The whole process was brilliant. I was really impressed with how accommodating everyone was.

Hi

Despite being incredibly nervous yesterday the test went well...

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"Hi Anne,
Just wanted so say thanks for your help over the duration of the course.
Paul was brilliant over the two days.
Thanks again,
Adam "

It has been a great experience from completing the theory test right up until passing the practical. I would like to thank the Castle Driver team for their support and assistance throughout and in particular Cliff, whom was very supportive, patient and professional over the last couple of days. Passing first time would not have been possible without his expertise and brilliant approach which not only prepared me for the test but also gave me lots of confidence during it.

Once again a huge thank you for pulling out the stops to get the bus delivered today, it really is appreciated. It definitely confirms that you were the right choice in supplying our minibus. I will be singing your praises to anyone who is thinking of getting a minibus.

A massive thank you !!

The whole thing was very easy. The flexibility of Ed (Smith) sorting out his own medical and practical test on his own and then being able to book the training and test through you was great. Training was obviously excellent as Ed sailed through it all.

I would strongly recommend the process to others and if I can persuade others to get their D1 licence, we will do it all through you.

Best wishes, Angus Harper
Bursar
Homefield Preparatory School

Liz is excellent - very patient with her students and a good calming presence with what can be very frustrating if like me you took your original test 20 years ago.


Thanks for all your help, support and flexibility in working around my other commitments.

I was very impressed with Castle's whole package. The online theory preparation was excellent and allowed me to see my progress and I felt very confident going in to the test. Paul was excellent. Again I felt very confident going into the test as he had prepared me so well for it.

Thank you very much for your efficiency in providing us with our new minibus. We are delighted with the service from you and your team, the bus was delivered on time and as arranged - the two drivers were lovely, friendly and helpful and the whole process has been smooth and efficient.

A huge thank you on behalf of all of us at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and for providing us with an excellent mini bus training service. We are all confident about driving teams around now and have the certificates to go with it.

I was extremely impressed with the lesson structure for my minibus driving training, I felt the time available was ample time to prepare me for the test and Shane was extremely supportive and gave me lots of confidence in my driving going into my test.

Good morning,

I just wanted to thank you for organising my minibus training and test. I passed yesterday, which I am so pleased about!!

I also wondered if you could pass on how impressed I was with the instructor I had, Paul. He was absolutely brilliant in terms of his ability to teach and support over the two days. I was so, so nervous and he ensured I was calm and ready for the test, so I’m very, very grateful and would recommend him to anyone!

Thank you!

Chloe

Liz was super and very helpful through my experience.

Liz was a super instructor: very easy to listen to, calm and just the right amount of direction. She was spot on with the prep for the test too.

I couldn't have passed my D1 test without Cliff! An excellent instructor and person, very lucky to spend two days with him. His knowledge and tips got me through a very stressful test.

There are 420 very excited children and 60 very excited staff at this end. Seriously, we are very grateful for the superb way in which Castle Vehicle Leasing have helped us to secure these vehicles on terms not offered by our local authority.

Castle has made this process so easy for us, and you have been so quick and flexible, we really are looking forward to a long-term association with Castle.

I would just like to pass on my thanks to Cliff for a great 2 days. He made it a thoroughly enjoyable experience and was a massive help. The training was extensive and I feel it provided me with everything I needed to feel confident going into the test.
Thanks again.

"Dear Anne,

Liz was a fantastic trainer. She gave lots of helpful tips for all the key driving competencies that were assessed and I felt fully prepared for the exam. She was also extremely calm and supportive on the day of the test which I really appreciated.

Many thanks,"

Cliff has been absolutely fantastic. He is an amazing instructor, he has a lovely calm manner that inspires confidence and his tips during D1 training have been outstanding.

Good Afternoon

I just wanted to say thank you for helping me pass the D1 test.

The online resources were a great help with preparing for the two theory tests. The two days practical training were also fantastic. Cliff was extremely professional, very clear with his advice and instructions, explained the reversing manoeuvre and test fantastically well and on the morning of the test gave me amazing advice and hints for the roads around Kirkham, several of which came up on the test. I honestly don't think I could have done it without his advice, support and calming influence.

Thanks again

Dave

The training was excellent with the correct balance of humour and seriousness. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves ( makes a change from being stuck at my desk!) 

Paul was an excellent instructor. He was very good at correcting bad habits that I had fallen into as well as giving useful knowledge about driving large vehicles and what to expect from the test itself.

It was an intense couple of days and my brain needed a rest after concentrating so much over such a short space of time but I'd say that two days is right - I was ready for my test and didn't need any more time to practise.

Many thanks to Paul and Castle!

Best wishes
Ed Smith

All of the staff has given me good feedback so thank you for your help and support.

Cliff was brilliant over the two days first class I cannot fault him, real nice man and very good at his job, the bus was in perfect condition, and castle have been brilliant since day one.

The feedback is very positive, the trainer was very flexible in approach with 1 refresher driver and 2 new drivers on the course. He was also very helpful to the Headteacher who had some questions about other training sessions we were enquiring about. Everyone was very happy.

So all very good thank you!

Thank you for your congratulations!

I have to say I think Cliff was absolutely awesome with a very laid back but detailed approach to teaching. Cliff has very high standards but praised me when needed. Without the training, I would not have passed. I would highly recommend your programme and in particular Cliff.

The D1 process was painless. Training prepared me perfectly for the test.

Thanks for our wonderful new minibus which arrived today!
I will recommend your company without hesitation.

I have been very impressed with Castle Driver Training who I have found to be supportive and efficient.

We are very pleased with the overall service that has been provided and obviously the outcome. The way you provided a clear, step by step approach and organised things directly with the learner was excellent, obviously keeping me informed when I need to be. If the need arises again we would definitely call upon your services or be happy to recommend.

I have asked the staff for feedback who did the training with Cliff and the responses were as follows;

- Very informative and very useful. A pleasant training session.
- Cliff is a lovely natured man and were given a good length of practice time.

I hope these comments are useful.
Thankyou

Paul was an outstanding teacher and really considered every detail.  He was keen to discuss feedback at the end and I was really impressed by his professionalism.

Thank you ever so much for all your hard work behind the scenes. You've all played an integral part in me passing this qualification. Paul was fantastic as an instructor. Very friendly and excellent at transferring his knowledge. Couldn't have asked for more !

I have been very impressed by the level of contact, communication and support received. I would have no hesitation in recommending your company to colleagues.

It was important that the D1 training was facilitated in the school holidays to avoid disruption to the school timetable. Thank you so much for providing the training Castle Minibus. I would certainly recommend your services to other schools.

"Dear Anne

I am relieved to have passed too!

Thank you very much to you and to Paul for all your help in getting me to this point.

Paul was super – I am very pleased I didn’t let him down.

Best wishes

Jilli"

The minibus was fantastic and you did us proud. We would not hesitate to use Castle Minibus again or recommend others to do the same.

"Please pass on my thanks to Liz. She was a great instructor and made the test so much easier than it could have been!! I couldn't have done it without her! I'm just sorry (and annoyed at myself) that I couldn't give her a clear sheet!!! All the best Jonny"

Good afternoon
Just to let you know that Alan, Jayne and I all passed our Midas.
We had a useful and fun day and I think Cliff did too. Please, would you pass on my thanks to him?

Thank you very much. I really enjoyed both days and came out with a pass and 0 faults which I was very pleased with. Cliff was a great instructor, gave very clear advice which really supported my driving and he made sure I felt well prepared for the test.

Many thanks, Kate

"I passed my D1 practical test today and I just wanted to give you some feedback on my experience in completing my D1 assessment with Castle driver training.

The whole process was extremely straightforward and easy thanks to Cliff, my instructor and all the staff at Castle who I have been in contact with (Anne and Val are names which spring to mind). I was kept up to date with the whole process and always received a quick response when I had a query or question; as a teacher, I am often very busy throughout the week so this efficiency was highly appreciated! The level of service that Castle provided to me was fantastic - the fact that all of my tests were organised for me and I did not have to do anything other than practice my theory and turn up for the test made the whole process easy and not at all stressful.

I would also like to say a special thanks to Cliff, my driving instructor. Again he has kept in regular contact with me throughout the process, even to wish me good luck and congratulate me when I passed my theory which I thought was a really nice touch. As an instructor I cannot rate him highly enough, he is extremely knowledgeable and a fantastic teacher – thanks to his guidance I am much more confident about my driving. When I was really nervous before my test Cliff really made me feel at ease and I am sure that without him I would not have passed!

I would be grateful if you could pass on my thanks to your staff and especially Cliff. I will also pass on my feedback to our principal and business manager and I will not hesitate to recommend Castle driver training in the future."

Thanks! The training provided by Liz was very professional and she was a patient and excellent teacher. Her calm disposition and positive attitude was very encouraging and I would definitely recommend her to others wanting to gain their minibus qualification. The training programme was well communicated and I’m very happy with the level of service provided by Castle Driver Training.

I am very happy to have passed the D1. I thought the training was excellent. Paul was a fantastic instructor and had a great way of ironing out problems and habits.

Liz was a brilliant trainer who made me feel very relaxed but also confident in my ability to pass. I was very lucky to have her as my trainer.

Thank you very much.

I would just like to thank you for all your support and reminders along the way and to stress that Paul is a fantastic asset to the company and his approach and way of working is great! I thoroughly enjoyed the training and would recommend it to anybody thinking of driving larger vehicles as the experience has been invaluable.

Castle made the whole process easy and the theory material was very, very helpful. Liz was very supportive, knowledgeable and friendly- An excellent instructor.

Our minibus is absolutely amazing. We've started picking up and returning children who live a long way away. And of course it`s publicity for us when we are out and about. I wish we could have got one ages ago.

I am emailing as I took the D1 practical test today and passed with only a few minors. Despite previous concerns raised regarding Cliff, he was absolutely brilliant today in helping to calm my nerves during the training and prior to the test. His clear instructions on how to improve my reverse were sound and well explained, assisting me to perfect the manoeuvre and really raise my confidence (despite failing on this aspect previously). I would also like to feedback that Cliff helped me refine my general driving skills and that he was patient, kind and good humoured when giving constructive criticism to help me improve. Overall the driving experience today was excellent.

Many thanks to both Cliff and Paul for helping me to pass the minibus driving test.

I will always recommend your company for the minibus because I am really delighted to have gone with you last year.

It was a lot of driving!

Paul was very professional and had me impeccably prepared in time for the test.

Heavy roadworks limited my opportunities to mess it up!

I thoroughly enjoyed my two day training days with Paul. He was excellent in building confidence. Set out the key points right from the get go and picked up on the finest of details in which I needed to be more observant.
I feel the two day programme set me up perfectly for the test and was very confident when I undertook my test.
In both the theory and practical test I had sufficient practice and training and was very pleased with it all.

Thank you

Regards
Martin

A very successful outcome and a delighted new minibus driver!

"Dear Anne,

Thank you for your email. Very pleased with passing today.

Big thank you to Paul who was an excellent teacher."

I just wanted to thank you for helping me pass my minibus test... your trainer was a true professional who used a range of coaching techniques in order to get the best from me.

His tuition was intense but rewarding. He really pushes you hard but it is totally worth it by the time you come to your test. I felt totally prepared and breezed through the assessment with little problem.

The feedback I would give is on how excellent Cliff is. As a teacher myself I deal with how people should learn and I believe Cliff is truly excellent at it. He speaks in a slow, methodical manner which is easy to understand and the expert way to do it for instruction. He steadily builds up the learning progressively, with structured instruction.This not only made my driving better but also helped raise my confidence. His relaxed manner of teaching is really good and I was most impressed with him.

My thanks to all at Castle, for helping me gain my D1 licence. Liz was calm and very professional, even when I made the same mistakes, over and over she remained calm. I feel it was all down to Liz that I passed with only 2 minors. Could you pass on my thanks to her, for all the help she gave me during my training. I would like to wish Castle all the best for the future.
Many thanks
Paul Morgan.

Yes it is great Peter has now passed. He found the whole experience very positive. I also think it's great and I'm pleased I'm kept informed of the candidate's progress. It means I can poke them when needed!

Having now passed both elements of my D1 licence, I would like to thank you for making the process as straightforward as possible. The theory test preparations were extremely thorough and my progress was clearly indicated at every stage of my revision, making it easy to see which areas needed targeting. In the run up to my practical test, Cliff made me feel at ease, outlining the criteria for success from the start and helping me overcome a few bad habits I had picked up in my twenty years driving. I went into the test feeling confident, knowing exactly what I needed to do to get the desired result.

A big thank you to Castle Training!

Kind regards, Richard

Thank you for all your help in organising both the theory and practical tests. Liz was my instructor for the day and did an amazing job at helping me prepare for the practical test. She spotted and corrected my faults and made me a better driver.

Excellent service all round and I managed to pass everything FIRST time!!!

10/10 stars

Regards, Rich

Hi Anne,

Thanks for your email. I was really pleased to have passed!

I must say I’ve been really impressed with Castle all the way through this process. You’ve been very easy to get in touch with and very proactive in contacting me to prompt me to get things done. I’ve appreciated very much the best wishes and good luck messages as well. Cliff was terrific through both days of training. He’s an outstanding teacher with a very clear understanding of how he wants his pupils to drive. He’s also a really fun guy to drive around with which is pretty important for two days 1 to 1!

Thanks so much,
Richard

Liz was fantastic, she is a real asset 

Just to let you know the minibus has arrived and all is well. Can I take this opportunity to thank you and your team for a very impressive and efficient service? I wish it was this easy all the time....

We decided to lease our school minibuses from Castle Minibus under a contract hire agreement because it provided us with fixed costs, it removed all hassle and administration and it eliminated the financial risks by not having to pay volatile maintenance costs. Instead everything is covered by the monthly rentals.

Perhaps what we didn’t anticipate was that by operating modern and professional minibuses, that carry our school name and branding, it would also attract more pupils. Many new parents made contact with us after seeing the minibuses, and placed their children with us as a result.

Recognising the potential that the minibuses brought to us, we subsequently began advertising our open days on them – which has again resulted in an increase in numbers.

We are delighted with the minibus, the school are using it loads and the staff, pupils and parents are very happy with it.

Those that did the training enjoyed the day and found it useful too.

I would strongly recommend to others Paul as an instructor, and he made the two days training enjoyable and informative. Please do pass on my thanks to him. 

"I didn’t feel very confident but Paul was great at correcting all my mistakes in a very encouraging way and over the two days I could feel my driving improve to the point that I was pretty confident by the time the test came.

Thanks
Tom
"

I just wanted to say thank you to both yourself and to Cliff for the driver training over the past 2 days, I passed the test this afternoon so am over the moon!! Cliff was a brilliant instructor and a really nice bloke so please pass on my thanks to him for his guidance and patience.

Thank you again, I'll pass your brochures to the transport manager so that any further training requests come to you.