Instructor Support Update – 5^th June

Return to work planning
Based upon the easing of lockdown guidance from the Government, we are targeting 6^th July as the provisional date that all driving lessons will resume. This may change, but all our efforts are now planning for our Instructors to safely recommence teaching from that point.

Over the coming weeks we will be contacting you to assist with this recommencement including, but not limited to, understanding your personal availability, pupil requirements, offering the latest in-car hygiene/PPE advice and outlining our franchise fee payment schedule.

Securing new pupils with the increase lesson demand
Over the course of the last two weeks, we have seen a significant increase in the number of enquiries for driving lessons from non-key workers.

We feel it is essential that we get a commitment from these pupils, rather than potentially allowing them to consider other local alternatives. Therefore, from next Monday (8^th June) we will introduce a £10 Driving Lesson Queue Jump Scheme.

The £10 payment will act as a voucher and will be redeemed against lessons in due course.

This payment will be collected by our Pupil Booking Team over the phone and online and will allow the learner to be allocated an instructor ahead of other students for when lessons resume and the funds will go directly to the Instructor.

Our website will be updated over the weekend to reflect this scheme including the Terms and Conditions (we will update the Instructor Support Page with a link to the page). If you have any questions on this, please contact your Relationship Manager.

Key workers and current lesson eligibility
Over the last week we have received a few enquiries from our Instructors concerned that there are other driving schools or instructors not abiding by the Government and DVSA advice by currently teaching non-key workers.

The DVSA’s stance is that Driving Instructors should only be teaching key workers at this time with an essential driving test booked; this has been in place since 23^rd March and has not changed.

Please continue to highlight the DVSA’s position on driving lessons within your communications to your pupils (potentially including the above Tweet from the DVSA further to their website updates). We will also be updating our website to reflect this, and we will provide links in due course.

Those resuming driving lessons now, run the risk of being stopped by the Police and facing financial penalties. We are aware of instances where both instructors and pupils from other driving schools have been penalised for this.

We are grateful for the outstanding commitment shown by all Bill Plant Driving School instructors who have respected the lockdown guidelines throughout this unprecedented situation.

Instructors required for Marketing Activity
As part of our Marketing Plans for June and July, we would like to create an emotionally engaging Video Advert including as many of our Instructors as possible.

If you would like to participate please complete this brief web survey that will be sent to our Marketing Team, who will be in touch with the next steps.

Web Survey Link – https://forms.gle/L9JsVRtD2iiZk4q47

Self-Employed Support Scheme
The team at Bill Plant Driving School have made every effort to communicate the various income support schemes in place by the Government in addition to further financial information. On Friday 29th May, the Government extended the self-employed support scheme until August. The information for this can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

Instructor Support
As ever, we are here for you, please contact your Relationship Manager in the Instructor Support Team on 01765 643374 should you need any assistance.

We continue to do all we can to support our Instructors, Trainers, Trainees, Staff and Pupils.

Kind regards

Tom Hixon
Head of Instructor Support