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Joel's Driving School

Joel's Driving School

4.8(119 reviews)See reviews ↓·Bristol

About the company

Joel has been teaching throughout Bristol as a fully qualified approved driving instructor (ADI) since 2008. He set up his own driving school in August 2012. Joel did all his training with The AA and was an instructor with them for 4 years.

He covers a radius of approximately 10 minutes around the Westbury-On-Trym area in Bristol. Pupils learn in a brand new 2024 Volkswagen Golf 8.5 R-Line. The car has driver aids including a reversing camera and auto-hold. Joel's Driving School offers driving lessons and help with the theory test.

What customers say

Based on genuine customer reviews

Learners arriving with anxiety, or returning after an earlier test attempt, describe Joel as the instructor who rebuilds their confidence, a theme that runs through the feedback left by pupils in Bristol. His patience during wobbles and setbacks is a point that comes up often, along with explanations delivered thoroughly and a good sense of when to increase the difficulty.

Reliability and clear communication feature repeatedly, with learners noting flexible lesson arrangements, pick-up points that are accommodated, and honest advice on the faults that need work. Progress is tracked through an app he uses, which reviewers say makes development easier to follow, while his parking methods are praised as reliable every time. Results recur as a theme: first-time passes, a second attempt with a single minor fault, and a pupil who went from no experience to a full licence within three months.

His friendly, humorous manner and the feeling of being well looked after also appear frequently, with no poor lesson reported. The praise settles on steady, methodical tuition that prepares learners for the test itself. Several buyers describe the same pattern of calm encouragement, and the parking techniques taught remain a practical detail that former pupils say they still use.

Joel's Driving School — Customer photo
Joel's Driving School — Customer photo
Joel's Driving School — Customer photo
Joel's Driving School — Customer photo
Joel's Driving School — Customer photo

Reviews

Reviews are taken from publicly available sources.

AH
Amy Hawksley10 July 2026

I cannot sing Joel’s praises enough, he is patient, kind and helpful. My driving improved massively after being taught by him! He was always humorous and easy talk to. Passed first time!!!!!

EH
Edie Hammond1 July 2026

Just passed my test today and it’s thanks to this guy! Joel was an amazing instructor for my second attempt of my driving test. When we started I was quite low on confidence due to failing my first time before I met him. But he was great at getting me back to a confident driver. If you’re looking for an instructor who’s really clear and boosts your confidence - Joel’s the best option!

ST
Sam Tozer22 June 2026

Joel is an outstanding instructor who clearly and precisely explained to me how to drive a car despite having zero experience leading me to pass my test first time which also makes me the 24th student in a row to pass first time when being taught by Joel. Thank you so much for your help over the past 21 hours of lessons!!

TL
Tilly Lloyd Jones22 June 2026

Joel is an incredible instructor, very chatty and friendly, always made me feel safe and looked after. He taught me to drive entirely from scratch and helped me to pass first time! Thankyou so much, Joel, absolute legend ❤️

PH
Pip Harris11 June 2026

I passed my driving test today with just a couple of minors, and I’m very happy to have joined Joel’s ever-expanding collection of passers! After not quite passing the first time after a close encounter with a rogue chunk of wall - for which I will always deny all responsibility - I can finally move on…Even if I'll never drive past that wall without muttering about the masonry. I honestly can’t recommend Joel enough. If you’re anxious about learning to drive, low on confidence, or anxious about getting back into it after you've had a long break, he is 100% the instructor you want. I made one or two mistakes (Lots of mistakes). Occasionally, to keep things fresh and interesting, I would make the same mistake several times. But Joel never made me feel stupid or panicked. He’d explain what went wrong, why it had probably happened, and how to stop it becoming a habit. He’s easy to talk to, patient, and relaxed, but also very, very safe. If even the tiniest possibility of something going sideways made itself known, Joel was always ready to step in or guide as needed. Learning to drive can feel like the most impossible thing, but Joel made it feel manageable, and in a twist I never saw coming, fun. I’m so grateful for all his help, and ecstatic to be one of the passers *as well as* a cautionary tale. Thank you, Joel!!!

T
tal23 May 2026

I worked with Joel last summer, he was incredibly patient and laid the foundation for my driving skills. I just passed my test and couldn’t have done it without the skills that he gave me last year! Thanks Joel🙏

H
Harriet14 April 2026

Joel is a great driving instructor who is super friendly and patient! He knows when to step in and gives clear advice on how to improve. He helped me feel confident and made me a safer driver (allowed me to pass first time with no minors!) Definitely recommend. Thanks!!

Driving schools in Bristol compared

Ordered by rating, weighted by the number of reviews — businesses with only a handful of reviews do not jump to the top automatically. 6 businesses in this category in Bristol are compared.

RankProviderRatingReviewsOpen Sat.
1Help To Pass★ 5,0124Yes
2Drivehassans★ 5,0103Yes
3Learn to Drive in Bristol★ 5,054Yes
4Come2Drive Driving School★ 4,9117Yes
5Bristol A2B Driving School, Bristol Driving Lessons★ 4,9375Yes
6Joel's Driving School (this page)★ 4,8119No
Contact
+447773211232www.joelsdrivingschool.co.uk166 Southmead Rd, Westbury on Trym, Bristol BS10 5DR
Working hours
Monday09:00–18:30
Tuesday09:00–18:30
Wednesday17:00–18:30
Thursday09:00–18:30
Friday09:00–18:30
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed