will get you on the road!
Professional manual driving lessons in Tiverton, Cullompton and surrounding areas.
Next stop, your pass!
Rated 5 stars on Google from 34 reviews, and 100% recommended on Facebook.
Perfect passes Hall of Fame!!
These awesome drivers passed with ZERO faults!! Amazing achievement!
John Hornby, your instructor
DVSA fully qualified. Fully DBS checked. Teaching since 2022.
I am passionate about helping others and finding ways to see them succeed! I still remember the buzz and happiness I got from the first pass one of my students received, and all this time later nothing has changed. Each pass feels special and I take personal pride in delivering a driving experience that ensures every learner is not only ready to pass their test, but prepared for real life driving beyond the test.
My students generally say I'm informative, friendly, reliable, easy to get on with and have a laugh with whilst learning, which is especially helpful if they are a nervous driver.
Calm and relaxed, great for nervous drivers
If you are nervous about starting to learn to drive or just want to get a feel of what lessons will be like, Your first lesson can be 1 hour, to see what lessons are like and meet John before the usual 2 hours.
Peace of mind knowing you are learning with a fully qualified instructor
John is a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor, fully DBS checked, so every lesson is with someone trained and approved to teach.
Very patient. Easy to have a good laugh with.
“I am so grateful for the confidence he instilled in me and for helping me conquer my nerves around driving.”Candice Higgins, passed on the first attempt
John is a FANTASTIC instructor, a genuine person with an incredible amount of patience. I was the first in 4 years to cause him a recovery job in his car and even then he made the extra effort to make me feel comfortable driving again and continued to support me towards my PASS! He was very understanding with my schedules and communicated everything super well!Lucy-Ella RicherJohn replied: Thanks Lucy, it’s been great, all the best.
Felt at ease from the first lesson to my first time pass. Could not recommend enoughJamie Borrowdale
Amazing driving instructor, John Hornby is very calm and reliable and all together superb teacher! He helped me learn how to drive in just under 5 months and I always felt relaxed during lessons! Couldn’t have done it without him! Would absolutely recommend 10/10!Sophia KilgourJohn replied: Thanks Sophia, in your own words, it has indeed been a blast!! Take care, see you around on those roads!
Definitely recommend for anyone needing an instructor! Very patient and easy going. I will definitely miss my driving lessons! Couldn't have passed first time without him.Bea Markunaite
Can’t recommend John enough. He’s patient, calm, and incredibly knowledgeable at what he does. Not only that, but he’s genuinely a lovely person. He always says exactly what’s needed to help you improve, giving clear, constructive feedback that builds your confidence.Isabel JJohn replied: Thankyou Isabel. It’s been a pleasure! Take care :)
Hornby’s was a great help in my journey of learning how to drive. I had to switch instructors half way through and am very glad I made the switch to Hornby’s as my progress then made leaps and bounds. Can’t recommend enoughCharlie Spear
Can honestly say I’ll miss lessons with John. The whole learning process flew by (four months!!), very considerate and understanding teaching. Can’t recommend enough and thank you!!Dominic PinnerJohn replied: Thanks Dom, it’s been great. Take care
John is extremely patient, calm and friendly instructor. He is easy to have a good laugh with which is helpful if you are nervous about driving. He is very good at identifying what you need to work on and explains things easily. Nearing my test date he was very good at squeezing me in for extra little lessons to make sure I was confident in doing it.Georgia Palmer
Brilliant instructor made me feel very welcome and led me to pass first time with 0 faults!! Very patient and I thoroughly enjoyed my lessons! Thank you!!George TaylorJohn replied: Thanks George, it was great to teach you. Take care
Thanks to John’s excellent teaching I passed first time. A knowledgable and kind instructor. If you’re looking for a talented driving Instructor, Hornby’s your man!Ryan Mills
Getting taught by John was fantastic; he’s patient, understanding and also knows how to have a good laugh which is such a good trait to have as an instructor! His teaching was specific and very effective to learn how to drive safely and well on the roads.Noah Panton
Really great instructor, gave me the skills to pass 1st time and filled me with confidence the whole time. Loved every minuteMike Jones
Great instructor and was always very understanding and informative while driving, helped with any questions I had and was always flexible with lesson times to work around my scheduleCharlie Roberts
My experience of learning how to drive was utterly excellent right from the start. John is extremely patient and very easy to get on with and helped me to pass first try! Highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn how to driveGeorge Mitchell Panton
Hornby’s taught me from nothing to being a knowledgeable and safe driver and because of Hornby’s Learn 2 Drive I’m now driving on the roads today. I recommend John to anyone who is new to driving.Bradley Jones
Read every review, or leave your own, on John’s Google Business page and his Facebook page.
Ready to pass,
ready for everything after
Did you know that 1 in 5 new drivers will be involved in a collision within just a year of passing their test? Hornby's Learn 2 Drive does not want any pupils to be part of that statistic, you will be ready for your test and prepare you for real life driving to ensure a lifetime of safe driving.
A standard part of the syllabus, learned with a fully qualified instructor in a dual controlled car.
Your lessons, your way
Each lesson is tailored to your specific needs and learning style, using client centred coaching methods.
A plan you can follow
A structured learning plan and free access to the driving school's app: The app lets you track your practical progress against a syllabus, keep track of lesson times and dates, lesson reflection notes, make payments, learning tools and much more.
Free theory test training
Training software for the knowledge and hazard perception you need for the DVSA theory test, right there in the app.
A modern dual controlled car
All lessons are conducted in a modern dual controlled car, for your safety whilst you learn.
Exeter or Taunton, your choice
Test at either centre. John has extensive knowledge of both areas.
The Honest Truth
Hornby's is signed up to this national road safety campaign. Short videos on its app, watched and discussed with your instructor along the way. thehonesttruth.co.uk
Lesson prices
£45
Standard rate per hourMon to Friday lessons. A standard lesson would typically be 2 hours long (£90).
£430
Block of 10 hours, booked in advance5 x 2 hour lessons, with a £20 discount.
£45
Full licence holder refresherRefresher lessons, per hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do you offer automatic lessons?
Hornby's Learn 2 Drive does not currently offer automatic lessons. Manual only at present.
Do we offer 1 hour lessons?
If you would like, a 1 hour lesson can be arranged for your first lesson to give you an insight to the type of quality driving lessons we provide and to meet your instructor without committing to a full 2 hours. Subsequent lessons are 2 hours. This length of lesson is what gives the best value for money and allows better learning to take place.
How many hours / lessons will I need?
This massively varies person to person. The average that the DVSA says learners will need is 40 to 45 hours with a DVSA approved driving instructor, plus an additional 20 to 22 hours of private practice. If you are not having private practice, then additional hours with an instructor COULD be required. Some people take much less, some more. We take a personalised approach with you to get you to pass as quickly as you can, ensuring you are ready to pass first time.
How will you know when I am ready to take my test?
It is our professional instructor's job to advise you when you will likely be ready and when you are actually ready. You will work through a syllabus to ensure you are competent in all technical driving areas. We match this up against the DVSA's ready to pass criteria.
Which test centre would I take my test at?
Exeter or Taunton test centre can both be used.
Will I learn how to drive on a motorway?
Yes! Learner drivers are only permitted to drive on a motorway with a fully qualified driving instructor in a dual controlled car. This is a standard part of our learning syllabus. We see this as an essential part of driving, and even though you will not be required to drive on the motorway on your test, we want to make sure you are prepared for driving beyond your test and confident to drive in all driving environments.
All passes are a great achievement and I take pride in all of them!
John, on his amazing past students.
Green light. Let’s find your slot.
Monday to Saturday lessons available. Availability forever changing due to regular test passes, so make contact to discuss a slot that fits in with yours.
- Got a question?
- WhatsApp it to John
- Telephone
- 07547 337580
- john@hornbyslearn2drive.co.uk
- Where John teaches
- Tiverton, Halberton, Willand, Sampford Peverell, Cullompton and surrounding areas
Book your first lesson
The quickest way to reach me is this form. Fill it in and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.