The best way to learn to drive is to find a fully qualified approved driving instructor, known as a ADI. There are hundreds listed in Yellow Pages or on Google, so how can you be sure to find a good one?
They will be fully qualified and display a green certificate in the windscreen. A pink certificate denotes a trainee instructor. Be careful, as not all trainees ultimately pass their qualifiying test and you will be expected to pay the same amount as a fully qualified instructor
They will be using a fairly new, well maintained and presented car. Driving school cars cover extremely high mileages, so any car over 2 years old is likely to be the equivalent to an 8 or 9 year old vehicle.
Try to choose an instructor whose car is of medium size. A Ford Fiesta would be ideal. Very small cars are sometimes easy to manoeuvre, but are not always ideal to spend two hours in cramped conditions. Large cars, or those with desirable features such as 4x4s, sports cars or cabriolets are not ideal either, as the sizes make the manoeuvres more difficult.
Consider whether the instructor offers further training, such as Pass Plus Courses, Motoway training or Advanced driver training. Having built up a relationship whith your instructor when learning, you will not want to change instructors for post test training.
Finally, many successful learners will recommend a good reliable instructor. Check out my Facebook page to find a selection of recently passed students.