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Shift Driving School Mini
“A great local Driving School with excellent instructors”

Call now or book online 24/7

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Find an instructor
in your area

Our experienced instructors currently operate in the North East. Whether you’re learning in Newcastle, Gateshead, Middlesbrough or Redcar, we’ll get you on the road in no time at all.

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Experienced Instructors

Our approved driving instructors have years of driving experience.

High
Pass Rate

When we send a student for test, they are equipped to succeed.

Flexible
Scheduling

Flexible scheduling options including evenings and weekends.

Excellent Safety Record

Shifts’ safety record is reflected in our learners’ ability to become confident drivers.

Personalise Your Learning

Tell us about your personality and what you like and dislike.

Newcastle

  • Benwell
  • Byker
  • Cowgate
  • Denton Burn
  • Elswick
  • Fawdon
  • Fenham
  • Gosforth
  • Great Park
  • Heaton
  • Jesmond
  • Kenton
  • Kingston Park
  • Lemington
  • Newburn
  • Sandyford
  • Spital Tongues
  • West Denton
  • Westerhope
  • Wingrove

Gateshead

  • Birtley
  • Bensham
  • Blaydon
  • Chowdene
  • Crawcrook
  • Deckham
  • Dunston
  • Felling
  • Greenside
  • High Fell
  • Lamesley
  • Lobley Hill
  • Low Fee
  • Pelaw
  • Saltwell
  • Teams
  • Wardley
  • Whickham
  • Windy Nook
  • Winlaton

Middlesbrough

  • Acklam
  • Ayresome
  • Beechwood
  • Berwick Hills
  • Brambles Farm
  • Brookfield
  • Coulby Newham
  • Easterside
  • Grove Hill
  • Hemlington
  • Kader
  • Linthorpe
  • Marton
  • Marton Manor
  • Newport
  • North Ormesby
  • Nunthorpe
  • Ormesby
  • Pallister
  • Park End
  • Priestfields
  • Saltersgill
  • Stainton
  • Thorntree
  • Tollesby
  • Whinney Banks

Redcar

  • Brotton
  • Carlin How
  • Dormanstown
  • Easington
  • Eston
  • Grangetown
  • Guisborough
  • Kirkleatham
  • Lazenby
  • Lingdale
  • Loftus
  • Marske-by-the-Sea
  • New Marske
  • Normanby
  • Ormesby
  • Redcar
  • Saltburn-by-the-Sea
  • Skelton-in-Cleveland
  • Skinningrove
  • South Bank
  • Teesville
  • Wilton

Student Reviews

Silas Tutu ★★★★★ I highly recommend Shift Driving School Gateshead for beginners or anyone with some prior experience. Their website is excellent, and the app is incredibly user friendly, it makes booking lessons, tracking progress, making payments, and setting your availability so simple.One of the things that impressed me most was how quickly Shift matched me with an instructor. Within a week of purchasing my package, I was driving. Other companies I contacted took over two weeks just to respond and told me I’d be waiting up to five weeks for an instructor. Choosing Shift was definitely the best decision I made.I had Simon as my instructor, and he was fantastic. He was super flexible with my hectic schedule, gave me honest and constructive feedback, and used the app to track my progress so I could clearly see what I needed to work on and what I was already doing well. This made the lessons streamlined and efficient.Simon also gave me the confidence to believe I was ready before I even felt it myself and he was right. Thanks to his teaching, I passed my driving test with zero faults (not even a single minor!).Overall, Shift offers great cars (Mercedes 😉), an easy to use system, and most importantly, excellent instructors. Huge thanks to Simon for making the learning experience such a positive one!chris eagle ★★★★★ My experience using Shift Driving School in Gateshead has been outstanding from start to finish.My instructor, Simon Houghton, was incredibly patient, personable, and knowledgeable. He explained everything clearly, tailored lessons to my pace, and kept me calm with encouraging, constructive feedback.His local knowledge and practical tips made a huge difference, and my confidence grew every week.Thanks to Simon’s guidance, I’ve just passed my driving test and feel ready to drive independently.I’d highly recommend Shift driving School—especially Simon—to anyone in Gateshead looking for a supportive, professional instructor and great results.Megan Wood ★★★★★ Passed with Simon today! He’s an outstanding instructor, so much patience and understanding, especially for neurodivergent learners. My confidence developed massively whilst learning with Simon. Also big shout out to the whole team, especially Lewis, for being so reassuring when I first reached out about lessons. I’d recommend these guys to anyone.Adam Plumb ★★★★★ Super organised with their own app which helps you fit your lessons in whenever you like. Lewis is so patient and supportive and very calming when you’re just beginning. He has really developed my confidence and I couldn’t recommend Shift and Lewis enough!Jess Baum ★★★★★ Lottie Johnson ★★★★★ Lewis is a great instructor, very calming and patient. This was my first lesson with him and I was put at ease straight away. Looking forward to continuing our lessons!Charlotte Briggs ★★★★★ Could not recommend Shift enough. I did Automatic Driving Lessons with them and I passed first time in Gateshead. The app is really good too. Would highly recommend!Benjamin Mcgarry ★★★★★ Lewis is a great instructor very patient, clear, and encouraging he made learning to drive feel easy and enjoyable highly recommend.AJAY chandran ★★★★★ I passed my test today and would like to thank my instructor, Mr. Hassan. He has been incredibly kind, patient, and clear in his explanations, which made the whole learning experience truly positive. Throughout my journey, I had only one instructor and never felt the need to change, thanks to the excellent guidance I received. I’m also grateful to the Shift team for making everything smooth and convenient through the mobile application.Garry Dando ★★★★★ Highly recommend Shift Driving School. They were an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. Special shout out to my instructor Hassan, who taught me from scratch in just under 6 months. I had no previous driving experience at all and he talked through the steps and skills needed clearly, always supportively pushing me. Delighted to have passed at first attempt! Couldn’t have done it without the team at Shift and Hassan. Thank you!Thanh Tran ★★★★★ I just passed my driving test. With many thanks to Simon instructor at Shift driving school. I learned a lot and Simon was very patient and guide me well. I am grateful for the excellent teaching and kind lessons I had. Definitely recommend.Sarah ★★★★★ What an AMAZING school this is!! My instructor was brilliant! She was so patient, and I found out much easier ways to do things. Booking was easy, they use an app to manage lessons which is so easy and there is no back and forth with texts and phone calls. If you are looking for driving lessons in Gateshead, use Shift 100%! Thanks so much guys! <3js_loader
Rosie's Pass picture with Shift Driving School's White DS3 Learner Car
Emily's Pass picture with Shift Driving School's White Ford Puma Learner Car
Eleanor's Pass picture with Shift Driving School's White BMW Learner Car
Alex's Pass picture with his own car
Student Pass picture with Shift Driving School's White Mini Cooper D

FAQ

How many lessons will I need?

The number of lessons you’ll need will depend on your individual circumstances and how quickly you learn. On average, it takes around 40-50 hours to pass the test, but some people may need more or less depending on their previous experience, confidence level, and ability to learn. Bear in mind also that your instructor will only take you for test if they deem you to be ready for it, otherwise they will not allow you to use their vehicle for it.

Do you have female instructors?

Yes, we do have female instructors available. When you book your lessons, you can request a female instructor if you would prefer.

Do you teach test routes?

Your instructor will show you some popular test areas, but they won’t necessarily be the exact routes. Our theory is, when you have finished your training with Shift, you should be able to drive on any road in the United Kingdom. This isn’t to say that your instructor won’t show you any complex roundabouts or hazards in the test area though. Its good to know locations of popular landmarks too so you have a good idea of where you are, so you know what to expect.

Is there a long wait for driving lessons in Newcastle?

We do our best to accommodate all our students’ needs and offer flexible scheduling. However, availability may vary depending on the location and the time of year. Availability at the moment fluctuates quite a lot, so you are probably best off giving us a call on 0333 996 8989 or you can see our current waiting times if any by clicking here.

What other areas do you cover?

At the moment we provide lessons in Newcastle, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Redcar and their surrounding areas. Additionally, we are actively seeking instructors in all areas. Do you know someone who has what it takes? Click here to visit our become an instructor page.

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Denise W.
Denise W.
1732480140
I 10000000% recommend this driving school my instructor has been appsalutly amazing he had so much patience and really helped me through all my lessons then he recommend me a nervous course which really helped me as I really struggled with my nerve on my test but I finally done it and passed my test and I wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for lewis so thank u sooooo much :)
Amarah L.
Amarah L.
1737135660
Lewis was a very patient and reassuring driving instructor and couldn’t recommend him enough! Definitely couldn’t have passed without him and shift thanks!
Laura W.
Laura W.
1722025864
Recently had my first lesson with Alex at shift and was made to feel very comfortable. After several other instructors he made me feel at ease with my nerves and spoke me through what we’d be doing and boosted my confidence, can’t thank him enough and hope to be passed soon with his teaching
Georgia P.
Georgia P.
1687349847
The best driving school. Not only reliable but really friendly instructors. They are open and honest to help you improve whilst always being kind and helping you. I could not thank them enough for helping me pass first time. They are an amazing driving school and I highly recommend them if you want a reliable instructor who won’t knock your confidence.
James B.
James B.
1719080802
Thanks to Kelli’s expertise, teaching and support, I passed my driving test today on my first attempt! I cannot recommend her and Shift Driving School highly enough to anyone looking to learn to drive confidently and efficiently.My experience with Shift Driving School was fantastic, from contacting them to arrange lessons to my instructor, Kelli, who was amazing and whose lessons I thoroughly enjoyed. I will miss my weekly lessons going forward!With Kelli’s guidance, I saw great progress in a short amount of time. Her patience, positivity, and encouragement was fantastic throughout the entire process. Kelli takes time to get to know you, and I can safely say she is the kindest and most supportive driving instructor you will have.A big thanks again to Kelli for her outstanding instruction and support throughout my journey. I would never have passed without you.
Charlotte B.
Charlotte B.
1756571367
Could not recommend Shift enough. I did Automatic Driving Lessons with them and I passed first time in Gateshead. The app is really good too. Would highly recommend!
Sophie L.
Sophie L.
1723061474
Thomas G.
Thomas G.
1753794756
I just passed my driving test this morning and I honestly couldn’t be happier! A massive thank you to my instructor, Ciaran at Shift Driving School — he made the whole learning process so easy and completely stress-free. Compared to other instructors I’ve had in the past, learning with Ciaran was like night and day. He’s calm, patient, clear with his instructions, and always made me feel confident behind the wheel.The lessons were always well-structured, and Shift’s booking system through their app is super convenient and organised — no hassle at all. Everything ran smoothly from start to finish, and I never had a single issue.I genuinely couldn’t have done it without Ciaran’s support and guidance. If you’re looking for a great instructor and a reliable driving school, I highly recommend Ciaran and Shift. Thank you again!
Tarek H.
Tarek H.
1714456784
Great service. Alex showed a lot of commitment.He is highly recommended as a driving instructor. Follow his directions and get you pass the test.
Adz
Adz
1711642767
Can't rate shift highly enough. My instructor Alex was exceptional. He always motivated me and fully had my best interests at heart. Highly recommend!!!
Benjamin M.
Benjamin M.
1756246276
Lewis is a great instructor very patient, clear, and encouraging he made learning to drive feel easy and enjoyable highly recommend.
Abbie R
Abbie R
1689940052
Alex was a fantastic driving instructor. He was always calm, and gave clear, easy-to-follow instructions which made me feel confident when driving. I passed first time so I would definitely recommend Shift.
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