If you’re heading to Kettering test centre for your practical, you can find it ten minutes away from the town centre, just off Orion Way. Like many other practical test centres in the UK, Kettering is smack bang in the middle of a bustling business park. Add in the nearby A14, and you’re guaranteed a fair amount of traffic no matter the time of day. Before you head in for your driving test here, we’d recommend getting to know Kettering test centre—it might just give you the edge you need to pass. Read on for more information!

Address

Orion Way
Kettering Business Park
Kettering
Northamptonshire
NN15 6NL

Tests Offered at Kettering

– Car
– Motorcycle module 1
– Motorcycle module 2
– ADI part 3

How To Get There

If you live in the centre of Kettering, you’ll be pleased to hear that it’s a simple journey to Kettering test centre. All you’ve got to do is get onto London Road, then the A509, before turning onto Orion Way. Piece of cake! Of course, plenty of learners heading here live further afield. If that’s the case for you, make use of the many A roads in the area, such as A43, A14 or A6. Of course, if you’re still uncertain, we’d advise you to use a sat nav to find your way.

A Bit More About Kettering

The format of the driving test will remain the same at any test centre. However, to prepare you to take your test in Kettering, your driving examiner will attempt to incorporate all types of challenging road features in the local area. They’ll likely take you around the town centre, which will test your ability to deal with heavy traffic. You’ll also need to keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians due to the large number of local schools in the area.

If you’re not a fan of roundabouts, we’d suggest you brush up on them beforehand—your examiner will probably take you on the A14, which has a series of them. It won’t all be fast-paced, though. The examiner will take you around residential roads outside of the town centre. These roads are ideal for reversing manoeuvres and testing your ability to navigate around parked vehicles whilst facing oncoming traffic. Don’t worry if you’re not feeling up to it just yet. If you’re learning with a local instructor, they’ll have you driving like a pro in no time!

What To Expect On The Day

After hours of driving lessons, your test date is finally upon you. Talk about nerve-wracking. If your confidence isn’t quite where you hoped it would be, we’d advise you to read up on our top six ways to relax before your driving test.

Before you jet out of the front door on your big day, there’s one important question you need to ask yourself: do you have your provisional licence? If the answer’s no, you can wave goodbye to taking your test. You need to have your provisional licence with you to take the driving test, otherwise you will be turned around, so double-check you’ve got it before you leave. Additionally, you’ll want to get to the test centre 10 minutes before your test is due to start.

Your driving test will consist of:

– An eyesight test, where you’ll need to read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres
– Two “show me, tell me” questions covering vehicle safety and maintenance
– Twenty minutes of general driving, where you’ll be guided by the examiner, and will also need to perform one of the following manoeuvres:
– Parallel parking
– Bay parking
– Pulling up on the right
– Twenty minutes of independent driving, during which you’ll either follow sat nav directions or sign posts to reach a set destination

Once you get back to the test centre and park your car, the test will officially end. The examiner will then walk you through the feedback sheet and list any driving test faults, whether they are minors or majors, that you may have accumulated. If you fail, keep hold of this sheet as it can be used to help you figure out which areas you need to improve on for your next test attempt. If you pass, you’ll also be handed a test pass certificate.

But What If I Fail?

Like any other test you take in life, if all doesn’t go according to plan with your driving test and you end up failing, it’s as simple as trying again. Of course, we don’t recommend just heading back in without any preparation. Instead, take some time to improve on the areas in which you picked up the most faults in. The best way to do this is by taking a refresher course with an instructor. They’ll be able to give you pointers to ensure you don’t trip up on them again.