Mock driving test in Moorends

The two hours, step by step

1. Pick-up from your home in Moorends.
2. Eyesight check on a side street: you read a number plate from 20 metres.
3. A tell me question about the car before you set off.
4. The drive south through Thorne, with your instructor giving directions and saying little else.
5. A show me question while you are driving.
6. Around 20 minutes of independent driving, following a sat nav or road signs.
7. One reversing exercise. It could be parallel parking or bay parking, or pulling up on the right and reversing about two car lengths.
8. Possibly an emergency stop, as on some real tests.
9. The drive back and a full debrief.

Roads like the ones you will meet on test

DVSA does not publish test routes, so nobody can tell you exactly where your test will go. What we can do is get you comfortable on the kind of roads found around the test centre at Shaw Wood Business Park, on the Armthorpe side of Doncaster. That means multi-lane roundabouts and dual carriageways, along with busy residential streets.

From Moorends, a mock might head through Thorne and out on the A18 through Hatfield and Dunsville towards Edenthorpe, or use Selby Road and the roundabout at junction 6 of the M18. Your instructor will choose roads that test the skills you have been working on.

Reading the marking sheet

During the drive your instructor marks the DVSA sheet in the same way an examiner would. Faults fall into three levels:

• Driving faults: minor mistakes that are not dangerous on their own.
• Serious faults: mistakes that could have caused danger.
• Dangerous faults: mistakes that caused actual danger.

To pass the real test you need 15 or fewer driving faults and no serious or dangerous ones. The mock tells you where you stand against that standard.

After the mock

Your instructor goes through the sheet with you while everything is fresh. You talk about what went well and where faults crept in. For a Moorends learner, that might be observation when pulling out from a side street onto Marshland Road, or lane choice at the junction 6 roundabout.

You keep the written debrief. It gives you and your instructor a clear plan for your remaining lessons, and it points out what you did well, because knowing your strengths helps on the day. Some learners book a second mock closer to the test to check their progress.

When to book one

A mock is most useful in the last few weeks before your test, when you are nearly ready. It is also worth booking if you have failed before and want to understand why, or if test nerves are a concern. You can ask your instructor to sit in the back during the real test too. If you can, book the mock at the same time of day as your test, so the traffic on the way to the Armthorpe side of Doncaster feels familiar when it matters.

See the main mock driving test page for more, and if you live near the boundary you can read about mock driving tests in Thorne. If your test is soon, you might pair a mock with an intensive driving course in Moorends. Our Moorends driving lessons page lists everything else.

Mock driving tests in Moorends: your questions

Will my mock test follow the real test route?

No one can promise that, because DVSA does not publish test routes. Your mock uses roads like the ones you will meet around the Doncaster test centre, so the kinds of junctions and roundabouts will feel familiar on the day.

What if I fail my mock test?

That is useful information. The debrief shows exactly what went wrong and why, and your instructor will help you plan how to fix it before the real test. Fixing those points before the day is the whole purpose of a mock.

How close to my test should I book a mock?

Usually within the last few weeks, when you are nearly at test standard. That leaves enough time to work on anything the mock picks up. Your instructor can advise on the best timing.

Can I take a mock test with Alma if I learned with another school?

Yes. An independent mock can be useful if you want a fresh view before your test. We pick you up from home in Moorends and run it in the same way as for our own learners.