Our Instructors
1st 4 Driving Instruction presently has 5 highly qualified trainers offering a mix of driving instructor training, learner driver training, advanced driver training and the Big Red Fleet company offering commercial driver training nationwide.
Graham Hooper, the proprietor, based in Ashford in Kent is currently one of the highest qualified instructors in the country. Not only is he a GRADE 6 instructor, the highest grade achievable, he has qualifications in every area required to become an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI).
He is a DIA registered classroom teacher and has an Advanced Certificate in Adult Education stages 1 2 & 3 (Cert Ed) this also proves useful for the part 3 examination. He also holds the DIA Diploma in driving instruction which allows him to use the initials ADI Dip DI after his name.
As your tutor for part 2 his qualifications are many, including the Cardington Special Driving Test for ADI’S which he has passed with no faults which is an exceptional achievement, this test is an Advanced driving test only available to ADI’S.
He is also a Diamond Advanced Instructor which is an advanced driving test that has many similarities with the part 2 test of driving ability.
He also has qualifications in advanced driving, these are the BTEC Diploma in advanced driving instruction and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents diploma in advanced driving techniques.
For the part 3 test his knowledge and experience within the driver training industry will be passed on to you and his own ability in the core competencies allows him to role play the examiners part in this test.
Other qualifications:
ADI trainer course qualifications
Emergency first aid certificate
Pass Plus registered
Fleet registered
ORDIT registered
Bob Miller has joined us to help Learner drivers in Ashford succesfully pass their driving test and with his tact, charm and intelligence is proving to be a useful addition to our team.
Simon French, another excellent instrcutor where his professionalism has already reaped rewards with our customers.
As part of our growth we have established a sponsorship with Great Chart F.C. under 18's in an effort to put some thing back in to our community and to further our ethos of promoting safe driving to young people.
Tony Byiast has been an Instructor Trainer for many years; he has a reputation for getting PDI’s through their qualifying exams and also offers residential courses he is based in the county of Essex. He passed the DIAmond Advanced driving test with a clean sheet (Zero minor faults).He passed the DIAmond Special Advanced driving test in November 2003 with only 1 minor fault.He passed the Diploma in Driving Instruction in 2005 (all 5 modules) at his first attempt. He qualified in 2005 and was entered onto the Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers (ORDIT) Approved by the DSA. He attended a Training Trainers course in July 2005, delivered by John Farlam of SmartDriving his Instructor Training is based on the John Farlam system of teaching. He passed the DSA Cardington Special Test, Grade AI has taken and sucessfully passed the Hazard Perception Test set by the DSA for all ADI's. He is secretary of the Driving Instructors Club Essex (D.I.C.E.) and served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers for 23 years, held the rank of WO1 (ASM).NVQ Level 5 in Buisiness Management.
Keith Wilton is also an experienced Instructor Trainer who in the past has worked for Lets Drive. He is based on the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire borders just off the A1 Motorway he is an NDIS in car and classroom Instructor for Hertfordshire and Essex and also works on behalf of ROSPA giving instruction in driving techniques and attitude to various companies, both classroom and in car.
Keith's Qualifications:
Grade 5
Fleet Registered
BTEC Diploma holder (ROSPA)
Driving Instructor Trainer
ROSPA Examiner
DSA Motorcycle Instructor (CBT)
HGV class one
Police Advanced Class One (cars and motorcycles)
Police Evasive Driving Course
Police Tactical pursuit and containment course
Police Driving Instructor (cars and motorcycles)
Police Traffic Officer (1977-2001)
Authorised skid pan instructor
Emergency first aid certificate
Territorial Army RCT (Tank Transporters)