HOME TO SCHOOL TRAVEL ASSISTANCE POLICY
FOR PUPILS FROM RECEPTION TO YEAR 11
Our policy is to provide travel assistance for pupils who meet the criteria listed below. This will normally be provided in the form of a bus pass or equivalent funding.
1Eligibility for Travel Assistance
a)You must be ordinarily resident within the Borough of Solihull and not be temporary or occasional boarding.
b)You must be attending a QualifyingSchool.
c)The child/young person (child) must be of compulsory school age. This will include all children in year Reception through to year 11. Children in nursery settings are not eligible for travel assistance.
d)You must live more than the statutory walking distance from your qualifying school.
- Children under the age of 8 areeligible for free travel assistance where they live more than 2 miles from their nearest qualifying school.
- Children over the age of 8 areeligible for free travel assistance where they live more than 3 miles from their nearest qualifying school
- Children over the age of 8 and below the age of 11, from low income families are eligible for free travel assistance where they live more than 2 miles from their nearest qualifying school
- Children over the age of 11from low income families areeligible for free travel assistance to a choice of one of three nearest qualifying schools, where they live more than 2 miles but not more than 6 miles from the school.
- Children over the age of 11 from low income families areeligible for free travel assistance to the nearest school preferred by reason of a parent’s belief or religionif they live more than 2 miles but not more than 15 miles from the qualifying school
Qualifying schools are:-
- Community, Foundation or Voluntary schools
- Community or Foundation Special schools
- Non-maintained Special schools
- Pupil Referral Units
- Academies, Free Schools, Studio schools, UTCs
Statutory walking distance is defined as two miles for children from Reception to Year 3, and three miles for children from Year 4 to Year 11. The measurement of the “statutory walking distance” is measured by the shortest route along which a child, accompanied as necessary, may walk safely. The measured route may include footpaths, bridleways, and other pathways, as well as recognised roads. Walking distance will be measured from the home boundary gate to the nearest school gate.
Low incomefamilies are where the parent/carer for the child meets the criteria for their child to be entitled to free school meals, or where the familyis in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit (WTC).
A suitable qualifying schoolis defined as the catchment school. Any child living more than statutory walking distance from their catchment school will be eligible for travelassistance.If it is not possible to secure a place at the catchment school, the next nearest school with a vacancy is deemed to be the nearest suitable school. If this school exceeds the statutory walking distance, the child iseligible for travel assistance.
2.The Solihull Offer
Travel assistancewill be as determined by the Council and will normally be provided as a bus pass, and will be at a minimum level to secure the travel to school, e.g. a pass for a specific bus route. If the route from home to school is particularly complex,parents may wish to consider alternative practical options such as car sharing or cycling, then the parent may request to take the travel assistance as a cash equivalentup to the value ofthe specific bus route pass. The parent may also supplement, at their expense, a specific bus route pass to become a general network pass, if they feel wider access to travel would benefit the child.
Where assistance is provided by the provision of a specific vehicle, this will normally be pupils travelling together in mini-buses, specially adapted if necessary with pick-up and drop-off ata convenient location and within a reasonable distance from home. Home pick-up and drop-off will only be made where the Council deems it essential due to the child’s significant needs.
Other forms of travel assistance may include, for example, access to independent travel training, a direct payment - personal transport budget, escorted public transport. The precise form of travel assistance will be based on the safety of the child, the child’s individual needs, and the efficient use of resources.
Travel assistance will not be provided where schools send their pupils to other centres. The responsibility for any travel arrangements and the funding of these arrangements lie with the school.
This policy only covers the child qualifying for financial assistance towards travel; the policy does not place any requirement on the LA to ensure that travel is actually provided. Even where travel assistance is provided it remains a legal requirement for the parent/carer to ensure attendance at school.
If a school placement has been agreed on the grounds of parental preference and this school is not the nearest appropriate school, then parents are wholly responsible for securing attendance and the child would not be entitled to receive travel assistance.
Where a child would be eligible for travel assistance to their catchment school and parents choose for their children to attend an alternative qualifying school, we will not provide assistance greater than the financial provision which would be provided to assist travel to the catchment school. Whenever the actual school attended is within the statutory walking distance, the child will not be eligible for travel assistance.
The LA will not provide travel assistance where a parent chooses a school on religious or faith grounds other than where the child comes from a low income family and the eligibility criteria set out in 1d above is met
3.Change of Circumstances
Families receiving travel assistance must notify us when circumstances change, e.g. change of address, change of school, or change in eligibility for low income assistance. Provided you inform is in a reasonable timescale where changes of circumstances mean you are no longer eligible for travel assistance, we will not charge you for any unexpired portion of bus passes; if you have elected for travel assistance in some other form we will not seek to recover any payments already made, but we will not make any further payments.
4.Special Educational Need and/or disability
If a child is unable to walk the statutory distance to their nearest appropriate school, because of their special educational needs or disability the LA will, subject to an assessment of need, make appropriate travel arrangements,
In these instances, parents/carers must complete a travel assistance request form providing evidence that their child’s learning and/or physical disabilities prevent them from walking the statutory distance to school, even if accompanied by a responsible adult.
If it is agreed that a child meets the eligibility criteria, appropriate travel arrangements will be agreed in partnership with parents. Suitable arrangements will be made on the principle of developing independent travel skills, in preparation for adult life, and the provisions will also take into account the need to secure an efficient and effective use of resources.
Evidence to support an application for travel assistance would ordinarily be supported by the assessment advice and the child’s Health Care Plan; Statement of SEN or Education Health Care Plan (known as EHCP or single plan).
Provisions will include the option of a direct payment. Travel arrangements will not ordinarily include door to door transport, unless a child’s physical and medical needs make it unreasonable to access transport at a specified pick up point.
Eligibility for travel assistance will be subject to an annual review. If there is a change in the child’s circumstances e.g. a change in need or address, then travel assistance will be reviewed at that point.
5.Disabled Parents
Where a safe walking route assumes that parents accompany their children alonga walking route for it to be considered safe,and where the parents’ disability preventsthem from doing so, children may be eligible for travel assistance. In such circumstances, parents should provide independent evidence in support of their application, e.g. a letter from a consultant.
6.Discretionary & Exceptional Travel Assistance
Exceptional circumstances – if your child is not eligible for travel assistance, but you feel there are very exceptional circumstances you may appeal to a Travel Review Panel. Examples of exceptional circumstances that have been successful in the past include severe short term medical condition; family trauma/ upheaval that mean the parent/carer needs a period to resolve alternative arrangements to ensure the pupil can safely get to school. Such assistance is normally offered on a short term basis, and the parent/carer may be required to contribute towards the cost. For your information the appeals process is attached as Appendix A to this document.
You may also appeal to the Local Government Ombudsman, usually, once the Council’s appeals process has been completed and you are not satisfied with the outcome or the Council has taken to long to review its decision. As a guide the Local Government Ombudsman will usually consider whether:
- the council’s policy for providing help with travel assistance is not objective, clear and fair;
- the council failed to apply their policy properly or fairly;
- the council did not take relevant information into account in reaching its decision, or took irrelevantinformation into account; or
- the council delayed dealing with your application for help.
The Local Government Ombudsman can be contact by:
Telephone: 0300 061 0614 (8.30am to 5.00pm, Mondays toFridays);
Text message:0762 480 3014; or
Online:at
7.Buying a place on school bus
Where a pupil is not eligible for travel assistance it may be possible for the parent/carer to purchase spare seats on school bus routes. Subject to available spaces on any of our contracted services, a bus pass may be purchased to travel to school. These passes are discretionary and on a first come first served basis. Further information can be provided by the School TravelTeam on 0121 704 6610.
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