The 1 Series is a very stylish choice and the six-speed automatic gearbox available is very good. If you're doing 25,000 miles we'd obviously suggest a diesel - the 120d would be our recommendation. With the auto it will average 53.3mpg while CO2 emissions are 140g/km so it sits in VED band E (£110 a year). If you want long distance comfort it's probably best avoiding the M Sport models as although they look good, they have stiffer, lower suspension and larger wheels which aren't good for a forgiving ride.

In terms of driving schools, unfortunately we don't know of any we could recommend in the Bournemouth area, so the only way is likely to be word of mouth or asking the examiners at the local test centre.