What is independent driving? It's the part of the test where you drive without step-by-step directions, either following a sat nav or road signs, so the examiner can see you make your own safe decisions like a fully licensed driver would.
Following a sat nav
In most tests the examiner provides and sets up the sat nav - you do not need to bring or program anything, and you cannot use your own device. You follow its directions as you would in everyday driving. If you miss a turn or the route recalculates, that is fine; it is treated exactly as it would be in real life. You are not judged on taking the sat nav's exact route, only on driving safely and correctly.
Following traffic signs
Some tests use traffic signs instead of, or alongside, a sat nav. The examiner asks you to follow the road signs to a series of destinations. If a sign is hidden - say by a tree or a large vehicle - and you cannot see where to go, the examiner will give you directions, so you are never left stuck.
What happens if you go wrong
Going off route, taking a wrong turn, or missing an exit is not a driving fault. The examiner simply helps you rejoin the route, and it has no effect on your result. Faults are only recorded for how you drive - your observations, positioning, speed and control. Knowing this takes the pressure off: you can treat a wrong turn calmly, exactly as you would on any normal journey.
How to prepare
The skill is ordinary driving without prompts, so practise it that way. Ask your instructor to have you follow a sat nav during driving lessons in Coventry, and to set independent stretches where you follow signs, so making your own decisions becomes second nature well before test day.