The AA Driving School Reviews

Name: The AA Driving School
Address: Fanum House, Basing View,, RG21 4EA
Rating: 3.99

4.0 Rating 1,122 Reviews

75 %

of reviewers recommend The AA Driving School

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

4.0

Based on 1,122 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Postal Service
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour

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Phone:

0330 100 7470

Email:

customer.services@theaa.com

Location:

Fanum House, Basing View,
RG21 4EA
Basingstoke

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The AA Driving School 5 star review on 7th September 2025

"I passed my driving test today! It was my second attempt at the practical exam, and I\u2019m beyond grateful to AA Driving School and my incredible instructor, Junaid, for helping me get here.\r\nWhen I first started learning, one of the first challenges I faced was finding an instructor who taught automatic cars in my area. I felt lucky to discover Junaid through the AA Driving School website. Not only was he available, but AA\u2019s lesson prices were also more affordable than the local average.\r\nJunaid was a game-changer. He\u2019s not just a skilled driver\u2014he\u2019s a phenomenal teacher. Always patient, polite, reliable, consistently punctual, and endlessly encouraging. I\u2019ve struggled with confidence and can be quite emotional at times, especially when I made mistakes or failed my mock tests (which happened more than once!). But Junaid never let me spiral. He helped me believe in myself, build confidence, and stay calm.\r\nI\u2019ll never forget one moment when I was feeling overwhelmed. He pointed to the \u201cAA\u201d and \u201cL\u201d signs on the bonnet, then to the brake pedal under his seat, and said:\u201cDon\u2019t panic on the road. I\u2019m with you. Other road users can see you\u2019re a learner\u2014they\u2019ll be kind.\u201d\r\nThat simple reassurance meant everything. Whenever I felt down, Junaid reminded me of the progress I\u2019d made and helped me focus on the positives. His feedback was always constructive, and his deep knowledge and experience made every lesson feel purposeful. I could genuinely feel myself improving day by day. \r\nEven on the early morning of my test, I was a bundle of nerves. I was even thinking of cancelling the test. I messaged Junaid, and he replied me: \u201cDon\u2019t worry, just give it a go! Don\u2019t lose hope. I\u2019m with you.\u201d\r\nThat message gave me the courage I needed. On the way to the test centre, he kept reassuring me that my skills were solid and I just needed to stay relaxed. That made all the difference. Yes I was still a bit nervous during the test, but I didn\u2019t panic\u2014and I did my best. When the examiner said I\u2019d passed, I was in total disbelief!\r\nJunaid is hands-down the best instructor I could\u2019ve asked for. I can\u2019t recommend him highly enough. And huge thanks to AA Driving School for making this journey possible. I\u2019ll definitely be recommending AA to all my friends who are preparing for their driving tests!"

The AA Driving School 5 star review on 23rd August 2025

The AA Driving School 5 star review on 25th June 2025

Anonymous

230

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Terrible service. The instructor is passive aggressive, never responds to messages. if the student is running late due to train cancellation he waits 5 Mins, cancels the lesson and expects a full Charge. Contacting the AA is unhelpful And relies on a chat bot. Meanwhile it seems the instructor Is only interested in charging as much as possible. Terrible school”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 months ago

“I had been having lessons for a number of months all going well getting ready for my test, then unexplained three weeks before my test my driving instructor cancelled all his lessons with me and blocked off his availability for me, leaving me with no instructor for my test. The AA were unable to give any reason and were very unhelpful on finding a replacement.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 months ago

“I passed my driving test and did it with another driving school. The first instructor I had was from RED, named Ali Hasson Mohamed, who dropped out from the contract at RED and came to AA, because they gave him a better income deal. He did not tell me at the start of our lessons that there might be potential of him leaving instead he just stopped coming to our lessons with my test right around the corner. I was not told at all he might change schools and it came as such a shock. I was told continuously I was gonna fail my test because of my driving but it wasn’t me it was him because he knew he was going to leave me right before my test. By luck I got another incredible instructor and passed on my first attempt. So be careful and be alert of instructors as it was disappointing for the way things were left not to mention constant downgrade and the vaping during our lessons. Instructors should motivate their students not continuously telling them they are going to fail.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 months ago

“DO NOT use Biniam Micheal through the AA as your driving instructor. Terrible instructor. He cancelled my lesson at the last minute, and left me searching for a refund. He is also incredibly rude.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 months ago

“I have been taking driving lessons with AA since October. I started taking lessons with AA on the 15th Oct 2024 and my last lesson was January the 31st. Within that time frame, I had done 32 hours of driving lessons. I booked my test in November for March as I'm aware that tests must be booked months in advance and I did not want to have to wait 5/6 months for a test once ready to do the test. When I completed 30 hours we had a conversation about the test and he told me I’m not half way through covering what we need to cover. After 30 hours??? Unfortunately, although completing 32 hours. I did not progress the way I should have for the amount of driving I did. In my lessons we had not covered many areas which I feel we definitely should have covered such as manoeuvres and roundabouts. I did not go on a dual carriageway nor a large roundabout. I barley used gears beyond gear 2 (I used gear 3 maybe twice). I am currently using a new driving instructor but it feels like I'm starting from the first lesson as my new instructor has to correct a lot of bad technique that I had been taught or that wasn't corrected with my instructor from AA. In addition to this, my instructor would arrive on my road and we'd be stationary for 45 mins - 1 hour of my 2-hour lessons just going over the things we'd be covering that lesson. I understand maybe having a 10 min brief of what we'd be going over but 45 minutes to an hour is excessive!! And to pay £34 an hour is too much to spend just talking for an hour. I've done 32 hours so I've spent £1,088 on lessons to still be at a beginner's level. Although my instructor was a lovely person, I'm extremely unhappy and disappointed with the lack of progress I've made and the time wasted on theory during my practical driving lessons. I contacted AA about potential compensation for the money wasted and the lack of progress but they have not responded to rectify this issue. I didn't want to reach out about this as the lessons have already been taken but I've spent over a grand on lessons and I'm having a new instructor correct me on my bad driving techniques and introducing me to new things that I should've definitely covered in my 32 hours of lessons. This was my personal experience with my instructor, I cannot speak for other instructors within the company, however, save yourself the time and money and find an instructor that will prioritise teaching you properly, so you won’t have to book as many lessons, as opposed to learning the bare minimum and having to book multiple lessons and spend a grand on wasted lessons.”

The AA Driving School 1 star review on 27th February 2025

Helpful Report

Posted 6 months ago

“useless, the driving instructor didn’t message me till the same day, 5 mins before my driving lesson and cancelled on me.”

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Posted 6 months ago

“Ripley Derbyshire. 4 th time now let down Daughter is so disappointed every week...at the last minute ...”

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Posted 6 months ago

“I had a disappointing experience with TheAA Driving School on 31/01/2025. My instructor insisted on seeing my National Insurance Number, which I don't have, and refused to accept my provisional driving license alone. This led to a 38-minute delay while I contacted the DVLA for verification. The instructor's unprofessional remark about throwing students out of the car if they were rude created an uncomfortable atmosphere. Additionally, my lesson was cut short by 18 minutes. Overall, the instructor's behaviour was dismissive and unprofessional, falling below the high standards I expect from AA Driving School. I felt discriminated against and hope this review prompts improvements.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“My daughter had Timothy Vaughan who gave 54 auto lessons did not teach her the right way made her change her test from southend to norwhich with soemone and presumably sold it to another client forcing her to change test as shes not ready and cant use his car black mailing her then a week before test tells her i think you could of passed what a cheat and used her for her money my daughter then managed to change her test to southend and he kept pestering her for 2 hour lessons 3 months before her test when she was ready 6 months ago then all of a sudden messages her saying he cant give lessons anymore due to cutting back hours. So after all these lessons he failed to take her to her test used her for the money and taught her many wrong things that our new instructor told us its wrong he even said you cant use reverse camera while parking he even gave her a number of someone who buys and sells tests in area he is a FRAUD do not take lessons with him he will teach you the wrong way i have never had anyone like this in 35 years of teaching my other 3 children all learnt in 30 to 35 lessons and passed AVOID AVOID THIS PERSON TIMOTHY VAUGHAN we will be seaking compendsation and contacting trading standards”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“The AA driving instructor with the registration number KR23 BHD needs to learn some actual parking skills. When he is off work his AA vehicle is constantly blocking neighbours driveways and access points for long periods and overnight. We have had several emergency services vehicles in the area whom have had difficulty accessing properties because of this. The person obviously has no consideration for others. Perhaps he needs to brush up on the highway code?”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“I had a very bad experience with my driving instructor Lisa who worked for the AA she wasted 20 hours of my money and time. She only took me around one estate and one main road the entire time and used to be 5-10 minutes late every single lesson. She the would park up for a good 30-45 minutes of my lesson and wouldn’t stop talking about her life and the things going on in her life such as how her boyfriend had an incident at his workplace which caused damage to his hand, how her sister was having relationship issues with her boyfriend and other problems in her life that didn’t relate at all to me learning how to drive . I don’t know if she thought I was her personal therapist but I’m not happy at all with the outcome as I’ve spent around £600 and only been compensated by the AA £31 which I find ridiculous. Once again I will not be recommending this driving school to anyone, ever.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“I don’t recommend at all! I’ve had a few lessons with this driving instructor (18 hours) and he kept saying we would have to do certain manoeuvres next lessons but whenever those lessons came he never taught me what he had planned. We never even went on the motorway and kept telling me to do stuff I already knew to “polish” them. I am a great driver and it’s clear he just wanted to take my money. I have a driving test now and he cancelled on me last minute. I’m left with no car for the driving test! Absolutely mockery”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“The indicator repeatedly cancels driving lessons with only 30 minutes’ notice, causing me to wait unnecessarily. That's bad”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“AA outsource to bad driving instructors. I'm disabled, I was given an instuctor who was always late. Would cancel sometimes after being 40 minutes late. Would answer his phone during lessons. Then decides to go abroad on a skiing holiday 10 days before my test without notification. I found out through one of his colleagues. I now have to pay one his colleagues 80 for a mock test which should be covered with my 40 hours of driving lessons all because my driving instructors colleague isn't aa approved.”

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Posted 7 months ago

“waist of 1.5 years of driving my money went down the drain after my instructor made me change my test and on the test day said i woiuld of passed if he did not change it then had anotherm test in 4 months which i managed to change he then kept pestering me to do 2 hours becaus he had no resaon to guve 2 hours after 1.5 years worth of 2 hours of lessons he then says he is cutting down on lesswons and refuses to give me more lessons because i mitght fail and will go against his record plaes be awaqre he will not let tou use hes car for test”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 months ago

“There is no response and the escalation team has no respect and feelings for the customers who pay them in advance to book classes. It's Humiliating and rude behaviour from the Driver instructor. The customer service is not responding. It's only the Chat. I request all the People to not use their service. These people I think treating everybody with the same manners and attitude. It was me who had a Socratic attitude of questioning the concern people. This is my Emprical knowledge and lived experience with the instructor. I thing many people will not even question the authority.”

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Posted 8 months ago

“Driver was extremely rude, not responsive to the messges and impolite in his communication, approach and unprofessional in his behaviour and threatening in his attitude and service. He threatened me saying that i can complain to anybody and that makes him no issue. He was reminding me about my inefficiency for post poning my driving test which was none of his busness. He asked me to complain stating that he was only boss and there was none above him. This kind of Driving instructors are not only a bad package but will get the the reputation of the organisation deteriorate and worsen the whole experience of trusting the driving and learning organisations. The heads of the organisation must feel ashamed.”

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Posted 8 months ago

“Paid for a driving instructor course. Got an email a few months later to say it's been cancelled. Tried emailing and phoning. Nothing. Lost £1400. Stay clear.”

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Posted 8 months ago

“Signed up for 10 hours for my son. Lessons keep getting cancelled. Driving instructor not really interested in getting him through and not interested in his progress. Unacceptable!”

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Posted 8 months ago

“The instructor was very impatient abd irrational. It did not help that he was I could not understand somethings he said coz of his foreign accent.”

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Posted 8 months ago

The AA Driving School is rated 4.0 based on 1,122 reviews