In my time I have done Ron Haslam, Chris Walker Race School (now defunct) and CSS levels 1,2 & 3:
Ron Haslam: Instructor was good at most things but it was my first time on track and I didn't really know how to get my knee down - kept getting signs that I was a chicken. Meant in a friendly way, but didn't feel I was getting enough info
Chris Walker: did it twice, second time was still struggling with the corners. Dan Linfoot was amused that I leant the bike over well...but didn't adjust my body position at all (he said he'd love to know how I stayed on the bike). In the end he challenged me to try something, explained it well, and I flew through Goddards at Mallory Park at a hell of speed (my turn to wonder how I stayed on), and I finally got it..
CSS: Did L1 at Brands. Instructor kept appearing beside me giving thumbs up then naffed off - off track he told me that I got things quickly, so he felt fine to let me practice on my own.
RH, CW and CSS1 were all 20 mins in class, 20 mins on track if I remember right - 1 instructor and 2 students (ratio might have been different at CSS1), so I felt the balance between theory and practice was fine. Only CSS was a full day though. CSS2/3 I did in the US at one of their 2 day camps, and that was quite intensive, almost got too much attention.
If you look at the price of each:
RH: c.?260 for 2.5 hours, their bike
CW: c. ?299 half day, their bike
CSS: c. ?400 full day, own bike
...then CSS doesn't sound that unreasonable (although I never fancied doing that little circuit inside Silverstone GP which they favour so much). I'd love to try others, e.g. Jamie Whitham's school but they never come south enough to make it easy to do without taking half the week off.
In the end they all have a system they follow, and if you follow it you will learn something....as long as you get on with your instructor.
