If your child is aged between 5 and 16 years and you apply for a place in a school on the basis of religion (and in the view of the Director of Children and Family Wellbeing the appropriate religious education is not provided in the catchment or nearest school) then transport from the nearest boarding point can be made available, if:
- adherence to the relevant denomination can be demonstrated
- your child is attending the nearest such school and it is no more than 8 miles away in the case of a primary school and 15 miles for a secondary school
- your child is aged 8 and under and you live more than 2 miles from school
- your child is aged 8 and over and you live more than 3 miles away, measured by the shortest available walking route
There will be an annual cost of £655 per child payable termly (£258 autumn term, £243 spring term and £154 summer term).
You will not be entitled to free transport for your child if you live within the statutory walking distance and attending a school on the basis of religion where this is not the nearest suitable school. This includes if there is no safe walking route available.
No refund will be made in respect of any unexpired part of a travel pass no longer required.
Low income groups
Children aged 11 to 16 years from low income families attending their nearest faith secondary school preferred by their parents/carers on the basis of religion and, which is greater than 2 miles but not more than 15 miles from their home, are entitled to assistance with transport.
If the family income increases above the threshold limit for low income families, the additional benefit will continue up to the end of the current academic year in July.
In the following year, assistance will revert to that based on the policy detailed above.
It is important to remember that you, and not the local authority, are responsible for your child’s transport to school and you must take this into consideration even if you are currently in a ‘low income group’.