About Tony Straughan and North East School of Motoring

My name is Tony Straughan, and I have lived in Hetton-le-Hole all my life. North East School of Motoring is my driving school, and I teach automatic driving lessons across Sunderland, County Durham and Hartlepool in a fully electric, dual-controlled car. This page tells you a little about my background, my qualifications and why I do what I do.

Three decades on both sides of the L-plate

I started teaching learner drivers in the 1990s and built a successful self-employed driving instructor business over my first 8 years on the road. In 2002 I joined the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (formerly the Driving Standards Agency) as a driving examiner. I went on to spend 22 years inside the DVSA, by which point I had:

  • Conducted thousands of practical driving tests across the North East
  • Passed further qualifications to become a DVSA examiner trainer, teaching new examiners how to assess candidates fairly and consistently
  • Earned a teaching degree
  • Achieved a Certificate in Professional Development (CPD)
  • Achieved NVQ Levels 1 and 2 in Teaching
  • Worked closely with ADI assessment teams, gaining detailed insight into how the L test and the ADI qualifying tests are scored

I resigned from the DVSA in July 2023 and was seconded by Teendrive. There, I continued teaching in an automatic car, conducted mock tests drawing on my examiner experience, and ultimately took over as the company's Training Manager. When the business was sold, I returned to my own school, North East School of Motoring, where I am today, focused on delivering Automatic Driving Lessons

Two people in a car reviewing paperwork, one holding a pen and looking down at a form.

Why I keep teaching

The DVSA's motto is 'safe driving for life', and I genuinely believe in it. Passing your test is a fantastic milestone, but the real prize is becoming a thoughtful, confident, defensive driver who handles roundabouts, motorways and tricky junctions safely for the next 50 years. My lessons are built around that idea. Every junction we tackle, every roundabout we negotiate, every emergency stop we rehearse is preparation for the real-world driving you will be doing long after the test certificate is signed.


Get in touch


Phone or text Tony on 07773 217 348 to discuss automatic driving lessons or ADI training. New pupils, returning drivers and trainee instructors are all welcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long have you been teaching?

I have been involved in driving instruction for over 30 years, including 8 years as a self-employed ADI and 22 years inside the DVSA as an examiner and examiner trainer. I returned to one-to-one teaching in 2023.

No. I teach exclusively in a fully electric automatic car, which is what the majority of modern learners want and where the future of UK driving is clearly heading. I do, however, train PDIs and ADIs who plan to teach manual lessons themselves. Driving Instructor Training

Are you DVSA approved?

Yes. I am a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) and previously worked for the DVSA as a driving examiner and examiner trainer.