Our Reviews
Marcus Hobden – Haywards Heath
Having started my journey a lot later than my friends, there always felt like added pressure to get myself driving. However Nick has been superb at giving me all the tools I needed to succeed whilst also helping to calm me when I’ve been getting stressed and nervous.
I have nothing but wonderful words to say about Nick – he’s kind, compassionate, accommodating to life’s ups and downs and also a right laugh! I wouldn’t have had the confidence to pass without his help. Life starts now and I have Nick to thank endlessly for that!
Matt Aspinall – Haywards Heath
Nick was an excellent instructor who helped our son pass his test first time.
His patience and calm approach made a huge difference and he took the time to explain not just how to drive but how the car actually works from a technical perspective. This deeper understanding has helped our son become a confident and careful driver.
We’re very grateful for Nick’s support and would highly recommend him!
Lou Aspinall (Mum)
Archie Forster – Bolney Village
COOL Driving was the perfect choice for me. Nick was brilliant at delivering information and his teaching technique is spot on. I’ve recommended him to over 10 friends who are looking to start driving shortly. I’d say he went above and beyond to make sure my lessons and then test day were as smooth as possible, always keeping me up to date and ensuring his car was a comfortable experience. If you’re looking for a driving instructor, I couldn’t recommend Nick at COOL Driving enough.
Harry Triandafyllou – Lindfield
I would highly recommend choosing Nick as your instructor. He helped me to regain my confidence after not having driven for roughly 3 years and really helped me overcome bad habits that had persisted from a previous instructor. As someone who struggles with confidence, his approach was perfect as he teaches you to be a safe and a smart driver and not just to pass your test. He is very patient and understanding and gives very clear explanations for his instructions, which in turn helped me to make sense of the road and start thinking for myself. Nick’s Golf GTI is also the perfect car for a learner as it is very responsive and simple to drive. I passed on my first test with Nick as my instructor – it was a long process for me but I now feel fully confident in my driving ability and thrilled to have that extra freedom that comes with my licence. Thanks Nick!
Hari Sarngadharan Nair Maya – Bolnore Village
I simply don’t have words that can describe and pay gratitude to my amazing instructor Mr Nick. He is absolutely professional, patient and ensures to fine tune your areas of weakness. I have been lucky to have him as my instructor and thankful for my life lesson in letting go of things and subsiding fears. Respect to Nick for making this dream a reality!
Ollie Solomon – Bolnore Village
Nick is a great driving instructor. He taught me both how to pass my test and and how to drive well after that with constant practice on different types of roads and in different situations. He helped me to smooth out rough areas in my driving and focused on areas that needed to be improved or that I felt weak in. Moreover, as someone who has been practicing off and on, as I have been away at Uni, Nick always helped me to get back into the swing of things. Finally, he is always great at answering questions about everything to do with the car and driving, along with always making you feel comfortable with conversation at appropriate times.
Lani Farmer – Bolnore Village
I am really pleased that I chose Nick to be my driving instructor. He is a great teacher and his instruction is always clear which allowed me to pick up techniques quickly and confidently. Nick has always been confident in my driving ability which therefore made me a more self assured and capable driver. Nick’s car is enjoyable to drive and is always spotless for each pupil. I achieved a first time pass thanks to Nick’s brilliant tutoring and encouragement. I would highly recommend COOL Driving for lessons as Nick is really dedicated to all of his students and pushes them to do their best!
Hannah Chatfield – Haywards Heath
Thanks so much for helping Hannah to learn to drive, she hasn’t stopped smiling after her pass yesterday! For someone who wasn’t keen to learn you really helped her gain loads of confidence and enjoy the process. Katie Chatfield (mum)
Hannah passed first time with “zero” faults!!
Aleksandra Grela – Bolnore Village
When I started looking for an instructor in June 2020 there were a large number of driving schools in the area. However, I found COOL Driving’s website page was the most up to date and communication with Nick via email and text messaging was very quick and comprehensive which I considered a good sign. Before I started my course I was a bit concerned that I might struggle with the course as English is not my first language. After my initial lesson I realised that it wouldn’t be a problem as Nick was always finding different ways to explain things so that I could easily understand what I should do. What was also very helpful was that Nick was very friendly from the beginning which really helped someone like me who is shy and nervous. It was challenging to do the course whilst the ‘lockdowns’ were happening along with other restrictions but thanks to regular updates from Nick I always knew when I could expect to resume my driving lessons which I found very helpful and reassuring. Nick was always very passionate about his work which was somehow motivating me to not lose hope about my driving and to continue trying to do my best. I was struggling with my confidence from the beginning and it got even worse as I was approaching my practical exam. Talking with Nick about my concerns and taking things slower at times, when I was more stressed, helped me to build up my confidence ready for my exam. I would never believe if someone would say a few months ago that I would pass on my very first attempt …. but I did it!! It is also worth mentioning that I really liked the Student App that Nick provides to all his pupils as it allowed me to see my progress along with the free theory revision that Nick provided helping me to pass my theory exam first time also.
Jonathan Moore – Bolnore Village
Nick comes “highly recommended”. I had a failed a couple of tests in the past and hadn’t attempted another for some time, so I was naturally apprehensive about getting back in the driving seat. However, Nick found a way to quickly build up my confidence and show me that not only could I drive but that I could actually be quite good at it. That I passed first time (this time around) with one driving fault is testament to how good an instructor he is. I thoroughly enjoyed my time out with Nick and would have no doubts about recommending him to anyone in the area.
Holly Oliver – Bolney
I couldn’t recommend COOL Driving enough! When I first started lessons it was obvious that I wasn’t the most natural and was a very anxious driver. However Nick reassured me and made me feel comfortable right from the get go. I thought that I would never get to the point where I could drive without being instructed but I exceeded my own expectations of myself quickly thanks to Nick’s help and patience! If you’re looking for a driving instructor, 100% contact COOL Driving!!!
Louise Berwick – Bolnore Village
I’m not the most confident person especially when it came to the idea of driving as it made me feel extremely anxious. It took me years to get behind the wheel but after having my daughter I knew that I needed to drive. Nick lived locally to me and I had seen his car around, I checked his website and saw that he also had great reviews. Those reviews lived up to the expectation! Nick helped me get over that fear of driving and I can actually say I enjoy it now! He truly is an amazing instructor. Nick is honest and patient, you can see he loves his job and cares about helping his students reach their goal of passing. His lessons are not just about getting you to pass, he’s also making sure you can drive safely and confident after you pass. I would recommend him to anyone. Thank you Nick!
Elisha Lippett – Bolnore Village
I found Nick online after searching for driving instructors near me. Nick was local around my village and I had seen his car about, so decided to get in contact. From the offset Nick was very approachable and good natured, making even the first lesson enjoyable when I was nervous and making mistakes with the basics. On the first lesson Nick told me he would see me passing first time, which I thought was over generous at the time! All was going well until ‘lockdown’ hit us, stopping learners from having lessons and tests. Even so, Nick was accommodating where he could be and updated us all through the student app. When we were finally allowed to continue lessons, Nick’s enthusiasm for driving and teaching gave me the confidence to continue working and pushing myself to become test ready. Thanks to Nick I passed first time with 2 driving faults, as he first said I would, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the determination from my instructor to succeed. So thank you Nick, I couldn’t have got there without you!
Izzy Graham – Haywards Heath
Thank you Nick for being such a great instructor and for always believing in me which has brought out so much more confidence in myself whilst driving. I wouldn’t have wanted to be taught by anyone else! I will miss our weekly chats and laughs and wish you and Suzie all the best in the future!
Annabel Clark – Hurstpierpoint
After being recommended by multiple people to learn with Nick at COOL Driving, I managed to book weekly lessons as soon as I turned 17. Nick was very approachable and friendly from the offset and was very easy to communicate with over the phone regarding lessons. The way Nick explained new things was very easy to understand and I never once felt nervous driving with him, even in my first lesson when I wasn’t too great to say the least! Most of my friends wouldn’t look forward to their lessons but for me they were always the highlight of my week! Unfortunately ‘lockdown’ hit near the early stages of my driving lessons. However, throughout the whole period, Nick kept in touch regarding Government rules changing surrounding my driving lessons. Once lessons could resume, Nick always stuck to all the safety and hygiene regulations put in place, putting me at ease in a nerve-racking situation. After passing first time with only 4 driving faults, it is ultimately down to Nick’s patience and thorough teaching ways. Nick picked up on every little thing I did wrong, making sure I will be a safe driver for life, not just how to pass the test. If I ever made a mistake, Nick would always ensure to pull over and talk things through and answer any of my questions, highlighting how much he cares for all of his pupils. I was incredibly lucky that Nick had such an amazing car for me to learn in, the VW Golf GTI. The car had so many features helping new drivers like me to master the various parking techniques, even tough parallel Parking wasn’t my strongest point – thanks Nick for your patience with that! Nick was such a kind, friendly driving instructor who gives all his time up for his pupils, to ensure their driving is up to top standards! I can’t recommend Nick enough; he has got me into such good driving habits which I will use for life and we always had a laugh every lesson. Thank you Nick!
Chelsea Isenberg – North Chailey
I never got around to doing my driving licence before University and then life got in the way and I put it off. A few years on and I was in a situation where it was a ‘need’ more than a ‘good to have’ and I am so thankful to have found Nick at COOL Driving. I am lucky to have passed first time with only a few faults and this is definitely due to Nick’s teaching. Nick teaches in such a way that makes driving enjoyable and logical. He is super picky with everything you do but this is because he is mentoring you on how to drive for life, more than just teaching you to pass the Test. He always took the time to explain everything that went wrong or right after each lesson and if I had any sort of question he would answer it without hesitation – showing just how knowledgeable and patient he is Now onto the car, which is nearly as wonderful as Nick! The Golf GTI makes a huge difference, not only is it gorgeous and comfortable but it has so many modern features that help with all the little details whilst driving as a newbie! And of course it has so much ‘ZOOM’ that I felt so confident overtaking and driving on a Dual Carriageway – which was necessary during my test! It is clear Nick loves his job and goes above and beyond for all of his pupils. He is understanding, calming and caring which are such necessary traits to have when you are teaching someone to drive. I would recommend Nick to anyone and can’t stress enough how amazing he is! I’m so grateful for all the time and energy Nick gave to me to successfully pass first time and I will really miss our Sunday drives and chats! Thank you!
Hebe Perry-Belfrage – Cuckfield
Learning with Nick was a great experience – having started lessons at Uni with another instructor, Nick made everything so much simpler but still covered everything I needed to be able to do. We always covered a variety of different roads and manoeuvres and Nick was especially good at focusing on areas that needed improvement in the run up to my Test. He was so supportive and it’s clear that he really cares about his students. I would definitely recommend COOL Driving!
Harry Newman – Haywards Heath
Nick is the best instructor you can have when learning to drive. When I started driving I was extremely nervous and inexperienced but Nick’s calm and progressive approach to teaching ensures you understand thoroughly how to carefully and safely drive. Nick’s high level of experience in driving and his teaching methods help you remain calm while driving and allow you to learn as much as possible from each lesson. Nick will go through mistakes with you, highlighting what you did wrong and teaching you how to improve. He is very accommodating, always making sure to do lessons at times that suit you and keeping you up to date on availability. Nick was always friendly and it was clear that to him it is more than just a job! Nick was the best driving instructor I could have had and in the end I passed on my second attempt with only one driving fault!
Lucian Wisniewski – Ardingly
I could not have asked for a more calm and knowledgeable driving instructor. I started with Nick having driven for a while under my parents supervision and so I began with COOL Driving not knowing what to expect from lessons. Nick’s knowledge in all things driving related is confidence boosting and his calm demeanour is to be admired when his tuition vehicle is a Golf GTI Performance! Nick picks up on every little mistake you make and while this possibly sounds intimidating it is this sort of attention to detail that helps first time drivers learn to drive and not just pass their Test. In explaining my driving errors, Nick explained what went wrong clearly and I was never in question of my faults and more importantly how to avoid making them again. The tuition vehicle, a Golf GTI is fantastic …. sporty and comfortable, a real pleasure to drive.While the car may only be important to some it was certainly important for me. Nick was always brilliant at arranging lessons, sending messages on availability and making sure I had times that suited me as I was coming quite a distance for my lessons. Prior to my driving test I had a week of lessons, having not driven with Nick for well over a month to focus on my exams. Somehow, Nick managed to work his magic and fit in everything I needed to know into that week, filling me with confidence once again too. A great car with an even greater instructor …. what more could you want from your driving lessons?
Sammy Parsons – Haywards Heath
I cannot thank Nick enough for his amazing guidance and instruction. Before I started with Nick I was super nervous and anxious about the idea of driving, Nick’s cool demeanour and gentle approach put me at ease almost instantly. Nick has a genuine passion for his job and each of his students – he takes the time to teach you not just how to drive to pass a test but how to be a safe conscientious driver. If someone would have told me before I met Nick that I would pass my Test first time I’d have laughed but with Nick that became a reality! Nick, thank you so much for everything and Indy’s pretty cool too!
Harvey Williams – Cuckfield
I’m glad COOL Driving was my first choice for driving lessons, it was a lovely car to drive and the lessons I had from Nick allowed me to pass my Test first time! Nick is a talkative and always positive person and instructor, yet firm with instructions to ensure I learnt the right habits. As well as being flexible with times that I could do for my lessons whilst I was learning which really helped me out. I would definitely recommend!
Livvy Stoner – Haywards Heath
A massive thank you to Nick, due to his patience and knowledge he helped me pass my driving test first time which I would never have believed possible when I started driving! After previous lessons with a different instructor hadn’t worked out I changed to COOL Driving and I couldn’t recommend them enough. Nick is professional, patient, knowledgeable and friendly. He made me feel so relaxed in my lessons and calmed my anxieties and nerves. With every lesson I had I could see progression, f I felt in doubt about my driving he would push me as he knew when I was able to do something more than I knew myself! He is always very positive and makes you feel positive. He took time to explain and demonstrate things to me, which really worked well for my style of learning. Whenever I went wrong, whether it be a manoeuvre, roundabout or general driving he would explain where I went wrong and teach me how to correct my mistakes – this not only helped me in my Test but I have now noticed is extremely important in the real world of driving! Nothing was too much for Nick, he was very versatile and flexible with my working hours and sent handy reminders regarding lessons and gives you a visual progress card which really helps to see where you are in terms of progression. Nick went above and beyond the week before my Test making sure I was prepared and ready. I truly couldn’t have passed without Nick, let alone 1st time! I’d say anyone would be lucky if they have Nick as their driving instructor. Thank you again Nick, I will miss the driving lessons!
