Your child is eligible if they are of compulsory school age, go to their nearest suitable school and one of the following applies:
- they are aged 8 and under and the school is more than 2 miles away
- they are aged 8 and over and the school is more than 3 miles away
- they wouldn’t be able to walk there safely, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian
- they wouldn’t be able to walk there because of their special educational needs, disability or a mobility problem, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian
Entitlement to free transport is linked to your catchment or nearest qualifying school. Children from your area may be attending a school which is not the catchment school.
If you're on a low income
If your child is entitled to free school meals, or you receive the maximum level of Working Tax Credit, then you are entitled to assistance with transport if your child is aged:
- 8 to 11 years and where the distance is more than 2 miles
- 11 to 16 years and attending 1 of the 3 nearest secondary schools, all of which must be more than 2 miles but not more than 6 miles from home
- 11 to 16 years and attending their nearest faith secondary school, preferred by parents on the basis of religion, and which is greater than 2 miles but not more than 15 miles from their home
When choosing a school, you will need to consider the possibility of your income increasing above the threshold. Should your family income increase above the threshold limit for low income families, the additional transport 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 statutory entitlement.
If your child has special educational needs (SEN)
A statement of SEN or an education, health and care (EHC) plan may contain details of transport which we consider appropriate to meet a child’s individual needs. If this is not the case, the normal school transport policy will apply.
Having an education, health and care (EHC) plan does not automatically mean that your child will be eligible for travel assistance.
If your child attends a faith school
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’.
Exceptional circumstances
There may be rare occasions where the circumstances are such that we will assist with transport to make sure your child can access education.
For instance, a child with a medical condition living below the statutory walking distance from school may be given transport.
Behaviour on school buses
The behaviour of the majority of children on the school buses are generally good. We have a Behaviour Policy and Code of Conduct for schools, parents and carers, and the children.
The policy sets out advice and expectations for anyone travelling on a contracted or local bus service.
If your child is not eligible
You can appeal against the decision.