I always tell my pupils when ready to book their test to go on line then phone my wife. They are advised not to book early test this time of the year, however, there is always one who knows better. Had to get up at 6am this morning, arrived at the test centre in the snow for the first test only to be told as expected it had been cancelled.
So annoying when it could have been avoided, and no I stopped booking tests years ago after a couple of pupils couldn't get time off work for the tests I'd booked.

Answer to a question posed by Scott Rigby about keeping the names of people phoning because their instructor has let them down.
A couple of years ago my wife booked in a foreign gentleman who's English was almost none existent. 
I struggled with him for about 10 hourly lessons, had no concept whatsoever about road signs, lines, speed limits. Every question I asked or instruction I gave him the answer was, "yes yes."
Then he got a 100%  pass on his Theory and booked his test. I told him not in my car, still couldn't control the clutch. I know of at least 6 other instructors he called and he must have been going through a list because he even called here another couple of time without I'm sure any idea who he was calling. 
That makes me one of the nasty instructors letting down a pupil who had booked their test.

My first this year, "my test is tomorrow and my instructor has hurt his back." Was told if his instructor calls us I'll do his test. It's always males who get let down by instructors, never females. They are always told the same thing yet  I never hear from any instructors.  My wife logs all calls and texts  and from the 21 September  till today 27 males have been let down by their instructor after booking their test. Wonder why?

14/1/2015.
Well Done Joe Marsden, My first pass this year,  Joe  passed his driving test yesterday with just 2 minors.  See you next week for motorway drive. In the meantime Be Safe.

Do you know your National Insurance number? I know mine, my wife spent ages before she found something  with her number on.
My wife has just shown me what pupils will have to do to produce the proof they would have on their green counterpart.
None of my pupil have printers therefore when they attend for their test are the examiners  going to stand there while they trail through this information on their mobiles?
Someone tell me I've got this all wrong.

Got a new student starting next week after he had a discussion with a student of mine because he didn't understand about stalling the car. He was happy with his instructor, loved the car belonging to a Nationwide Driving School. Never stalled because if he stopped for any length of time the engine cut out then restarted when he went back on the gas. Then she questioned if he would be able to afford that car when he passed his test? No. So if he stalled his car would he know what to do? He's going to continue his lessons in my common Clio which you can stall.

Hope you all have a happy and successful 2015 and that you all had a better Christmas and New Year than we did.  Started with a cold the week before Christmas which turned into the horrible bug that is going round. My wife was the first to start, so as you can see is now recovering, while I'm off back to bed leaving her to contact all the people we put off until the New Year. 
The most annoying thing for us both is, not having eaten anything properly for almost a month we haven't lost any weight. Life is cruel.
Happy New Year