Ellison's School of Motoring

Ellison's School of Motoring: DVSA-approved tuition in Somerset and Devon

Ellison's School of Motoring is a driving school that operates across Somerset and Devon, with a catalogue of courses that covers manual and automatic car lessons, training for prospective driving instructors and commercial vehicle instruction. The school states that its team is made up of DVSA Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) and that lessons are adapted to the needs of each pupil.

The website presents the school as a professional and trusted provider focused on producing safe, confident and responsible drivers through structured training. It also refers to an excellent pass rate and to more than twenty years of experience, and it reports that 237 pupils passed in 2026.

Lesson types and course catalogue

The course list is organised around four main lines of work:

• Manual driving lessons, with specific course pages for Taunton and Weston.
• Automatic driving lessons, also with course pages for Taunton and Weston.
• Driving instructor training, aimed at people who want to become ADIs.
• Commercial vehicle training, which the school presents through a separate commercial training website.

The catalogue also includes a defensive driving course, described as a set of techniques intended to reduce accident risk and improve overall safety. The automatic lesson in Weston appears with a price of £82 at the time of writing this profile.

How lessons are structured

According to the school, each lesson is tailored to the individual pupil so that progress is steady and confidence behind the wheel builds gradually. For complete beginners, the first lesson does not require prior experience: the instructor starts in a quiet area to help the pupil overcome nerves and grasp the basics. Pupils must bring their provisional driving licence to the first lesson, and those who need glasses to read number plates or drive are asked to bring them as well.

The cancellation policy requires 48 hours' notice for all lessons. The school asks pupils who need to cancel to call as soon as possible so that the slot can be offered to someone else.

Instructors and team

The website lists a large team of instructors and staff, including Paul Ellison, Lisa Ellison, Bradley Ellison, Ruby Cooling, Kate Yarde, Elaine Lomas, Dan Limond, Stan Sealy, Jason Bowden, Adrian Vokins, Jay Pepper, Paul Hughes, Tom Lomas, John Ashfield, Wayne Byrne, Ellie Powell, Debbie Drake, Andy Spencer, Steve Patterson, Gary Rositer, Sam Fryer and Claudia Silva. Customer comments published on the site mention instructors by name, including Katy, Claudia and Paul, and describe them as patient, clear and supportive.

Enrolment process and supporting resources

The school outlines a four-step process for getting a licence: sending an enquiry form with details, arranging lesson times that match availability, booking the lessons and starting the training. Beyond the lessons themselves, the site brings together links to book the theory test and the practical test, to apply for a first provisional licence, and reference material on traffic signs and the 'show me, tell me' questions used in the practical test.

The site also has sections for areas covered, a gallery of driving practice, reviews and a form for submitting a review, as well as pages on ADI training, the ADI code of conduct, franchise opportunities and standard check training.

Reputation as presented by the school

Ellison's School of Motoring describes itself as the number one driving school in Somerset and highlights an excellent first-time pass rate, one-to-one training and recommendations from thousands of customers. These claims come from the school's own presentation. The site also states that it has been operating for more than twenty years and that 237 pupils passed in 2026.