TESTIMONIALS

Everyone always talks about how fun and easy-going Jamie is and whilst that is very true, I believe it’s his patience and genuine dedication towards his students that separates him from other instructors. I really struggled with believing in myself and although this made it hard to learn at first, Jamie never gave up on me and always went out of his way to find new ways to help me not only learn, but to improve my confidence too. Above all he believed in me, and I think that’s how I managed to pass first time (something I never dreamed of being able to do). So, if you’re someone who is nervous about learning to drive or struggles to believe in themselves like I did, I would absolutely go with Jamie to be your driving instructor. I’m a completely different person since passing my test and I owe all of that to him.

–Isabel Ramirez

We first met Jamie many years ago when he used to spend hours in the park with his son, JJ, helping to hone his skills as a talented footballer. We were impressed by his dedication, selflessness and conviction that anyone can achieve anything if they have the right mind-set, confidence, self-belief and support of people who love them unconditionally. We knew from friends that Jamie was a well-respected, hard working teacher with an impressive record of first time passes. However this was not the main reason for choosing him when it came to Isabel learning to drive. She had been adamant that she did not want to drive when she turned 17, convinced that she would not be able to do it. However Miguel, my husband, was sure that Jamie would be able to work through Isabel’s confidence issues and believed that she should try to gain her driving licence whilst she was still at home and so she agreed to start lessons soon after her 18th birthday whilst taking a gap year. Learning to drive was not easy for Isabel, mainly because of self-doubt, feelings of letting others down and low confidence. Jamie took time to understand Isabel and helped her to overcome these feelings. Isabel was determined to banish her demons and with the tireless support of Jamie and her own family, Isabel achieved a first time pass.
Jamie is much more than an exceptionally patient and skilled teacher, he helps build a young person’s character and strength. Our son, Oscar, also passed his test at the first attempt, having lapped up the learning experience with someone he has always admired. We know that Jamie teaches much more than driving and you cannot put a price on preparation for life.

– Jayne Ramirez

Following my move from Italy to England and English being my second language, I spent 10 years thinking I would never overcome my nervousness around driving. Jamie proved me wrong!
What makes Jamie an excellent teacher is his passion for teaching, the effort he puts into tailoring a unique learning plan to the student’s needs. Jamie set clear goals for me, breaking them down to realistically achievable steps. It is not an overstatement to say that he was the most patient, calm and encouraging teacher I ever came across. Jamie is also energetic and positive and has a great sense of humour, he is personable yet professional and last but not least he keeps his car spotless, which helps create a pleasant learning environment.
I’m so grateful to Jamie, as his work made such a massive impact on my life: thanks to him I went from not being able to drive at all to being able to comfortably drive everywhere and actually enjoying it. This has contributed dramatically to my independence and confidence and has even strengthened the relationship with my partner, as Jamie involved him in my learning journey, so he could effectively support me and help me practice between lessons.
I would not hesitate to recommend him to anybody wanting to learn or needing to boost their confidence in driving

– Chiara Naccarati

“Jamie is a very professional and patient driving instructor. Jamie provided me with the time and space to practice all the manoeuvres that I struggled with such as; reversing and bay parking. These were easily overcome due to Jamie’s patience, making sure I was confident to get it right every time and move on. My lessons were relaxing and smooth from start to finish; Jamie has been motivational and inspirational during the training. Jamie’s ability to teach me everything that was required to pass my test has enabled me to drive safely on the road following my test. I can’t thank Jamie enough for all of the work he has done for me and all the time he has spent with me to make sure that I passed my driving test. I also appreciate all the time he spent with me to make sure that I was ready for my test due to my severe anxiety. Jamie supported me with my anxiety leading up to my driving test and this really helped me. I also have fibromyalgia which meant that, some days, I was too poorly to have driving lessons or I would have to stop driving and take a break. Jamie was very understanding and supportive of my conditions which I really appreciate. I have enjoyed our journey over the last year, Jamie is not only my driving instructor he is also a good friend. Since passing my driving test Jamie and I are still in regular contact and we meet up for a coffee on a regular basis and talk about my driving. Jamie always has time for me.
On a more personal note, when I first started my driving lessons, I was very nervous. I lost my father when I was just six years old. My father had a motorbike accident. I didn’t want to learn how to drive as even the sight of a motorbike made me very anxious. Jamie fully understood my anxieties relating to this and supported me through this process. Thanks to Jamie I can now drive past a bike without being nervous. I could not have achieved that without Jamie’s support. Finally I would like to say that I would highly recommend Jamie Blake. Thank you so much Jamie for all your help, I have really enjoyed our journey together”

– Brooke Sims

“Learning to drive with Jamie has been a lot of fun. Having experienced a different driving instructor I was able to juxtapose Jamie’s teaching with what I experienced prior.
Jamie’s no-compromises attitude really stands out. His ability to look past my driving faults and instead tackle why I made that fault is astounding and has been immensely useful in the process. I can only imagine it comes from his vast experience and attention to detail. Something I found quite unique & useful with Jamie was the fact that he offered me to observe and critique mock tests of other students of his. This made me question my own actions whilst driving hence making me think more actively about them. Lastly, I would say Jamie’s management and planning skills are on another level. As a result of which every session leads to an improvement and is a step closer to test pass.
With Jamie, I really do believe every session is more than twice the value with anyone else. No wonder he’s a top DVLA rated instructor!”

– Kartik Dhawan

“I would recommend Jamie without hesitation to anyone who wants to learn to drive. From our lessons together, it is clear he has a real passion for teaching, striving to make all his lessons interesting and enjoyable. With Jamie, learning to drive is not just about pushing pedals but also thinking about safety and other road users. He uses a variety of teaching aids such as white boards and iPad simulations to engage with his pupils. No question is a stupid question; Jamie is always calm and encouraging during lessons which gave me the confidence to make important decisions on the road. Unlike many of my friends with other instructors, I looked forward to every lesson and felt they gave me a much needed break from school work.”

– Clem Bird

“I applied for my provisional in my mid 20’s, after some (well intended) pressure from 2 friends! Life got in the way & before I knew it, 8 years had passed & I still hadn’t done anything about learning to drive. It came to a point where 1 of the friends & my boss decided it was enough, so started looking for instructors for me. This is when the panic started to kick in – I was adamant I only wanted to learn in an automatic car & with only 2 years left on my provisional, the pressure was on!
Jamie was introduced to me by my boss & from that moment I knew Jamie would get me through this. I started learning with him at the end of March, in his super looking manual car, & a little over 6 months later, I passed my test; first time; with only 4 driving faults!
Jamie is a great teacher! It’s not just about getting you passed as quickly as possible – he makes sure that you are 100% ready to take the test & once passed, will be a safe & competent driver. Jamie gets to know you, which in turn helps him understand how best to teach you to drive & about road safety.
He helped me get over my fears (there were times when I felt I couldn’t do it), but he helped me work through it. I cannot thank both Jamie & my boss enough for giving me my freedom through driving. Thank you”

– Rebecca Oliver

“I’ve been lucky enough to have been good friends with Jamie for many years now, watching him through many stages of his life. A brilliant person who’s motivationally addictive nature makes him a fantastic friend to be around.
Jamie always has had a natural ability to teach and I’m sure if he hadn’t had formed ‘The Jamie Blake’s Driving Foundation’ then I could have seen him teaching in an academic capacity.
Such a reassuring, friendly individual makes him an ideal instructor.
Pupils who are lucky enough to choose Jamie literally get swept along with his energy to teach you how to drive the correct and safe way. His driving ethic is unreal so getting behind the wheel of Jamie’s car is probably the best thing any person wanting to learn how to drive could do, Jamie will put you at ease and teach you the only way he knows – the proper way!
From booking your first lesson pupils soon find out that it’s not just a hop into the driver’s seat for an hour’s drive around West Bridgford. Jamie’s intense pre lesson preparation is unrivalled by any other. It’s a true education which Jamie wants you to take into your future driving life”

– Andy Warsop

“Jamie came into our lives a number of years ago to help my eldest son, Jordan, learn to drive. Jamie’s patience, kindness and support helped my son pass his test first time. Jamie then went on to teach my two younger sons starting on their 17th birthdays and they too passed their tests first time! Jamie has been a great instructor whom we would recommend to anyone but, more importantly he remains an even better friend!”

– Jane Brookes

“Jamie has taught our 3 sons to drive – all of whom have thoroughly enjoyed their lessons, and are confident and very safe drivers. Our youngest son, Jack, is soon to take his test, and the older two passed first time. Jamie is a fantastic driving instructor – tremendous expertise, patience, confidence & friendliness, who adapts his teaching to suit each individual, and ensures that every lesson is enjoyable. Progress can be monitored via the individual online performance dashboard completed by Jamie each week, which is really helpful. We recommend Jamie very highly, and wouldn’t go with anyone else.”

– Clare Leonard

“Three of my children have learned to drive with Jamie and so will the fourth. They learned more than how to pass the test; they learned how to drive safely, in all situations, conditions and with confidence. The driving lesson was one of the high points of their week.”

– Karl Bird

“Jamie’s approach, attention to detail, easy going nature and natural rapport with teenagers are stand-out features. You only learn to drive once but as we all know drivers carry bad habits for a lifetime so we were keen to get thorough, high quality tuition for our son Tom. Jamie met all our expectations -so much so that our daughter Jo is now following the same process. You get what you pay for so if you want ‘cheap and cheerful’ then go elsewhere but if you want real value for money and a driving education that will last a lifetime we’d go with Jamie every time. One word of caution – if you are the proud owner of a teenager being taught by Jamie then get ready to have your own bad habits pointed out on a frustratingly regular basis! In summary 10/10 – you won’t be disappointed.”

– Fosters Family

“I would highly recommend Jamie to anybody learning to drive, or wanting to gain more confidence in driving, as he is above all an incredibly encouraging and supportive teacher. Jamie always makes lessons enjoyable, as well as productive, and tailors them to your needs and ability – I never found the experience daunting and always looked forward to my sessions. Jamie’s innovative teaching methods, such as allowing you to watch other students doing mock tests and having other students watch you, allowed me to develop more confidence and taught me what to expect on a real driving test, whilst simultaneously helping me deal with the pressure I would experience on one. Jamie’s sessions take place in a teaching environment where you feel comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes, and you can be sure that every lesson will be rewarding. Jamie is an incredible teacher who gave me huge confidence in driving and taught me not only to pass my test but also provided me the foundation to remain a safe and skilled driver for life.”

– Grace Brown

“We’ve known Jamie for over 10 years, both as a friend of the family and as an expert driving instructor for our eldest daughter Gracie. From the moment she turned 17, Jamie started teaching Gracie everything she needed to know about road safety and careful, confident driving. As a result she passed her driving test first time with flying colours. More importantly, the extremely difficult process of learning to drive, in a busy modern city, was made so much easier by Jamie’s attitude and approach to life, his attention to detail, his practice-makes-perfect policy (particularly in mock tests) and his good humour and great patience.
As the many testimonials on his website will confirm, he provides an excellent and unique learning experience for his students and he prides himself on training even the most nervous and unconfident of learners to drive safely for life. This is the core message of the Jamie Blake Driving Foundation. It’s not just about preparing learners for a one-off test that they might scrape through; it’s about instilling confidence and instructing them to drive safely and confidently from the moment they pass their test and onwards, through many happy years at the wheel.
As parents and friends, we heartily recommend Jamie as the very best driving instructor for you, your family and your friends.””

– Len and Bridget

“Jamie’s passion for teaching coupled with his meticulous attention to detail, enabled me to have a stress-free, fun and enjoyable driving experience. His specific yet adaptable teaching strategies, coupled with his consistent optimism towards my individual ability, rewarded me with determination and enthusiasm to become a confident driver. As a result of Jamie’s calm and relaxed approach to teaching, combined with his consistent detailed advice, I always look forward to my driving lessons. Therefore, I would undoubtedly recommend Jamie to be your driving instructor, as 100% effort from him is a guarantee and he will ensure that you become the best possible driver you can be.”

– Beth Windsor

“Our daughter Beth has been learning with Jamie since last summer. Her feedback is very positive. She seems confident in her learning and is enjoying her lessons. Although her lessons are sometimes difficult, she also seems to have fun. Jamie has an excellent rapport with teenagers, not to mention people in general! I believe the main outcome is to result in a safe, aware, confident, long term driver. There should not be a rush to pass your test in my opinion. Gaining more learning experience has to be a priority. Another positive is Jamie invites Beth to sit in (for free) on other students’ mock tests which she says has been extremely beneficial to her. Jamie is not and does not claim to be “the cheapest around” but as we all know you get what you pay for in life. I look forward to my teenage taxi service!””

– Jill Windsor