Mike Knights

Manual Driving Lessons with Mike Knights

Hello and thank you for visiting my profile.

My name is Mike Knights and I provide friendly, patient and professional manual driving lessons throughout Maldon, Chelmsford, the Dengie Peninsula, South Woodham Ferrers and the surrounding Essex areas.

Whether you are learning to drive for the first time, rebuilding your confidence after a difficult experience or preparing for your driving test, I will help you become a safe, confident and independent driver.

Every lesson is calm, supportive and carefully tailored around your individual experience, confidence and goals.

⭐ Mike at a Glance

• Manual driving instructor
• Manual Audi A1 tuition car
• More than 20 years of driving experience
• Former member of HM Armed Forces
• Former RYA Dinghy Sailing Instructor
• Previously qualified as an ADR driver
• Full motorcycle licence holder
• Calm, patient and supportive coaching style
• Excellent with nervous and anxious learners
• Strong record of first-time and zero-fault passes

Professional Coaching That Builds Confidence

With more than 20 years of driving experience, including six years serving in HM Armed Forces, I understand the importance of remaining calm, planning ahead and making safe decisions in changing conditions.

Before becoming a driving instructor, I was also a qualified RYA Dinghy Sailing Instructor, helping people develop new practical skills through patient coaching and clear communication.

These experiences have shaped the way I teach today.

I believe the best driving instructors do not simply tell pupils what to do. Instead, I help you understand why you are doing something so you can make safe decisions independently.

Every learner is different, so I adapt each lesson around your confidence, previous experience and preferred way of learning.

If you make a mistake, we will discuss it calmly, understand why it happened and use it positively to improve your driving.

My aim is not only to help you pass your test. I want you to become a safe and confident driver who feels properly prepared to drive independently.

⭐ Why Learners Choose Mike

• Calm, patient and encouraging coaching style
• Excellent at rebuilding confidence
• Lessons tailored to your individual needs
• Clear explanations and valuable feedback
• Friendly, approachable and professional
• Structured lessons with clear goals
• Excellent support following a difficult learning experience
• Strong record of first-time and zero-fault passes

Manual Driving Lessons

You will learn in a modern Audi A1 manual car.

The Audi A1 is comfortable, responsive and enjoyable to drive, providing an excellent environment for learning clutch control, gear changes, junctions, roundabouts and everyday road skills.

Each lesson is carefully planned around your progress, helping you develop confidence and safe driving ability step by step.

Professional Driving Experience

Alongside my experience in HM Armed Forces, I previously qualified as an ADR driver and also hold a full motorcycle licence.

These experiences have given me a strong appreciation of observation, forward planning, risk awareness and the importance of sharing the road safely with different types of vehicles.

I use that knowledge throughout my lessons to help pupils become thoughtful, responsible and well-prepared drivers.

Driving Lessons to Suit You

• Manual driving lessons
• Complete beginner training
• Nervous driver tuition
• Confidence-building lessons
• Driving-test preparation
• Mock driving tests
• Refresher driving lessons
• Motorway tuition
• Returning to driving after a break
• Support after a difficult experience with another instructor

Areas Covered

I provide manual driving lessons throughout:

• Maldon
• Chelmsford
• The Dengie Peninsula
• South Woodham Ferrers
• Surrounding Essex villages

If you are unsure whether I cover your area, please get in touch and we will be happy to advise you.

Working Hours

Monday to Friday: 7.00am–6.00pm

Saturday: 8.00am–3.00pm

Lesson times are subject to availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you teach complete beginners?

Yes. I welcome complete beginners and will guide you through every stage of learning to drive.

We will begin with the basic controls and gradually progress as your confidence and driving ability develop.

Do you teach nervous drivers?

Absolutely. Many pupils come to me feeling anxious, lacking confidence or following a difficult experience with another instructor.

My calm and supportive approach helps you relax, rebuild confidence and progress without unnecessary pressure.

What car will I learn in?

You will learn in a manual Audi A1.

It is comfortable, responsive and provides an excellent environment for both complete beginners and experienced learners.

Which areas do you cover?

I provide manual driving lessons throughout Maldon, Chelmsford, the Dengie Peninsula, South Woodham Ferrers and the surrounding Essex areas.

How are lessons planned?

Every lesson is tailored around your progress, confidence and goals.

We will regularly discuss what is going well, identify anything that needs more work and agree on the focus for future lessons.

How many driving lessons will I need?

Every learner is different. The number of lessons you need will depend on your previous experience, confidence, ability and whether you can practise privately between lessons.

I will regularly review your progress and clearly explain what you need to work on before taking your driving test.

⭐ What Mike’s Pupils Say

Here are some of the latest five-star reviews from pupils and families who have learnt to drive with Mike.

Warren Hobbs – Patient coaching and a first-time pass

I passed first time recently after learning with Mike Knights.

I would recommend Mike to anyone. He was extremely patient, helped me build my confidence on the road and taught me everything I needed to become test-ready.

Thanks, Mike!

— Warren Hobbs

E E – Confidence rebuilt after a previous bad experience

I felt uncertain and anxious about starting lessons because of a previous unpleasant experience with another instructor.

From my first lesson, Mike made me feel completely comfortable.

He did not take me through unnecessary lessons and instead tailored each session to my individual needs.

He always provided valuable feedback and was equally willing to listen to my own feedback.

Every lesson was enjoyable and I always left feeling like a much better driver.

Our goal was not simply to pass the test, but to make sure I became a safe and confident driver in all circumstances. I am delighted that we achieved that.

Thank you, Mike, for helping me through this journey.

— E E

Freja Savill – The best instructor I have had

Mike is an excellent driving instructor.

He gave me so much confidence and taught me a great deal.

I had previously learnt with several other instructors, but Mike was by far the best.

He pushed me towards test standard and helped me gain the confidence I needed to pass.

Thank you, Mike. I could not have done it without you.

— Freja Savill

Lois Simmons – Complete beginner achieved a zero-fault pass

Mike was helpful and understanding from the very beginning.

I started with no driving experience at all and finished with a zero-fault pass.

He always made me feel safe and listened to.

He helped me develop the skills needed not only to pass my test, but also to feel confident about driving independently.

I could not recommend Mike or Supreme highly enough.

— Lois Simmons

Tomas Walters – Zero-fault pass and ready to drive independently

I could not have asked for a better instructor than Mike.

From the first lesson, he made me feel comfortable, confident and supported.

He is calm, clear and incredibly patient. He explained everything in a way that made sense and always gave constructive feedback that helped me improve.

Every lesson built on the previous one and I could feel my confidence growing each week.

Thanks to Mike, I passed with zero driving faults and now feel completely ready to drive independently.

I genuinely looked forward to every lesson and would recommend Mike 100%.

— Tomas Walters

Julie Bayley – Nervous learner became a confident first-time pass

Mike was a fabulous instructor from day one.

Following a bad experience with a previous instructor, my daughter went from being extremely nervous and hesitant to feeling confident behind the wheel.

Mike’s calm approach and sense of humour made her feel relaxed during lessons.

She went from disliking driving to saying that she actually enjoyed it.

His support helped her pass first time, and we would recommend Mike and Supreme every time.

— Julie Bayley

Poppy Stallard – Friendly, reliable and a first-time pass

I really enjoyed learning to drive with Mike.

I cannot thank him enough for helping me pass first time and giving me the confidence to know I will drive safely now that I am on the road independently.

I highly recommend Mike to anyone looking for a friendly and reliable driving instructor.

— Poppy Stallard

Nicki – Patient, caring and understanding

A huge thank you to Mike on behalf of Billy.

His patience, calmness and care went beyond anything we could have asked for.

He is an amazing instructor and we cannot recommend him highly enough.

Anyone wanting to learn to drive should choose Mike.

— Nicki

Mart624 – Confidence and safe driving skills

Mike built our son’s confidence and gave him the skills needed to drive safely and competently.

He is a great communicator and was always reliable.

Thank you, Mike and Supreme.

— Mart624

Charlotte Rushton – First-time pass with excellent team support

Mike and the whole Supreme team were fantastic and supported me enormously throughout my journey to passing.

Mike was patient and encouraging during every lesson while keeping us focused on the goal of becoming test-ready.

Whenever my confidence dropped, he knew how to get me back on track and when to challenge me.

Supreme’s mock tests with other instructors also helped prepare me, and I passed first time.

Thank you so much to Mike and Supreme.

— Charlotte Rushton

These are just a small selection of the many five-star reviews received by Mike and Supreme School of Motoring.

Why Learn with Supreme School of Motoring?

Supreme School of Motoring has been helping people learn to drive across Essex for more than 50 years.

As a family-run driving school, we pride ourselves on friendly tuition, experienced instructors and helping every learner become a safe and confident driver for life.

Our instructors support one another, share knowledge and work together to provide the best possible learning experience for every pupil.

The Supreme Promise

When you learn with Supreme, you will be supported by an experienced instructor, a trusted local driving school and a team committed to helping you achieve your goals.

We believe driving lessons should be calm, professional and enjoyable, with a clear focus on developing safe driving skills that last long after your test.

Ready to Start Learning?

If you are looking for friendly and professional manual driving lessons in Maldon, Chelmsford, the Dengie Peninsula, South Woodham Ferrers or the surrounding areas, Mike would be delighted to help you begin your driving journey.

Contact Supreme School of Motoring today to ask about availability or book your first lesson.

• Instructors Car: Audi A1
• Areas Covered: Maldon Chelmsford Dengie South Woodham Ferrers

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