It all started in a small rented garage in Peckham. There in 1910, engineer's apprentice Stanley Roberts began his business – giving new drivers their very first lessons.

First cars

What do a Dutch 'Spyker', a Richard Brazier, a Berliet, two Darracqs and a Milnes Daimler have in common? They were the first cars Stanley used to teach his students. And his first students? Everyone from lorry drivers to a coachman turned chauffeur.

First World War

The growing school moved to Coventry Street, Piccadilly: where it finally became BSM (the British School of Motoring). But that wasn't the only change to take place:

• World War One – BSM played a vital role in teaching the army to drive, and offered motor engineering courses after the war
• 1925 – Stanley set up the Automobile Engineering College with the Engineering Educational Trust
• 1931 – now 'Chelsea College of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering', they began offering aeronautical engineering
• 1935 – the Ministry of Transport set up the first practical driving test – and asked BSM to help. In fact, BSM taught the first ever person to pass.
• World War Two – the school's engineering shops started springing up all over London, offering every course from engine testing to welding

The Second World War saw BSM train thousands of servicemen – including many of the 'D' Day drivers. But our history doesn't end there…

After the Second World War, Denise McCann arrived on the scene as Stanley's trusted assistant. She became a founder member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists in 1956. And in 1957 when Stanley died, she was promoted to BSM Chairman and Managing Director.

BSM teaching arrives in schools

1959 saw BSM start teaching in schools and colleges with on-road instruction given to sixth-form pupils at Queenswood and Felixstowe Colleges. Following this success, we even began pre-driver training for under-17s on private land in cooperation with schools, Local Education Authorities, the Ministry of Transport and the police.

Branching out in the 60s

A range of specialist courses were introduced in the 1960s, including:

• High performance and GT
• Commercial vehicle training
• Continental conversion at Brands Hatch
• Training for disabled drivers, and
• BSM's Manager John Miles informed the nation through BBC road safety series 'Master Driving', and contributed to BBC Radio's series 'motoring and the motorist'

Modernising the company

When leading financial group Mansion House Finance bought BSM in 1973 – they gave the company a facelift. They introduced instructor franchising and standardised the tuition car fleet. And in 1980 they introduced Austin Metros as the first one-model fleet car.

Famous faces

We've had some fascinating pupils over the years, from the Queen and other royals to celebrities. Fashion models and designers Twiggy, Mary Quant and Shakira Caine, to name but a few. In 1990 BSM changed ownership yet again, floating on the Stock Market in 1993. Which brings us to the here and now.

Today, with more than 170,000 pupils taught each year and more than 3,400 driving instructors across UK, BSM is well established as the UK's largest and most popular driving school.

Leading the industry

Most people know us as a driving school. But we also train driving instructors and lobby government on road safety and other driving issues. We're even a founding member of ORDIT (Official Register of Driving Instructor Training). We're so well-known in the industry that organisations the world over come to us for advice in all kinds of driving matters. So, with our history of experience and a team of friendly, professionally-trained instructors, where could be better to learn and train?