One instructor. 18 years' experience. You won't be rushed to your test.
Crawley has one of the lowest driving test pass rates in the South East. The roads are genuinely varied: quiet residential streets, dual carriageways, complex roundabouts, rural stretches, and busy town-centre junctions. If you can pass here, you can drive anywhere.
But the low pass rate isn't really about the roads. It's about preparation. Some schools book a test before a pupil is ready, because a test slot keeps the diary full. Dan doesn't do that.
Find out how Dan works →First-time pass rate at Crawley DVSA Test Centre — one of the lowest in the South East. The national average is 49%.
What sets Dan apart from schools that chase test slots:
Years
teaching
Dan grew up in Croydon. He passed his test the day after his 18th birthday and knew immediately it was something he wanted to do seriously. He trained through BSM, spending nine months across all three parts of the ADI qualification — theory, driving ability, and teaching method — and has been instructing ever since.
He launched Stagg Motoring School in June 2015. When he went independent, his pupils chose to stay with him. 18 years teaching, every day, on the same roads you're about to learn on. Not managing a franchise. Teaching.
Every lesson with Dan is consistent, calm, and built around you — not a franchise's timetable.
Every lesson is with Dan. He knows where you got to last time, what you found difficult, and what you need next. Continuity matters more than people expect — and it's harder to find than it should be.
Dan's car has dual controls. He can take the brakes, steering, or clutch at any point. From your very first lesson, you're in a completely safe environment with 18 years' experience in the passenger seat.
roundabout. Hazlewick roundabout. The A23. Crawley town centre. Dan teaches across every road on the Crawley test route. When you arrive on test day, nothing will be new.
A mock test is required before every real test booking. That's not optional — it's how Dan knows you're genuinely ready, not just roughly ready.
Some people take to driving quickly. Others need longer on certain skills. Dan won't make you feel behind, and won't move to the next topic until you're settled with the current one.
At the end of each lesson, Dan tells you plainly what went well, what needs work, and what to focus on next. You'll always leave the car knowing exactly where you stand.
Before each new topic, Dan shows you diagrams and video on his iPad so you understand what you're about to do and why. Then you practise with his guidance, then with prompts, then independently. That builds real understanding — not just muscle memory.
DVSA video and diagrams before each topic — so you understand the theory before you try it on the road.
Dan talks you through step by step while you drive, building confidence without pressure.
Dan moves to questions rather than instructions — building your own decision-making.
You drive without prompts. Dan confirms understanding. You're genuinely ready to move on.
Full lesson syllabus — in order
Dan has taught a wide range of learners over 18 years. Whatever your situation, lessons adapt to suit you.
Nearly everyone is, at first. Dan starts in quiet areas, moves at your pace, and doesn't create pressure. Most pupils are surprised by how much they've done by the end of lesson one.
Find out more →Some instructors make pupils feel stupid, cancel regularly, or push tests to hit their own numbers. If you've been through that, Dan's approach will feel very different from the first phone call.
Dan has years of experience with autism, ADHD, and processing differences. Small steps, regular reviews, no comparisons to other pupils, and praise that's specific when it's given.
Find out more →It happens. Dan has helped plenty of drivers pick things up again after years away — without ever making them feel behind.
That's fine. Dan's first lesson is designed for exactly that — quiet roads, everything explained before you try it, and no rush.
Dan will work out exactly what went wrong, rebuild your confidence on those specific points, and make sure you're genuinely ready before you book again.
A manual driving licence covers every car on the road — manual or automatic. An automatic-only licence restricts you to automatics, permanently.
Manual cars still make up the majority of vehicles in the UK, particularly at the affordable end of the second-hand market. Manual driving also tends to make you a more attentive driver — you're more actively involved in what the car is doing.
Pass your manual test with Dan, and every car on the road is available to you.
| Licence type | Drive manual? | Drive automatic? |
|---|---|---|
| Manual licence What Dan teaches | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Automatic-only licence | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
A manual licence keeps all your options open — forever.
Dan teaches in Crawley and Horsham only. That focus means every road you practise on could appear on your test route.
Brighton Road, RH11 9BJ — the test centre for all Crawley and Horsham learners. Dan knows every road on every test route from this centre.
Real experiences from real pupils who learned with Dan in Crawley and Horsham.
Dan was incredibly patient with me from start to finish. I'd had two previous instructors who made me feel anxious every lesson. Within a month with Dan, I was actually looking forward to driving. Passed first time.
My son is autistic and we were worried about finding an instructor who'd understand how he learns. Dan was brilliant — calm, structured, and adapted everything. He passed with only two minor faults.
I failed my test twice before I came to Dan. He worked out exactly what I'd been doing wrong, rebuilt my confidence, and made sure I was genuinely ready before we booked again. Passed first time.
National driving schools work at scale — more pupils, more instructors, more lessons. There's nothing wrong with the model, but it has consequences you should know about before you book.
Learn more about Dan →National franchise — what can happen
With Dan — what you get
Dan teaches manual driving lessons only. A manual licence covers both manual and automatic cars — so you keep all your options open permanently. An automatic-only licence restricts you to automatics.
Dan teaches in Crawley and Horsham. Crawley areas include Ifield, Three Bridges, Pound Hill, Maidenbower, Broadfield, Tilgate, Bewbush, and more. Horsham areas include Horsham town, Roffey, Holbrook, . All tests take place at Crawley DVSA Test Centre.
The honest answer is: it depends on you. The DVSA estimates most learners need around 45 hours of professional tuition, but this varies widely. Dan will be straightforward with you about your progress throughout.
Yes — and he's been doing it for 18 years. Dan starts every nervous driver in a quiet area, explains everything before asking you to try it, and moves at whatever pace feels right. Read more about nervous driver lessons →
Yes. Dan has extensive experience teaching learners with autism, ADHD, and other processing differences. He breaks skills into small, clear steps, reviews each lesson thoroughly, and never compares pupils' progress. Read more →
Dan teaches Monday to Sunday, 8am to 8pm — so you can fit lessons around school, work, or other commitments without losing momentum.
Call Dan directly on 07720 920759 or email dan@staggmotoring.com. No sales script — just a straightforward conversation about what you need and when you'd like to start.
Dan charges £80 for a 2-hour lesson (weekdays) or £84 for a 2-hour lesson (weekends). Block bookings: £380 for 10 hours (weekdays) or £400 for 10 hours (weekends). All lessons are a minimum of 2 hours. Pricing is consistent throughout — no cut-price introductory rates that jump up later.
Driving test tips and advice from Dan — 18 years of teaching in Crawley and Horsham.
A practical guide to passing first time — choosing the right instructor, mastering test routes, and avoiding common mistakes.
Read article →
Junctions, observations and mirrors — the faults that catch out the most learners on test day, and how to fix them.
Read article →
Concentration, composure, consideration, caution and courtesy — the five principles every driver should live by.
Read article →
One dangerous fault ends your test immediately. Here's exactly what counts as an instant fail and how to avoid them.
Read article →
It depends — a light touch differs from mounting it. Dan explains when the examiner marks it serious and when it's just a minor.
Read article →
Multi-lane roundabouts, bay parking, independent driving — ranked by how often they trip learners up on test day.
Read article →Call or email Dan to talk through what you need — first lesson, switching from another instructor, or restarting after a break. No pressure, no sales script.