Driving Lessons For Gillingham School 6th Formers During Free Periods.

Thank you for everyone's support in this. The school have changed now changed their policy to allow students to have educational driving lessons during the free periods in their school timetable. I am grateful to the school for their willingness to work with students and ADI's in this regard and am consequently now closing the petition.

I am an ADI and willl offer my full support in this matter.

Thank you for your support in the recent situation at Gillingham school regarding students not being able to have lessons during free periods. The petition served very well in raising awareness of the situation and allowing people to express their views on it. Consequently a dialogue was started with the school after myself and a few other local instructors collectively wrote to the headmaster and governors a week ago. Since then there has been a lot of negotiation culminated in me being invited to meet with one of the deputy heads on Thursday and through negotiations a compromise was agreed upon that we feel benefits all parties especially students. The agreement has also since been put in writing to me. The school have asked that we do not discuss these changes with pupils before it is officially told to school pupils/parents from the school itself. This is likely to happen towards the end of this week. We are very grateful to the school for their help and compromise in this matter which will enable learners to have lessons during some of the most productive times of the day. Thanks again for your recent support in this. In consequence of the above this petition will be closed once the agreed policy has been put in place by the school and pupils/parents have been informed.

I believe that good driving lessons help to raise self awareness in young drivers and teach them to take more responsibility for themselves and the way they behave on the road and generally. More and more driving instructors are developing their coaching skills which benefits young learners' attitude.

It's about time colleges started treating young adult s as that and not old children, many in my area have to go in at 08.45 just to 'register' then have 2 or 3 free periods to fill, whilst they can still have lessons, this means more commuting/travelling for both of us, when a conveniently timed lesson would suit all.

By way of an update regarding this situation. Myself and 3 other local instructors wrote to the headmaster and board of governors relating to this situation. The school then met and discussed the situation on Monday evening and consequently wrote to me yesterday (Tuesday) evening. They have asked me to update this petition with their proposal as follows. "Currently, Year 13 students are entitled to ‘earnt’ home study and that allows them to study from home once a week. Usually this is an afternoon and students are allowed to have driving lessons during this time because they are not missing any timetabled lessons. However, as a result of recent discussions, we will now allow Year 12 students to have one driving lesson during the school day each week providing: · They have a free period before break time and are back in plenty of time for period 3 (10:10 – 11:20) · They have a free before lunch and this allows the driving lesson to run into lunch and thus they are not late back for afternoon lessons (12:10 – 14:00) · They can also be involved in a driving lesson that starts towards the beginning of their lunch break providing they are free period 5 (13:00 – 14:45) · They are free period 6 and, in this case, we will allow them to miss one afternoon registration per week for a driving lesson (2:45pm onwards) We will be monitoring this over the next few months and hopefully this compromise will work for all parties. Driving lessons in previous years have resulted in students being late for lessons, and even missing lessons, and we would all want to avoid this from happening in the present." In response to this and having had feedback from one of the other instructors I have today responded to the schools email thanking them for looking into this but also explaining that in the case of the year 12 students the schools proposal is not going to actually achieve very much at all. This is due to the distance of Gillingh

Being a student it worked really well as the roads were quieter so was less stressful and learning to drive is educational.

Need to drive to get to work

Naomi

Brilliant

College students are allowed to take them on free periods, what's the difference. Another excuse for students not to say on at school.

Free periods were the ONLY time I could get to drive. Driving is a right of passage and sense of independence for a generation and to remove this would be cruel and Injust privelidge to take away to a generation.

so much to be gained in being able to drive, leading a full independent life style makes more awareness of others needs.

They should be allowed to learn a new skill, during School time

8 years ago Featured

Most important life skill. Essential to let young people learn during daylight when roads are quiet and instructors avalable

8 years ago Featured

My daughter was a pupil at Gillingham and was-at the time - allowed to use her free periods for driving lessons. She's now an independent young lady- driving herself wherever she wishes to go.

I learnt in my free periods at school so I don't see why students today cannot. It is a skill that gives students options in their careers and one which is easier to learn when you are young.

It’s been a tradition forever and helps students get ready to progress further and open more opportunities, especially in a rural area! School needs to get real!

I believe a driving licence living in north Dorset is essential and probably one of the most important things required when looking for work.

This is rediculous, they should be allowed to use free periods for driving lessons as this will enable them to not only get themselves to school but also be able to get a job when they leave school.