Reviews

Pupil feedback is essential – it’s important for us to understand how we’re doing but it’s also an excellent way for potential pupils to see what others thought of their learning experience. Here are a few testimonials from previous pupils. No fake reviews here!

It was an absolute pleasure learning to drive under Nighean and Andy’s instruction! Not only are they funny, friendly and professional, their huge depth of experience is immediately apparent and always leaves you feeling calm, safe and confident—from the first time you get into the car with them all the way up to the moment you step out of the car holding your pass certificate! What really sets Hackett apart, however, is the personal touch they provide. Unlike the big driving schools, every experience with Nighean and Andy is driven by their commitment to making you a great driver and you leave each lesson feeling one step closer to your goal. Thanks for everything guys!
Julian, BR1


I had three tests before I saw Nighean and on each one I had at least 2 serious faults or a dangerous, I only had a few lessons before my first test but my driving improved massively and I breezed through my first test to get an easy pass with 7 minors! I would happily recommend anyone who wants to pass their test asap to use Nighean as their instructor!
Sam, BR4


I can’t recommend Nighean and Hackett School of Motoring highly enough.  From the first lesson I felt safe and comfortable learning how to drive and could see my confidence and ability increasing with each lesson.  Each lesson was planned specifically for me and Nighean was patient, supportive and great at putting me at ease, encouraging me whenever I felt I couldn’t “do it”! We travelled all over the area, not just the test routes, meaning I am confident driving in any location – including central London, where I now commute to.
 
I’d had lessons a few years earlier but felt uncomfortable and tense with the instructor, learning with Hackett was the complete opposite. With a lesson every week or two, within 7 months I received my first time pass in November (with only 1 minor) and I honestly believe I couldn’t have done that without Nighean.  She is an exceptional teacher and if you’re looking for a driving school I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Hackett.
Emma, BR3


I simply would not have passed without the wonderful Nighean; an absolute joy of a Driving Instructor. Thorough, friendly and thoughtful. I enjoyed every single Driving Lesson with Nighean and looked forward to them each time they came around. For someone who didn’t think they were a “Driving Person” I can confidently say I am a Driver now. I couldn’t recommend Nighean highly enough as a Driving Instructor. Each lesson is tailored for you, accommodates your skill set and sets up goals you didn’t even know you could reach whilst building invaluable confidence in driving. Each person takes their own pace, and that is no problem at all; with every lesson the priority is making you a confident and comfortable driver. I can’t thank Nighean enough; I’m actually sorry to not have our Weekly catch ups and Driving Lessons now I’ve passed! You must consider Driving Lessons with Nighean, you couldn’t find a better Instructor in the South East of London/Kent!
Suzie, SE20


Learning with Nighean has made learning to drive for me such an enjoyable experience,
She always made me feel comfortable every lesson especially the very first one, she was very clear with her instructions and patient. I would always be looking forward to my weekly lessons with Nighean as it felt like an hour of catching up instead of an hour of having a driving lesson.

If ever I was unsure on something I felt like I could ask to go over it again to which I felt was very important for me while learning to drive.
You can tell that even though Nighean has many other students she cares about each and every one equally and really feel like you’re getting 100% from her, Nighean made me feel confident about my driving if ever I did not giving support when needed and always reassured me when having doubts in my mind about an upcoming test, I can’t thank Nighean enough for being such a brilliant instructor and getting me through to pass my test! I love driving and it’s all thanks to Nighean.

Laura, CR0


Learning to drive with Nighean was so much more than daunting manoeuvres and dreaded roundabouts; her patience and perseverance was unfaltering through thick and thin, and I couldn’t thank her enough!
Being absolutely terrified of driving when I started, I owe her relaxed nature and constant encouragement for my first time pass, and genuinely do not believe I could have done it without her. She is both an amazing instructor and friend, always understanding, communicative and supportive, making my lesson one of the highlights of my week. I am so, so glad I started driving with Nighean and I could not recommend her more!
Sarah, CR0


My experience in learning with Hackett School of Motoring started when I was looking for a trustworthy local instructor through the official gov.uk website. 
Nighean was listed as a fully qualified and approved driving instructor (ADI) so, it was my first sign that I had found a capable and reliable professional.
At our first meet for the trial lesson, Nighean made be feel safe, relaxed and comfortable. Her calm approach, flexibility and professional attitude made each class not just easy but also very enjoyable. Nighean built my confidence at every lesson and I have just passed my test at West Wickham Test Centre at my first attempt.  I can only thank and recommend Nighean as the best instructor in Bromley. I started just looking for a driving instructor and I ended finding a great friend.
Jeferson, BR1


Learning to drive with Nighean has been such a great experience and I could never have passed without her!  She has untold patience, no matter how many times you get something wrong she is always happy to calmly correct you. I always felt so relaxed and calm in the car with her and always looked forward to my weekly lesson. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for an instructor. She has been amazing, thank you so much for everything Nighean x
Phoebe, BR3


What can I say?! I absolutely loved learning to drive with Nighean, I honestly don’t think I could have passed without her. I felt extremely calm and not nervous in every lesson, I felt relaxed and even when I made mistakes I knew that I would learn from them as quickly as I’d made them! I would recommend Nighean to anyone, I looked forward to my driving lessons every week..I couldn’t wait for a weekly catch up! Thank you so much for everything, I couldn’t have done it without you!
Sophie, BR1


I’ve had a few lessons with another instructor and I felt that he was alright but then when I got referred to Nighean I felt much more comfortable straight away and learnt a lot in the time I was with her. She is really calm and makes you feel calm too, I would highly recommend anyone who is looking for an instructor.
Gary, SE12


Having always wanted to start driving the second I turned 17, my brother recommended Nighean. He had been having lessons with her and said she was such a good instructor and said I should go with her. From the first lesson with her I knew I wanted to pass with her! Nighean was brilliant right from the start; we got on so well, I felt like I was going for a catch up with her every Monday instead of an actual driving lesson! She boosted my confidence massively taking me down roads on my third lesson that I thought I would never be able to do. I highly recommend driving with Nighean she’s been an amazing instructor.  Thank you so much again for everything!!!
Faith, BR5


I’m a person who was afraid of driving, I am even too scared to ride a bike in the edge of the main road !  I could never imagine one day I’d be driving a car on the road, but because I have children I want to be able to take them places to improve their education so I needed to learn to drive. My friend recommended Nighean, she is very patient, at the beginning I was so nervous but she gave me a lot help and made me very confident at driving. I have now passed my driving test at West Wickham test centre. She helped me make my dreams come true. I’d like to recommend Nighean to anyone who is looking for a really good instructor.
Hong, BR1


For me, the best part of driving with Nighean was simply how calm and collected she was. If you ever drive with anyone else, you’ll the difference straight away!
Feeling safe and comfortable was one of the most important things while learning, and Nighean provided that from the off. She was also very punctual and flexible, meaning rescheduling lessons due to school commitments was never a problem. Honestly couldn’t fault any part of the experience. Having passed first time, I couldn’t recommend her enough.

Jaimin, BR3


As a student that had been taught by two previous teachers from the same institution, I was left uncertain when both teachers could no longer instruct me.  My sister-in-law had recently passed her test with the Hackett School of Motoring and she immediately recommended Nighean to me.  After a taster lesson with her, we immediately clicked as student and teacher. 

Nighean is a talented instructor, with an eye for spotting where improvements need to be made and a calm, friendly demeanour which makes for a great learning environment.  With her encouragement and expertise, I was able to take my practical test and pass first time! 
Many, many thanks to Nighean for seeing me through and for all the laughs we had along the way.  I could not recommend her enough!
Luke, BR1


We were apprehensive when we started to look for a driving instructor for Shazz since we had heard some horrible tales about instructors shouting and swearing at their pupils. Since English is not Shazz’s first language it was important that we found an instructor that would be patient and ensure he understood the lessons.

Luckily we found Nighean who has been absolutely brilliant.  Nothing has been too much trouble for Nighean. We have, on several occasions, had to change lesson dates due to work and holiday commitments and the test date itself was changed at short notice because we got a cancellation. Nighean and her colleague Andy juggled their diaries to fit in extra lessons in preparation for the test and for the test itself. We’d thoroughly recommend Nighean and Andy to anyone looking for a really good driving instructor.

Shazhad, SE20


From the minute Charlotte started learning to drive with Nighean, she loved it. We had heard many horror stories about other driving schools / instructors but Nighean came highly recommended and she certainly met and exceeded all of our expectations.

Nighean has a relaxed and friendly way of teaching, she explains clearly exactly what you are expected to do and then guides you through everything in a quiet and calm manner. Charlotte found there was humour in every lesson and never once left the house dreading her lesson, in fact she couldn’t wait to get back behind the wheel of the car. Nighean works hard to accommodate your lessons on the most convenient day and time for you and even when we had to cancel or postpone a lesson, it was not a problem.

I firmly believe Nighean works with her pupils to ensure they are test ready, keeping costs to a minimum. As you get nearer to your test date, Nighean advises you on any extra lessons she feels you may need and then works her diary to ensure she sees you before and goes with you to your test. Nighean proved to be a very positive influence on Charlotte on test day, something I would never have been.

Charlotte hit a blip on her first test but Nighean was there encouraging her and going over what could have gone wrong. Two weeks later Charlotte re-took her test and passed with flying colours. Thank you for a very positive and rewarding driving experience.  I will be back with children 2 and 3!!! A Proud Mum X
Nikki (mum of Charlotte), BR3


I am so thankful to Nighean for her time and patience with me whilst learning to drive! I had begun to learn to drive with a couple of other driving instructors years ago and I found it difficult and became frustrated and uninterested in driving altogether, but when I started learning with Hackett, my confidence grew and I started actually enjoying my lessons! Nighean is great at tailoring lessons specifically to your skill set and pushing you when you need that extra bit of encouragement! I built up a great friendship with Nighean through our lessons and would highly recommend Hackett.
Jo, BR5


I’d started (and given up) learning to drive several times with different instructors over the last few years. So in my mid-twenties I finally resolved to go all the way and found Nighean on Twitter. As a nervous driver, getting behind the wheel had never come naturally to me. Nighean took the time to understand my struggles and was nothing but patient and calming throughout the entire process. She’s supportive and celebrates your successes, I instantly felt comfortable in her car which was such an important part of my learning.

In the past I felt I’ve been “told off” by instructors if I made an error, which only made me feel tense and doomed to fail. Nighean never loses her cool, she understands that as a learner you’re bound to make mistakes and helps you learn how to fix them rather than chastise you for the slip-up.  I now have my own car and finally feel confident in my driving thanks to Nighean’s help. I’d thoroughly recommend her, especially if you’re no longer a teenager and feel it’s too late to pass. It never is.
Emma, BR1


Hackett is great. In my case, I changed from another driving school I wasn’t happy with and Nighean was helpful in getting me through the test. It’s never feels awkward or tense with Nighean (I didn’t feel this way with my instructor before) as she is very friendly and puts you at ease.

She is always on time and will pick you up or drop you off from where you want, whether its from school or home. I really recommend Hackett is you want to pass your driving exam quickly and simply.
Vas, SE12


Like many others, I had tried taking lessons with other instructors but had stopped them after a few sessions; each time losing confidence in my ability and the motivation to continue, making the process feel like a chore.

Driving with Nighean has been the complete opposite of my initial experience. I always looked forward to my lessons with her. She is great company, she made every session positive, and I benefited from a noticeable improvement in my confidence on the roads with each hour.

Passing my driving test has been a cause for major celebration with my friends and family, and I owe this to Nighean’s patience, nurturing, and above all her dedication to great teaching. I have recommended her to everybody – including people who already have a licence!
Lyndsay, BR1


I’d never really had a pressing need to learn to drive and had made it to my early (perhaps mid-) thirties before family life struck and it became an essential skill to learn. I found Nighean online whilst searching for an independent, qualified instructor in my area. We set up the first lesson, and I was immediately happy with how it went, and that we could work together.

What impressed me the most about her teaching was how she adapted to me as an individual – the sign of a great teacher. I was thrilled to achieve a first-time pass in 3.5 months thanks to her teaching, and my being able to drive has already made a big difference to my family in the first few days since the test.

I recommend Nighean wholeheartedly to anyone who wants an enjoyable, efficient and personalised experience when learning to drive – isn’t that everyone?
Dave, SE26


I would highly recommend Nighean to any learner driver. Being a first time Mum, I needed to pass my test so I could get about on a day to day basis. Nighean understood how important this was to me and boosted my confidence as I was a nervous learner.
Nighean is very friendly, patient and more importantly fun to learn with.

Daisy, BR2


Having already driven in Asia, I wanted to understand UK’s rules and looked for someone who understood this. It doesn’t take long to realise that she tailors her teaching totally to you on a personal level. Nighean took immense care in teaching me, not just to getting me through the test by mimicking the Examiner or the test routes. It did me a world of good, and to this date I’m grateful for that.  Any questions I had were always answered – no matter how silly they seemed. I was terrified of roundabouts and had difficulty with lanes, now I am so confident on the motorways and have already driven to several places around southern UK 🙂 The Corsa was a lovely car to learn and Nighean used her iPad to explain the manoeuvres and scored me on mock tests, sent me the results by email – it made such a difference to how I approached the test. She was an amazing teacher, extremely patient, great support throughout and very friendly. Overall, she made it seem like a breeze from the first lesson and I would recommend her to anyone!
Aditi, BR2


As a 33 year year old man, learning to drive was something I had begun to think was out of reach. After a confidence destroying first lesson with another driving school (which shall remain unnamed) my confidence was shot and I was pretty much ready to forget the idea of having a license at all.

My partner convinced me to try Hackett Driving which she had heard good things about on twitter and straight away I started to progress. Nighean knew when to push me and when to let me do my own thing, building up my skills and confidence each lesson until I passed.

Now I drive everywhere and often take my daughter to Wales to see her grandparents (something which was extremely difficult before).   I could not recommend Nighean more, she is patient, reassuring, a great person to learn from and good company. If you are doubting your ability or are looking for a genuine and encouraging instructor look no further.

Chris, SE26


Nighean has helped me so much to restore my confidence in driving. I got my licence 6 years ago & drove for a few months before moving to London for Uni. I then needed a car for work and Nighean was fantastic. Instead of treating me like I was learning to drive all over again, she helped test where I was at and nudged me gently without me realising into doing more challenging drives.

I’m now happily driving all over the place with my 19 month old daughter in the back with no fear at all.
Ami, London


The Best Experience – As a young learner & finally getting the opportunity to drive, I was ecstatic to get behind the wheel. I recently passed my test in November but I can guarantee I wouldn’t have been so comfortable if Nighean had not taught me so well. My mother is yet to get her license but I will be sending her straight to Nighean!
Kane


Learning to drive with Nighean has been a tremendously enjoyable experience. Not only is she a kind and nurturing teacher, she created a comfortable and safe environment to learn a thoroughly useful skill. I eagerly awaited each lesson and felt that I had accomplished something different each week.

Her lessons were clear and easy to follow, leading to a first-time pass in both my theory and practical tests in less than nine months. Being able to drive has made my life more interesting and more enjoyable and it is a skill that I have acquired for life thanks to truly exceptional teaching.
James, BR3


I had previously had a few driving lessons from two different instructors. I didn’t get on with them at all; so much so that I had decided that I hated driving and didn’t want to learn.

A friend then gave me Nighean’s number and urged me to call her. He said he was sure I’d get on with her & that she was a great teacher. I reluctantly called and we got on like a house on fire from that first phone call. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face after I put the phone down and couldn’t wait for my first lesson.

Nighean has been brilliant. She knew when to encourage me, when to criticise, when to chat and when to keep quiet and let me get on with it. I’ve absolutely loved my lessons with her
.
Jayde


When I was looking for a driving instructor, I was looking to find a female instructor, who was friendly, patient and professional. After 2 weeks of searching, I finally found Nighean, who ticked all the boxes.

Nighean put me at ease straight away and I found her to be very professional, patient, positive and constructive throughout our lessons. She gave me clear and precise instructions and believed in me. Thanks to Nighean’s guidance and constant support, I am proud to say that I achieved a first time pass today. I still can not believe it. I am now looking forward to gain the Pass Plus certificate and I would not hesitate to recommend Nighean to anyone who is looking for a driving instructor.

Jacqui


I previously had lessons with another driving instructor but wasn’t making any progress, I was introduced to Nighean by my boyfriend who also passed with her.

I had no confidence when I first started learning, but Nighean really made me feel confident and has made me a good safe driver. She always understood and explained things to me and gave me a new way of thinking when dealing with difficult situations.

Our lessons were always fun and we got on really well, I would recommend Nighean to anyone who wants to learn how to drive safely. Will miss our weekly chats! x
Sophia, BR1