Apex Driving School

Apex Driving School: manual and automatic lessons in South London

Apex Driving School is a driving school that has been teaching people to drive in Croydon since 1992. Its instructors are described as DVSA-approved, and the school presents itself as suitable for learners of all ages, from complete beginners to students close to test readiness. Lessons are offered in both manual and automatic cars, and the school states that it covers Croydon, Sutton, Morden and most other parts of South London.

Lesson formats and pricing

The school structures its offer around single hours and block bookings. According to the prices shown on its site, manual lessons cost £37 per hour individually, £185 for a block of five and £360 for a block of ten. Automatic lessons carry the same rates: £37 per hour, £185 for five and £360 for ten. A practical driving test day is priced at £115 for either manual or automatic. The school also mentions block booking discounts and the availability of gift vouchers.

Vehicles and teaching approach

Lessons are given in dual-controlled cars, a feature the school highlights as a safety measure for the learner and other road users. The vehicles carry an Apex headboard and are described as having clean and tidy interiors intended to reduce distractions inside the car. The school states that its cars are regularly serviced and inspected to meet safety standards, and that a suitable vehicle is provided for every lesson, so students do not need to use their own car.

Beyond the driving itself, instructors provide appointment cards, booklets and drawings of road and traffic situations to help students understand what is being worked on. The school also notes that lessons can start from the moment the student gets into the car, with pick-up available outside a school, home, workplace or town.

From theory test to practical test

The school sets out the standard route to a licence: the student must be at least 17 years old, pass a theory test and take lessons in Croydon or the surrounding areas until both student and instructor consider them ready for the final practical test. Its website includes dedicated sections on theory tests and on the practical test, with pages for several test centres: Croydon, Morden, Mitcham, Tolworth, Redhill and West Wickham.

Services listed for learner drivers

• Manual driving lessons
• Automatic driving lessons
• Block bookings with discounts
• Gift vouchers
• Practical driving test day cover
• Lessons with female instructors, including a female automatic driving instructor
• Pick-up from school, home, workplace or town

Who the school says it teaches

Apex presents its lessons as suitable for drivers of all ages and levels, and states that it aims to build confidence regardless of how many lessons a student needs to become test-ready. It also advertises lessons with female instructors and a female automatic driving instructor, a category it addresses explicitly on its site.

Feedback cited on the site

The school reproduces several customer testimonials. One student credits instructor Claire with being friendly and patient; another mentions a price below £20 per lesson at the time of writing; a third describes switching from another school and passing within five weeks, adding a Pass Plus course; a fourth reports passing first time after a year with another school. These are individual accounts published by the school and are not presented as a general rating.

Contact and coverage

The school answers enquiries by phone and email and offers a callback request form in which the prospective student indicates whether they want manual or automatic lessons. Its site also states that it operates, 365 days a year for contact purposes. The areas named for lessons are Croydon, Sutton, Morden and most other parts of South London.