bit much, and for letting me learn to drive with a beautiful doggy in the car, my dog will be very happy to know you've helped me keep her safety in mind as we soon set off on our own journeys together❤️ If you need an instructor who will have your best interests at heart, who will encourage you and push you when you need it, and give you space and deep breathing exercises when it all gets a bit too much, look no further and Richard is your guy! Thank you a million times over!!

Fantastic experience: Richard is an amazing instructor, he explains things clearly and methodically and helps you work through mistakes when you make them instead of getting annoyed. He's quite happy to push you out of your comfort zone, but only if he knows you can do it, and he made it clear the whole time that if it was too much we could do something else. And what's more, he made lessons fun, which wasn't something I expected since I was so scared of driving. He made me feel as comfortable as he could, he was very patient and reassuring. Thanks Richard, would definitely recommend!

Fantastic experience: Richard has recently helped me pass my driving test third time. Always patient and explains things calmly and clearly. Just what you need if you're an anxious driver.

Fantastic experience: Richard the human and Millie the dog are everything you could want in a driving instructor. Super calm and patient, ready to adjust and adapt to what will help you most at any point in a lesson. Completely open about his methods and lesson plans, full of ideas to make learning just a little easier. Rich is especially capable at supporting neurodiverse students and those nervous or anxious about driving, but would also suit someone looking for a reassuring instructor who feels safe to be around.

Fantastic experience: Richard is a brilliant driving instructor - very patient and understanding, with a calm and cheerful approach to learning. He is very good at fine-tuning the lessons to work on the areas that you are struggling with most and takes into account your level of anxiety on the day, making sure to adapt things to help you keep calm and confident. I would definitely recommend him for someone who is perhaps feeling nervous about learning drive and wants to take a calm, patient approach. Thanks again Richard

Fantastic experience: Recently passed my test and just want to say a massive thank you to Richard. He was patient and his methodical way of teaching meant that when I didn't drive for a while what he'd taught me was all still there when I came back to it. Would highly recommend.