Tuesday, 06 April 2010 09:17 Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 April 2010 09:18 Written by Nigel

I work part-time at a school and the other week I was in my office when I heard voices from the adjacent office, “...a child has been knocked down...”, “what!? One of our kiddies?”. This was the Deputy Head and in an instance he was out of the school, running down the road in his shirt sleeves on a cold March evening towards the gathering crowd. Yes, it was one of our “kiddies”. I stayed in the office, there was not a lot I could do to help, but with a feeling of increasing concern, as I heard the paramedic fast response vehicle speed by and then later the ambulance. About an hour later the Deputy Head was back in the office, rather cold and shocked, he told me what he thought had happened. It appeared that the young boy had simply seen friends across the road and had stepped out in front of on-coming vehicles. Another teacher had gone in the ambulance with the boy who was able to talk but we didn't know how badly injured he was.

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Thursday, 04 March 2010 18:03 Last Updated on Thursday, 04 March 2010 18:16 Written by Nigel

Do you sometimes wonder how you got where you are today?  Maybe life hasn't turned out quite how you expected but here you are.  Two years ago I was in a job that I expected to last until my retirement, we had a house in Mark with some land, a pony, dog and various chickens.  Here I am now, sitting in the lounge of our bungalow in Chilton Polden.  It's a Friday, I don't work Fridays!  I've had a pleasant morning with my wife in town, culminating in a late breakfast.  It's quiet here.  I can hear the stream running down past the bungalow and not a lot else.  But how did I get here?  It all started with that Management buyout where I worked.  Good, I thought, perhaps we will have some positive changes going on round here.  Yes, your job is redundant.  Change then, but not quite what I expected.  So what next?  Driving, I enjoy driving.  Why not train to be a Driving Instructor?  I taught my wife to drive, before we got married, and yes we are still married!  Changing direction can be exciting and fraught, all at the same time.  In the midst of a recession, out of work, selling your house, parting with a much loved pony, farming the chickens out, the poor old dog having a fit and dying,  being persuaded back into a full time job, moving house, being made redundant again (I ask you!), out of work again, moving house again and then getting a part-time job in a school.  All this time training to be a Driving Instructor.  Quite frankly, it's no get rich quick scheme and what those glossy adverts don't tell you is that if you don't pass the final test within three attempts, that's it, don't come back for two years and then start  the whole process from the beginning again! Plus say goodbye to the money you invested in the training.  But, I did it, I am qualified, so I will be driving in a new direction. 

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Saturday, 21 February 2009 10:11 Written by Administrator

The certificate is awarded by continuous assessment - so there is no test to take. When all 6 modules have been successfully completed, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will issue a certificate. Pass Plus with Starfish Driving - CLICK for MORE INFO...

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Saturday, 21 February 2009 10:10 Last Updated on Saturday, 15 August 2009 12:17 Written by Administrator

Pass Plus is a course designed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to enable newly qualified drivers to develop their skills further.  STARFISHDRIVING.co.uk are fully accredited to run the course.  Among its many benefits, Pass Plus can enable some drivers to access cheaper motor insurance. Statistics show that the risk of being involved in an accident is highest during the first two years of driving, after passing the driving test. This is the main reason why the Government launched the Pass Plus scheme.

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