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School & College Transport
A Brief Guide to School Transport in Devon
- Whose responsibility is it for getting a child to school?
- Who can claim free transport?
- Code of Conduct
- Do I have to apply for school transport for my child?
- How do I check if my child is eligible for free school transport?
- Are there any exceptions?
- How are distances measured?
- What is statutory walking distance?
- What if I am on a low income?
- What if my circumstances change?
- Is transport available to faith schools?
- Is transport provided for pupils with special needs?
- What is meant by an unavailable route?
- Concessionary Seats
- What happens in bad weather?
- Complaints about school transport
- Is transport available to post 16 students?
- How do I know if I am eligible for post 16 transport?
- Post 16 students with special educational needs
- Where can I get further information?
Whose responsibility is it for getting a child to school?
The legal responsibility for ensuring that a child attends school rests with the parents. The County Council has a duty in some cases to assist with transport to and from school. All parents are encouraged to consider the practicalities of sending their child to a school which is not within walking distance because it is the parents’ responsibility to get their child to school for the whole time the child is there. It is unwise to rely on lifts from friends, concessionary places on buses, or public transport routes which could be changed.
You can express a preference for a place at any school, but your child may not necessarily have entitlement to free school transport. Therefore it is very important that you check whether your child will be entitled to transport and, if not, to consider how your child is going to get to the school you prefer for the whole of the time they will be that school.
We want all passengers to stay safe and travel in comfort. From 2008 all new pupils travelling on school transport will be required to sign a “Code of Conduct” which sets out the behaviour expected on every journey. Parents will also be required to sign the “Code of Conduct”. This document will be forwarded to pupils with a transport application form and will need to be completed and returned before a bus or train pass can be issued.
Do I have to apply for school transport for my child?
YES – FROM SEPTEMBER 2008 A TRANSPORT APPLICATION FORM MUST BE COMPLETED FOR EVERY CHILD REQUIRING TRANSPORT.
Primary Schools
If your child is to start Primary School in September 2008 you will be notified by the Admissions Team in early April 2008 of the school at which your child has been allocated a place. The School Transport Team will send you a letter during April or May to let you know if your child is entitled to free school transport. A transport application form and Code of Conduct leaflet will be sent to you with this letter. If you have not been contacted by the end of June, and after reading the Primary School Transport Leaflet, you feel your child is entitled to free school transport please call 0845 155 1019. It is essential that you return the transport application form by 1 June 2008, along with the signed Code of Conduct.
- Primary School Transport Leaflet
(601KB - pdf help) - Primary School Application Form (21KB - pdf help)
Secondary Schools
There has been a recent change in the law for children starting secondary school in September 2008. These changes are outlined in the leaflet "Transport for secondary school pupils - what you need to know" (358KB - pdf help).
If your child is to start Secondary School in September 2008 you will be notified by the Admissions Team in early March 2008 of the school at which your child has been allocated a place. A transport application form and a Code of Conduct document will be sent to you with this letter. It is essential that you return the transport application form by 1 April 2008, along with the signed Code of Conduct. If you are applying for transport on low income grounds you also need to send us your proof of receipt of an appropriate means-tested benefit.
Failure to return the transport application form and Code of Conduct will mean that transport cannot be arranged for your child for the start of the Autumn Term and you will be responsible for transporting your child to and from school at your own expense even if your child is entitled to free school transport.
How do I check if my child is eligible for free school transport?
If you apply for a place at the school designated to serve your home address and you live beyond the statutory walking distance from the school by the shortest walking route, your child will be entitled to free school transport. You can check which is the designated school to serve your home address at www.devon.gov.uk/schoolareamaps or by telephoning 0845 155 1019.
Your child will also be entitled to free transport to the school nearest to your home if it is closer than the designated school, provided it is still beyond the statutory walking distance from your home by the shortest walking route.
Transport may be provided to schools that do not serve the home address where there are exceptional, medical or social considerations that require special attention.
Transport may be provided without charge to children within the statutory walking distance where a route is considered to be exceptionally hazardous, (please see section on Unavailable Routes), or on medical grounds (please see section on Medical Transport). Such transport will only be made available to the designated or nearest school.
Walking distances are measured using the shortest available walking route. This may include roads, recognised footpaths and bridleways. The measurement is made between the nearest entrance to your house (for example your front gate) and the nearest entrance to the school grounds. Private driveways to homes and within schools are not included in the measurement. Distances are measured using an electronic geographical information system (GIS).
What is statutory walking distance?
Normally in order to qualify for transport assistance, a pupil must live within the designated area to be served by the school, and live further than the statutory walking distance from the school
The walking distance is defined as over:
- Two miles from home to school for children of primary school age
- Three miles from home to school for children of secondary school age
The statutory right to free transport for secondary school pupils from low income families provides a choice of the three nearest schools to the home address. However, transport will only be provided if the school is between two and six miles of the home address. If your child is entitled to free school meals, or your family gets the maximum level of Working Tax Credit, then your family is considered to be on a low income. You will need to give us proof that you receive the maximum level of Working Tax Credit. Distances of up to two miles are measured using the shortest available walking route and distances over two miles and up to six miles are measured by road.
This entitlement will be assessed annually so parents should not depend on it.
What if my circumstances change?
This entitlement has to be reapplied for every year so you should not assume you will continue to have support if your circumstances change e.g. if your child is no longer in receipt of free school meals, or if your family is no longer in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit. If you feel you may be eligible you are advised to consider carefully whether you would be able to continue to get your child to the school of your choice if this happened and the transport assistance was withdrawn.
Is transport available to faith schools?
Transport may be provided to your nearest school on grounds of religion or belief, provided:
- You live in Devon.
- The school can confirm your faith.
- You live within the designated transport area of the school. Please check this by ringing 0845 155 1019.
- You live more than the statutory walking distance from the school.
There is a charge for transport to a faith school. In 2008/2009 this charge will be £270 per annum.
However, if parents are in receipt of an appropriate means tested benefit the transport fee may be waived.
Children in receipt of free school meals, or whose families are in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit are entitled to free transport to the nearest faith secondary school to the home address provided the school is over 2 miles and up to a maximum of 15 miles from your home. Distances of up to 2 miles are measured using the shortest available walking route and distances of over 2 miles and up to 15 miles are measured by road. This entitlement will also be assessed annually so parents should not depend on it.
Is transport provided for pupils with special needs?
Free school transport is not an automatic entitlement for children who attend special schools. The normal entitlement criteria outlined above applies. Where transport is provided for children with special needs, the type of transport will be in line with the recommendations made by the professionals involved in placing the child.
Escorts
Escorts may be provided for children who have severe medical or social needs. The need for an escort will be periodically reviewed. All escorts undertake mandatory training and they and drivers are checked by the police and are issued with identification badges. If they do not have this identification, and parents wish to validate their identity, they should contact 0845 155 1019. The Escort Team try to maintain continuity of escorts but sometimes it is necessary to arrange relief escorts at short notice.
Medical Transport
Transport may be provided without charge to children within the statutory walking distance on medical grounds. It is the responsibility of the child’s guardian(s) to provide written proof from a GP or hospital of the need for medical transport. There should be an indication of the length of time the medical transport is likely to be required. The transport provision will be reviewed regularly. Such transport will be made available only to the designated school or nearest school.
What is meant by an unavailable route?
The Courts have defined an available route as one “along which a child, accompanied as necessary, can walk and walk with reasonable safety to school. It does not fail to qualify as available because of dangers which would arise if the child was unaccompanied.” In other words, parents are expected to accompany their children if they feel it is necessary.
Picking Up and Setting Down Points
Parents must arrange for their children to travel in safety between the home and the transport picking-up and setting-down points. They are also responsible for their children while they are waiting for transport and when they leave the transport at the end of the day.
Work Experience and Induction Days
Transport is not provided to work experience placements or taster/induction days.
The concessionary seat scheme is aimed at those parents who already know that their child is NOT entitled to free or assisted transport to school/college. If you are unsure please use the website www.devon.gov.uk/schoolareamaps to check which is the designated school to serve your address, or telephone 0845 155 1019.
Where spare seats are available on school transport vehicles and where no public services exist, children who do not qualify for free or assisted transport may be allowed to travel on a concessionary basis on the pre-payment of a fee. These passengers are liable to be displaced if other children, who are entitled to free school transport, move into the area. Children might also be displaced if it is necessary to reorganise a route or hire a smaller vehicle. Seats may be withdrawn at short notice. Unfortunately, it is not possible to offer concessionary seats until after the October half term as late applications from entitled children have to be considered first. Pupils occupying concessionary seats are also required to complete and return a Code of Conduct. In 2008/2009 concessionary seats will cost £90 per term. Seats can be paid for each half term, or for morning or afternoon journeys only. Refunds are available on a pro rata basis.
To apply for a concessionary seat please telephone 0845 155 1019 to request an application form, print the form below, or apply online.
When there is snow, ice or flooding, school transport may be disrupted. If the bad weather occurs overnight it may not be easy for you to find out whether school transport is running. Local radio stations give out information on school closures and school bus cancellations.
If you can’t find out for certain and school transport is over 20 minutes late then this probably means that the bus is not running at all. If you decide to take your child into school yourself, you must also be able to collect your child in the afternoon because school transport may still not be able to run.
When there is very bad weather, do not assume that your child will be taken to school. Please make sure your child knows what to do if transport does not run. If your child cannot return home please arrange that he or she can go home with a friend or relative.
Complaints about school transport
If parents are unhappy about school transport or the way in which the policy has been applied, staff at our locations in Exeter and Barnstaple will be willing to discuss any concerns. The decision will be reviewed and, if the concerns can be put right, this will happen as soon as possible.
Otherwise parents will receive an explanation of the decision that has been made. If they remain unhappy they can register a complaint on the Devon County Council website, or by telephoning the School Transport Team for a Complaints Form. When the Complaints Form is returned the complaint will be reviewed by a Transport Panel of Senior Officers.
If, when the complaint has been reviewed by the Transport Panel the parent is still unhappy with the decision, there is a further stage of appeal – to the elected members of the School Transport (Appeals) Sub-Committee. Details of the Appeals Procedure are available in the Appeals Leaflet below or by telephoning 0845 155 1008.
- Appeals Leaflet (29KB - pdf help)
If free transport or a concessionary seat is withdrawn can I appeal?
The fact that the child is no longer eligible for free school meals, the family is no longer in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit, or a concessionary seat has been withdrawn, is not considered to constitute sound grounds for an appeal for assistance from the Council as parents have been warned in advance that this could happen.
Is transport available for Post 16 students?
There is no automatic entitlement to free home to school or college transport once a student is over 16. However, the local authority has agreed to assist with travel expenses in certain circumstances.
The local authority considers that the most effective and sustainable way of exercising its discretion is by extending its transport network to include post 16 establishments and to offer transport to eligible students in return for a contribution (normally from parents) towards the cost of this transport.
Do I have to apply?
Yes, all students who want help with transport must apply every year, including students who continue into the sixth form at their current school.
How do I apply?
Students who are applying for transport assistance for the first year of their course, or have changed course, or college since their last application should complete this form:
Renewals
Students who are continuing on the same course, are under 19 years of age, live at the same address and are studying at the same sixth form or college will need to reapply using the renewal form:
- Post 16 Renewal Application Form (35KB - pdf help)
Post 16 Code of Conduct
We want all passengers to stay safe and travel in comfort. From 2008 all students travelling on college transport will be required to sign a “Code of Conduct” which sets out the behaviour expected on every journey. This document will be forwarded to students with a transport application form and will need to be completed and returned before a bus or train pass can be issued.
- Post 16 Code of Conduct (450KB - pdf help)
Devon Smartrider Student Card
Students who are over 16 years old and attend North Devon College, Bideford Community College, or Ilfracombe Community College, may be able to apply for a Devon Smartrider Student Card.
How much does it cost?
The level of the contribution is set by the County Council and is reviewed annually. For the academic year 2008/9 the cost is £270 per annum. If the transport fee is paid in advance in one lump sum then a £30 discount is available reducing the cost to £240. However, the fee can also be paid termly by cheque, credit/debit card or direct debit. Monthly instalments can also be paid by direct debit.
The contribution is waived if students, or their parents, are in receipt of the following state benefits:
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seekers’ Allowance
- Maximum level of Working Tax Credit
- If in receipt of Child Tax Credit ONLY and the annual income is less than £15,575 (2008/9 - this is reviewed annually)
- Guarantee element of Pension Credit
You will need to provide a copy of receipt of benefit evidence, valid for the current academic year i.e. 2008/2009. Please do not send original documents.
How do I know if I am eligible for post 16 transport?
In order to qualify for assistance a student must satisfy the following criteria:
- Must live in Devon. (Students resident in the Unitary Councils of Plymouth and Torbay must apply directly to their home authorities).
- Must attend a full time course of education, defined as 16 hours or more of supervised study.
- Must be under 19 years of age on 31 August immediately preceding the start of the academic year. (see exception for students with Special Educational Needs).
- Students must attend their designated sixth form college or Further Education College (please see below).
- The journey from home to school must be three miles or more measured by the shortest available pedestrian route.
Students who are ineligible under these criteria may apply for concessionary places in the same way as pupils of compulsory school age. They may also apply to their college for financial support.
Designated Establishments
There are two main types of establishments serving students who are over the compulsory school age: Sixth Forms and Further Education (FE) Colleges. These are defined as follows:
- Where the school serving the home address has a sixth form, this school is the designated post 16 establishment.
- Where there is no sixth form serving the area, the FE college is the designated establishment. However, if a student has attended the nearest school to their home address in Years 10 and 11, rather than their designated school, transport assistance may be available to this school provided the student meets the normal eligibility criteria.
- If a student intends to follow an entirely vocational Post 16 course and this is not available at the designated sixth form then they will be eligible for transport to their designated FE college.
- An exception may be made where a student has to attend a particular establishment, since it is the nearest school or college where one or more A levels essential to the student’s future career choice may be obtained. Students will be required to produce evidence of this validated by a university e.g. photocopy of current entry requirements, or letter from university stating that a particular A level is essential for entry onto degree course.
It is essential that post 16 students check their transport eligibility with the School Transport Team on 0845 155 1019 –before opting for a particular establishment.
Other important information
- Transport assistance is only provided for one inward and one outward journey at the beginning and end of the official day.
- Assistance is not provided to establishments beyond reasonable daily travelling distance. A reasonable distance is defined as less than 75 minutes, where the majority of the journey may be taken on existing contract routes and/or public transport.
- Students who move outside the area served by the local authority part way through their course must apply to the new local authority for assistance.
- Transport is not provided to work experience.
- Where a college operates on more than one site, transport is only provided to the main site.
Post 16 students with special educational needs
The transport requirements of post-16 students with special educational needs will be considered during the transitional planning process undertaken during years 10 and 11. The local authority would expect to be consulted in the transitional planning process with regard to transport provision and parents are strongly advised to contact the local authority to confirm that this has taken place. The following main points apply:
- Where students have been placed at special schools or units by the local authority, transport assistance will be provided in the same way as for pupils of statutory school age.
- The eligibility criteria outlined above will apply.
- Unless the student cannot walk to school or college, accompanied as necessary because of his or her disability, transport will not be automatically provided.
- ·Parents will need to submit a transport application form.
- An exception to the upper age limit may be made where a student has been studying a specific course for those with learning difficulties and is required to attend beyond the age of 19 to complete it.
- Payment of the required contribution applies equally to students with special educational needs – this contribution is the same as above - the cost is £270 per annum. If the transport fee is paid in advance in one lump sum then a £30 discount is available reducing the cost to £240. However, the fee can also be paid termly by cheque, credit/debit card or direct debit. Monthly instalments can also be paid by direct debit.
Where can I get further information?
If you would like any further details on Devon’s school transport arrangements please contact:
- 0845 155 1019
- www.devon.gov.uk/school_transport