No evidence
The examiner has not seen evidence that the required competence has been demonstrated during the lesson.
ADI PART 3 MARKING
Understand what the examiner is actually scoring.
ADI Part 3 is marked across 17 competencies covering lesson planning, risk management and teaching and learning strategies. Understanding how those competencies work together can make the marking sheet far less intimidating.
PART 3 MARKING AT A GLANCE
17
Competencies assessed
3
Main assessment categories
0–3
Score for each competency
51
Maximum possible score
UNDERSTANDING THE MARKING SHEET
It isn’t really 17 separate boxes.
The marking sheet separates your performance into individual competencies so the examiner can assess the lesson consistently.
But a real driving lesson does not happen in 17 isolated pieces. What you do in one area often affects the evidence available in another.
For example, if you have not properly established what your pupil needs from the lesson, it becomes much harder to show that the lesson structure has genuinely been matched to them.
Back to ADI Part 3 →
THE 0–3 SCALE
What does each score mean?
Each of the 17 competencies is scored individually from 0 to 3.
A few elements
Some parts of the competence have been demonstrated, but important elements are still missing.
Most elements
Most of the required elements have been demonstrated, although there is still room for development.
All elements
The examiner has seen evidence that all elements of the competence have been demonstrated.
THE 17 COMPETENCIES
Three categories. One complete lesson.
The examiner groups the competencies into Lesson Planning, Risk Management and Teaching & Learning Strategies.
CATEGORY 1
Lesson Planning.
Four competencies examine whether the lesson has been built around the pupil rather than around a pre-planned subject or routine.
Learning goals & needs
Have you established what the pupil needs to work on, what they want from the lesson and what previous experience is relevant?
Appropriate lesson structure
Is the lesson pitched at the pupil's current experience and ability rather than being too easy, too difficult or unrelated to their needs?
Suitable practice areas
Does the environment give the pupil a realistic opportunity to practise the agreed skill safely and productively?
Adapting the lesson
Can you change the plan when the pupil's performance shows that a different approach, location or level of support is needed?
CATEGORY 2
Risk Management.
Five competencies assess whether you can keep the lesson safe while helping the pupil take an appropriate level of responsibility.
Sharing responsibility for risk
Does the pupil understand what they are responsible for and when you may need to provide support or intervene?
Clear and timely directions
Are your instructions understandable and delivered early enough for the pupil to respond without being rushed or overloaded?
Awareness
Are you continually aware of the road environment, developing hazards and what your pupil is doing?
Timely intervention
When support is necessary, do you intervene verbally or physically at an appropriate time and at the right level?
Safety-critical feedback
When something safety-critical occurs, does the pupil understand what happened, why it mattered and what they need to do differently?
CATEGORY 3
Teaching & Learning Strategies.
The final eight competencies examine the quality of the learning taking place and how effectively you adapt your teaching to the pupil.
Appropriate teaching style
Is the amount and type of support suited to the pupil's current ability and how they are learning?
Analysis & responsibility
Is the pupil encouraged to think about problems, make decisions and take increasing responsibility for their own learning?
Using opportunities to learn
Do you make useful connections between what happens on the road and the lesson's agreed learning outcomes?
Technical information
Is the information you give accurate, relevant, understandable and appropriate to the pupil's stage of development?
Timely feedback
Does the pupil receive useful feedback at a time when it can genuinely help them understand and improve?
Answering pupil questions
Are the pupil's questions recognised, explored and answered rather than being overlooked or brushed aside?
Professional manner
Do you maintain an appropriate, respectful and non-discriminatory approach throughout the lesson?
Pupil reflection
At the end of the session, is the pupil encouraged to evaluate their own performance and identify what should happen next?
THE IMPORTANT BIT
The competencies affect each other.
Trying to demonstrate each competency separately can make a lesson feel mechanical. Strong teaching usually creates evidence across several competencies at the same time.
DVSA examiner guidance specifically recognises that the scoring should make sense across related competencies. Weak evidence in one area can affect what can logically be demonstrated elsewhere.
Goals → lesson structure
You need to understand what the pupil needs before you can
genuinely tailor the lesson around them.
Awareness → intervention → feedback
You first need to recognise developing risk before you can
decide whether support is required and then help the pupil
learn from it.
Analysis → independence
Good questioning and reflection can gradually move
responsibility from the instructor towards the pupil.
YOUR FINAL RESULT
The scores are added together.
With 17 competencies each worth up to 3 points, the maximum possible score is 51.
Your total determines the grade, unless an automatic fail applies because of risk management or a safety-critical situation.
Download the Marking Sheet
PART 3 RESULTS
0–30
Fail
The required overall standard has not been met.
31–42
Grade B
A passing result allowing you to join the ADI register.
43–51
Grade A
A passing result showing a high standard of instruction.
!
Automatic fail
A Risk Management score of 7 or less, or the examiner stopping the lesson because somebody has been put in danger, results in an automatic fail.
TRAINING FOR THE COMPETENCIES
Understand the reason, not just the wording.
Knowing the 17 questions on the marking sheet is useful, but memorising them will not create a good Part 3 lesson.
When I work with you, we'll look at what each competency actually means during a live lesson, what evidence an examiner can see and how weaknesses in one area can affect another.
The goal is to help you become a better instructor, not to spend 45 minutes trying to perform for a checklist.
Ask Marcus about Part 3 training →
WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR PART 3 SCORE?
Work on the lesson, not just the numbers.
Marcus can help you understand where your teaching is already strong, where evidence is being lost and what needs to change before your Part 3 test.