Guide for Applicants - Assistance with Travel from Home to School
Applying for assistance with travel to school
This form is for parents and legal guardians who live in the Bradford Metropolitan District of West Yorkshire and want to apply for assistance with travel to school.
Before you fill in the form please read Bradford Council’s “Policy Covering Travel between Home, School and College” at www.bradford.gov.uk/education, and at Bradford Schools Online https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/content/schooltravel. Further information is provided as a series of frequently asked questions.
If you have any questions, email: If you need to speak to a member of the team please ring the School Travel Service on 01274 439450.
Is this the right form for you?
Only use this form if your child attends a mainstream school and does not have additional needs.
Why is this information required?
· To establish whether your child is eligible for assistance.
· To assess your child’s needs when travelling so that the assistance we give is suitable.
How do you decide if my child is eligible for assistance?
It is the parent’s statutory duty to ensure their child attends school and parents have a right in law to state a preference for a school for their child, but that does not carry with it a right to free transport. The Council has a statutory duty in certain circumstances to make suitable travel arrangements that they consider necessary and these are set out in the Council’s “Policy Covering Travel Between Home, School And College”.
Before applying please note that:
· Your child must attend the nearest suitable qualifying school from your home address. If there was a place at a nearer school at the time of allocation of school places during the admissions process or at the time you applied for a school place during the year after the main allocation, it is unlikely that assistance will be given.
· We consider all qualifying schools within or outside of the Bradford District including Academies and Free Schools.
· We do not consider the individual school admissions arrangements (it will be for the parent to demonstrate why their child was not able to gain a place), or whether your home address is within the priority admissions area for your preferred school or if it is regarded as a “feeder” school. These considerations do not determine eligibility for assistance with travel.
· We no longer take into account your religion, belief or lack of belief when considering your nearest suitable qualifying school, except if you are a low income family and your child is age 11 to 16.
· Children aged 5 years and up to 8 years who live 2 miles or less from the nearest suitable school are expected to walk that distance to school. Only distances beyond 2 miles will be considered for assistance.
· On the child’s eighth birthday up to 16 years of age the distance the child is expected to walk is 3 miles. Only distances beyond 3 miles will be considered for assistance.
· The “statutory walking distance” is measured along a safe walking route. It is the responsibility of all parents to ensure their child attends school and, where necessary, to accompany their child on the journey to school. If there are concerns about the safety of their child en route it is for the parent to demonstrate the route is unsafe and any assessment will take into account only those factors where the child is at risk when they are accompanied by an adult.
· Where the child is entitled to free school meals or whose parents receive the maximum level of Working Tax Credit: the qualifying distances to the nearest suitable school change for some age groups and there are other additional considerations.
– Children aged 5 years but under 11 years and live 2 miles or less from the nearest suitable school are expected to walk that distance to school. Only distances beyond 2 miles will be considered for assistance.
– Children aged 11 to 16 while in Year 11 and attend one of their 3 nearest suitable schools, where it is more than 2 miles, but no more than 6 miles from their home will be expected to walk that distance to school. Only distances beyond 2 miles, and no more 6 miles will be considered for assistance.
– Children aged 11 to 16 while in Year 11 and who attend the nearest school preferred on the grounds of parent’s religion or belief (or lack of belief), which is more than 2 miles, but not more than 15 miles from that school. Only distances beyond 2 miles, and no more 15 miles will be considered for assistance.
· If supporting evidence is required, please remember to include it with the application form.
Assistance with travel to school will be made only to the suitable qualifying school with a place available that is nearest to your home, and where children live over the qualifying distance to that school nearest to your home; otherwise children will be expected to walk to school, accompanied by an adult as necessary to ensure their safety.
There are other qualifying criteria and conditions, please refer to the policy for full details.
How and when to apply
We advise you to apply when your child’s school place is confirmed and before any deadline date on the form in order for us to process your application for the term starting in September. We process applications in the order of date they are received.
Please note the School Travel Team cannot advise you of your child’s eligibility over the phone.
What sort of assistance could I get?
If your child qualifies, we will provide the form of assistance that is suitable to meet their needs and can best achieve the goal of your child travelling independently.
Your child will usually be given a Zero Fare Pass unless they have a mobility problem.
It could be one or more of the following.
· a Zero Fare School Pass, which is accepted for travel on buses and trains operating within the county of West Yorkshire and allows one journey to school and one journey home between 7am and 7pm each school day – it can be used on more than one service if no direct service is available and the child needs to change from one bus service to another (or from bus to train and vice versa). But it is not valid if they break their journey unnecessarily and try to re-board without paying.
· a Zero Fare Boarding Pass, which would allow your child to travel on a school bus free of charge – these ‘school specials’ are funded by the local authority to serve areas where ordinary bus services are not available.
The Pass will be issued by Metro, details of routes and times are available on www.generationm.co.uk
If you qualify for assistance the transport arrangement will be valid until the end of the academic year unless your circumstances change.
What if my child moves house or moves to a different school?
You must phone the School Travel Team at once. Existing arrangements will be terminated. If you still want assistance to get your child to and from school, you must fill in a new application form that includes up-to-date information so we can re-assess whether your child meets the qualifying criteria.
When will I hear if my child qualifies for assistance and when would I receive it?
For applications received during the year
· We aim to assess the application within 30 school days from the date we receive your fully-completed form.
· If we agree your child needs a Zero Fare Pass, it can take an additional 10 days for it to be issued by Metro.
· If we agree that your child needs a taxi or minibus, it can take an additional 15 working days to put the necessary arrangements in place, more if an escort is required.
For applications from pupils transferring from Year 6 to Year 7.
· We assess applications in date order of arrival at our office up to the deadline on the application form in time for the start of the new school year in September For applications received after this date we cannot guarantee it will be processed before the start of the new school year.
· We aim to issue Zero Fare Passes for all those who qualify during the last week in August.
My child has behaviour difficulties. What else do I need to know?
We have a duty to ensure the health, safety and well-being of children and the people who are employed to support them in any way. If your child’s behaviour is likely to place themselves or other people in danger, we reserve the right to withdraw the provision of any form of assistance, pending review and reassessment of their travel needs.
If your child is awarded a Zero Fare Pass and they breach the Code of Conduct or conditions of use listed in the letter that accompanies the pass, the bus or train operator may withdraw the pass. You would have to write to Metro to explain what happened.
The Behaviour ContractBradford Council works with Metro, bus and rail operators and schools to promote good standards of behaviour when travelling to ensure pupils arrive at school ready to learn. This is our behaviour contract which parents and pupils are required to support.
I understand that assistance with travel is conditional upon my child maintaining standards of good behaviour when travelling so that the health, safety and comfort of other passengers are not compromised. I will ensure my child is fully aware of the required standards of behaviour and of the sanctions that will apply if they are not met.
Where the actions of my child compromises the health, safety or comfort of other passengers, sanctions will result in the withdrawal of the ticket or pass for a specific period and re-instatement will be subject to review. I understand that all tickets and passes remain the property of the issuing organisation, must be available for inspection by the issuing organisation, and must be returned when requested.
In circumstances where the pass is withdrawn I am responsible for ensuring my child attends school and for incurring any costs that arise as a consequence. Examples of the sort of behaviour that will result in the ticket or pass being withdrawn are carrying an offensive weapon or drugs/alcohol, bullying, racism, fighting, vandalism and persistent anti-social behaviour including inappropriate language, smoking or spitting. I understand liability may be incurred in the event of wilful damage to the vehicle or to property which transport providers may take action to recover.
What if I apply for assistance, but my child does not qualify?
We will send you a letter explaining why.
If my child does not qualify, where can I get details of public transport to schools?
Metro provide a range of tickets that can be used to travel to and from school and some can be used at other times during weekdays and at weekends
Anyone who lives in the Bradford District and is aged 11 to 16 needs to get a Young Person’s PhotoCard to prove that they are entitled to travel at half the adult fare on buses and trains within West Yorkshire.
Visit www.generationm.co.uk for details or call Metroline on 0113 245 7676.
For details of other transport services, visit Metro’s website www.wymetro.com
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