What the examiner is looking for

The National Standard and SC1 form covers what is marked. This covers how — the guidance DVSA gives its own examiners about what to watch for and how to score it. It is published, it is the most useful preparation document there is, and most trainees never read it. (Content drawn from DVSA examiner guidance, Crown copyright, reproduced under the Open Government Licence — both source pages are linked above.)

What each score means

Every one of the 17 competencies is scored 0 to 3, and the guidance defines them plainly:

The useful takeaway is that 2 is a pass-level mark, not a good one. A grade B is a car full of 2s. Grade A comes from turning 2s into 3s, and the difference is almost always about whether the pupil did the thinking.

The three automatic fails

Your total is irrelevant if any of these happen:

1. Scoring 7 or less in risk management (out of the 15 available across those five competencies).
2. Behaving in a way that puts the examiner, the pupil or a third party in immediate danger, such that the lesson has to be stopped.
3. Giving incorrect or insufficient information where the result could be a safety-critical situation.

That third one catches people out, and note the word insufficient. It is not enough that what you said was true — an answer that is accurate but incomplete triggers the same automatic fail if it could let a safety-critical situation develop. Coaching well does not excuse teaching partially.

If the examiner judges that risk is not being managed and situations are being allowed to develop, they may terminate the test in the interest of public safety. They will have the pupil pull over, then tell you out of the pupil's earshot.

Scores have to be consistent

The guidance explicitly warns examiners against marking that does not hang together. Its own example: you cannot score 0 for "did the trainer identify the pupil's learning goals and needs?" and then 2 or 3 for "was the agreed lesson structure appropriate?" — because if no meaningful attempt was made to identify the goals, no lesson structure can have been agreed or appropriate.

This matters more than it looks. It means the early competencies carry the later ones. A weak opening conversation does not cost you one mark; it caps several. Getting the goal-setting right at the start of the lesson is the highest-leverage thing you can do.

Lesson planning

1. Did you identify the pupil's learning goals and needs?

Earns marks: encouraging the pupil to say what they want; asking questions to confirm understanding; checking understanding as the lesson progresses; listening to what the pupil says; taking note of body language; providing support if their needs change.

Loses marks: making assumptions about understanding or experience; failing to notice negative or concerned comments, or body language showing discomfort; not adapting when the pupil's needs change; undermining confidence by continually asking questions clearly beyond their knowledge; pushing the pupil to address issues they are not happy to talk about, unless there is a clear need such as an identified risk or a safety-critical issue.

That last one is worth reading twice. Questioning is the technique this whole test rewards — but questioning a pupil about things they could not possibly know is marked as lack of competence.

2. Was the agreed lesson structure appropriate for their experience and ability?

Earns marks: making sure the pupil understands what you both plan to do; a lesson that reflects what the pupil told you and the goals they set; building in opportunities to check the claims the pupil made; linking theory with practice.

Loses marks: delivering a pre-planned, standard lesson that ignores what the pupil said they needed; failing to balance practice and theory; overwhelming the pupil without providing the support they need.

3. Were the practice areas suitable?

Earns marks: choosing areas that give a range of opportunities to address the agreed objectives; areas that let the pupil consolidate the theory; areas that offer challenge but stay realistic for the pupil's capability and confidence.

Loses marks: taking the pupil outside their competence zone; exposing them to risks they cannot manage.

4. Was the lesson plan adapted when appropriate?

Earns marks: comparing the pupil's actual performance against what they claimed; responding to faults or risks that undermine the original plan; responding to concerns the pupil raises; picking up non-verbal signs of discomfort or confusion.

Loses marks: persisting with a plan when the pupil is clearly out of their depth; not providing support despite having identified a risk; persisting despite demonstrated faults; changing the plan without reason; failing to explain to the pupil why the plan changed.

Adapting silently scores no better than not adapting. Say it out loud — see adapting the lesson.

Risk management

5. Did you make sure the pupil understood how responsibility for risk would be shared?

Earns marks: asking the pupil what they mean by risk; asking what sorts of issues create risk; explaining clearly what is expected of them; checking they understand.

Loses marks: failing to address risk management at all; giving incorrect guidance about where responsibility lies; failing to explain how the dual controls could be used; undermining the pupil's commitment to being safe.

6. Were directions and instructions clear and given in good time?

Earns marks: clear, concise, timely instructions; making sure the pupil understands and agrees what they are about to do; timing directions so the pupil can actually respond.

Loses marks: confused or late directions; unnecessary directions; failing to recognise when your own input is causing overload or confusion.

7. Were you aware of the surroundings and the pupil's actions?

The guidance singles this one out: it "lies at the heart of the ADI's professional skill", and any serious lapse here is likely to score 0. It does not give the two-column evidence lists the others get, but it does name what you must be able to do:

• take in the outside world and its ever-changing circumstances, and react accordingly;
• observe the pupil's actions, including their comments and body language;
• judge when to intervene and when to leave the pupil to it;
• and respond in a way that supports the pupil's learning, not just the immediate safety of the moment.

That last one is the reason this is a teaching competency and not merely an observation one: noticing is necessary but not sufficient.

8. Was any verbal or physical intervention timely and appropriate?

Earns marks: intervening in a way that actively supports learning; allowing the pupil to deal with situations independently where they can; taking timely control when the pupil is clearly out of their depth.

Loses marks: late identification of risk; ignoring a developing situation and leaving the pupil to flounder; taking control of something the pupil was handling fine; constantly intervening unnecessarily — over-instruction; intervening in a way that creates a distraction; undermining confidence; reinforcing yourself as the person in sole control of the lesson.

That last one is the intervention-side twin of the competency 11 item below ("leaving the pupil feeling that you were in control of the teaching process"), and between them they are among the most commonly cited reasons for a low risk-management score.

Both directions are marked. Intervening too much and too little are separate failures — see intervention and ask, don't tell.

9. Was enough feedback given about safety-critical incidents?

Earns marks: timely, meaningful feedback; finding a safe place to stop and reflect on the incident; allowing the pupil time to express fears or concerns; supporting them to reflect on what happened and why; adding input to clarify. Then the forward-looking half, which is easy to skip once the immediate conversation feels finished: checking what the pupil has actually learnt, supporting them to identify coping strategies for future situations, checking they feel able to put that strategy in place, and agreeing how to develop it through practice.

Loses marks: feedback too long after the incident; not giving the pupil the opportunity to reflect; taking too long to address what the incident raised; not letting the pupil explore their own understanding; telling the pupil the solution without checking understanding.

This is precisely what FISH is built for.

Teaching and learning strategies

10. Was the teaching style suited to the pupil's learning style and ability?

Earns marks: using the most appropriate technique for this pupil; actively working out how best to support their learning; modifying your style when you realise you need to; accurate, technically correct demonstration and information; practical examples; linking theory to practice; helping the pupil take ownership; responding to faults in a timely way; giving enough uninterrupted time to practise new skills; praise and encouragement when warranted.

Loses marks: a style clearly at odds with how the pupil learns; not instructing when they obviously need help; never checking whether your approach is working for them; failing to explore another way of addressing a learning point; concentrating on delivering teaching tools rather than looking for learning outcomes; ignoring safety issues.

11. Was the pupil encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility?

Earns marks: providing time, in a suitable location, to explore problems; timely opportunities for analysis — promptly where risk was involved; using suitable techniques to understand the problem; suggesting strategies that build the pupil's understanding; filling genuine knowledge gaps with clear information; leaving the pupil feeling they had responsibility for their own learning.

Loses marks: not allowing the pupil to reflect or address the risk; leaving the pupil feeling that you were in control of the teaching process; failing to explore alternative approaches; providing unsuitable or incorrect input.

12. Were opportunities and examples used to clarify learning outcomes?

Earns marks: using examples that arise during the lesson, at a suitable moment; varying how you use examples to suit different learning preferences; choosing examples within the pupil's experience; recognising that some pupils answer instantly and others need to think.

Loses marks: not taking advantage of examples other road users hand you; using examples the pupil lacks the experience to understand; over-complex examples; not giving thinking time; imposing your interpretation.

13. Was the technical information comprehensive, appropriate and accurate?

Earns marks: clear, timely, technically accurate demonstrations and explanations; checking understanding and repeating if needed; finding a different way to explain if the pupil still does not follow.

Loses marks: inaccurate or unclear information, or information given too early or too late; incorrect or unnecessary demonstrations; failing to check understanding; failing to explore another way of presenting it.

Remember the automatic fail attached to this one: technically incorrect information that could produce a safety-critical situation ends the test.

14. Was the pupil given appropriate and timely feedback during the session?

Earns marks: timely feedback in response to risks or the pupil's questions; seeking opportunities to reinforce understanding; feedback about missed objectives that helps the pupil understand why; feedback pitched so they can understand it; consistent feedback reinforced by your body language.

Loses marks: feedback a long time after an incident; feedback that overlooks a safety-critical incident; continuous feedback that distracts the pupil; not checking they understood it; feedback irrelevant to their objectives; refusing to hear reasonable feedback about your own performance.

15. Were the pupil's queries followed up and answered?

Earns marks: creating an environment that encourages questions; regularly asking whether they have any if none come; responding openly and readily; answering with enough content, or pointing to a suitable source; actively checking when their comments or body language suggest an unasked question; encouraging them to explore possible answers themselves.

Loses marks: making no effort to encourage questions; refusing or ignoring them; inaccurate or technically incomplete answers; avoiding the question or denying responsibility for answering it.

16. Did you keep an appropriate, non-discriminatory manner throughout?

Earns marks: quality instruction that creates a good learning environment; keeping a respectful distance and avoiding unnecessary physical contact; asking the pupil how they wish to be addressed; asking a disabled driver to explain what you need to know; an appropriate position in the car; language about other road users that is not derogatory.

Loses marks: a poor lesson overall; invading personal space or unnecessary contact; touching the pupil — including offering a handshake — unless necessary for safety; using someone's first name before they have said that is fine; commenting on appearance or any personal attribute; derogatory remarks about other road users.

17. Was the pupil encouraged to reflect on their own performance?

The pupil should be encouraged to reflect at the end of the session. The guidance adds a specific warning: if you let the pupil give an inaccurate account of the lesson and accept it — especially if their reflection is entirely positive — that is not acceptable.

But there is more to this competency than catching a rosy self-assessment. The guidance expects you to:

• use client-centred techniques to surface development areas the pupil has not recognised themselves;
• contribute your own view, so the reflection balances what went well against what needs development — it is a two-way conversation, not a pupil monologue you merely witness;
• carry the development areas you identify forward into future learning;
• and close by setting the goal for the next lesson and getting the pupil's agreement to it.

That final step is the one most often missed. The session does not end with reflection — it ends with an agreed next goal. Reflection has to be honest to count, and prompting a pupil past a comfortable answer is part of the competency, not a failure of rapport. The SEDSS questions are a gentle way of doing it.

How to use this before your test

Read the two source pages in full — they are free and they are the marking scheme. Then do one thing with them: after each of your training lessons, score yourself 0 to 3 on all 17, and write one line of evidence for each score. You will find the same three or four competencies sitting at 1 every time, and those are your test.

The five common failure patterns map almost exactly onto the "loses marks" lists above, which is a good sign you are reading the right document.