Transport Policy

Please remember the policy details provided on this page only apply to Staffordshire residents. If you do not live in Staffordshire, you should approach your own council for transport assistance.

If your child has special educational needs and you want more details about the home to school transport policy for your child, please use this link.

Decisions regarding entitlement to transport assistance are made by the School Admissions and Transport Service, Children and Lifelong Learning, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH, telephone 01785 278593, or email transport.entitlement@staffordshire.gov.uk

For any enquries about the day to day operation of your transport (such as complaints or queries about the route you have been allocated to, queries about the pick up point or you have lost your pass), please contact the Integrated Transport and Planning Unit, Development Services, Riverway, Stafford, ST16 3TJ, email publictransport@staffordshire.gov.uk or telephone 01785 278679 (north of the county - Newcastle and Moorlands area), or 278678 (east of the county including Lichfield and Tamworth), or 278718/19 (west of the county including Stafford, Cannock and South Staffs)

Free Transport for statutory school age pupils (up to and including year group 11)

Pupils are normally entitled to free home to school transport if they

Reside in Staffordshire, and
Live beyond the walking distance from the school that they attend which is also their registered base, and
Live within the designated catchment area of the school, or are attending the nearest suitable school, as determined by the Authority. To check the catchment school for your address please use this link. Catchment areas also includes the denominational transport areas, where they exist, which are determined by the Local Authority for individual denominational schools, following consultation with the Diocesan and any other bodies concerned

Walking distance is defined as a maximum of two miles for pupil's aged under eleven at the start of the school year, and over three miles for pupils over eleven at the start of the school year. The distance is measured using the shortest available walking route from the pupil address to the nearest available gate to the school site, using the Geographic Information System (GIS) held within the Children and Lifelong Learning Directorate. When considering a walking route it is assumed that the pupil will be accompanied as necessary. Where parents are working at the time their child will travel to and from school, it is a parent's duty to make other arrangements for someone to accompany their children as necessary.

Denominational Transport - is my child entitled?

Transport to denominational schools is only provided for pupils when parents are able to demonstrate adherence to the religion/denomination of that school and they comply with the criteria regarding catchment/denominational transport area and walking distance set out above. For Catholic schools, a copy of the Catholic certificate of baptism or certificate of reception for the child should be provided as proof of adherence to the Catholic faith.

Applying for Transport

When your child is due in September to start full time school for the first time, or is due to change schools (for example move from primary to secondary school), earlier in that year you will receive a letter advising you at which school your child has been allocated a place. This letter will explain to you what the arrangements are for transport applications.

Applications for transport at other times of the year should be made using the application form below (Form A). It may take up to 28 days after receipt of your application to arrange transport. Your completed application form should be sent to the School Admissions and Transport Service, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH

MS Word document Form A - application for transport - Word version

.PDF document Form A - application for transport .PDF version

Income Assessed Transport

From September 2008 children of secondary school age (aged 11 to 16, school year 7 to 11) from low income families will have an additional entitlement to income assessed transport assistance to either

one of the three nearest suitable schools to where you live that is more than 2 miles, but less than 6 miles from your home, or
the nearest school that is more than 2 miles but less than 15 miles from your home, preferred on the grounds of the parent's religious or philosophical beliefs. The parent must be able to demonstrate adherence to the faith of that school if it is a denominational school.

Low income groups are defined as those who are entitled to, and registered for, free school meals (for more information on free school meals use this link), or are in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit.

Upon receipt of your application we will check our records to confirm that you are registered as eligible for free school meals. Proof of receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit should accompany your application form (a copy of your most recent Tax Credit Award Notice form TC602 or a letter from the Benefits Agency confirming receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit).

To apply for transport under philosophical or religious grounds, written supporting evidence should also be provided as to how and why the school meets your philosophical or religious beliefs. The term 'belief' has to be more than an opinion or idea held by the parent. Based upon European case law, a belief must be genuinely held, and attain a certain level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance.

The following examples do not meet the requirements for the provision of transport on faith or philosophical grounds -

the wish to have a child eduated at a particular category of school (for example a grant maintained school or grammar school)
the wish for a child to be taught in a particular language
a belief that a child should be privately educated
objections to rules requiring that a school uniform must be worn
the belief that a particular school will provide a better level of education

If it is a denominational school, the parent must be able to demonstrate adherence to the faith of that school. For Catholic schools, a copy of the Catholic Certificate of Baptism or Certificate of Reception for the child should be provided as proof of adherence to the Catholic faith.

Parents should apply in writing, using the application form below (Form B).

MS Word document Form B application for income assessed transport (Word version)

.PDF document Form B - application for income assessed transport (.PDF version)

Applications should be received with all required supporting evidence by 16 May 2008 to ensure that transport arrangements can be in place for the beginning of autumn term. It may take up to 28 days after receipt of your application to arrange transport, and you will be expected to make your own travel arrangements during this time.

Please note for income assessed transport assistance:

An annual re-assessment of eligibility will be made.
If family financial circumstances change and so the pupil no longer meets the eligibility criteria above, transport will be withdrawn at the end of the academic year.
where a pupil on income assessed transport no long qualifies under the mileage criteria to a change of address, transport assistance may be withdrawn immediately. Parents would then become responsible for making arrangements to ensure their child attends school
In light of this, parents must therefore note that there is no guarantee that free transport will be provided throughout their child's secondary education.

For what other reasons would you provide transport assistance?

If you wish to apply for transport assistance under any of the following categories, you should do so by completing Form A above.

Moving address

If a pupil moves address they are normally expected to transfer to the catchment school that serves their new home. To check the catchment school for your address please use this link. However, if your new address is still in Staffordshire, we may provide transport assistance to the old school. Normally this is only considered if the pupil is in year 10 or 11 when you moved, and the pupil was previously attending the correct catchment school for the old address. Transport assistance if agreed will normally be in the form of a public service bus pass or petrol allowance. When assessing your application the Authority will consider the strength of the supporting evidence surrounding the circumstances of your move (which you must provide with your application), along with the cost of the transport provision.

If your son or daughter already receives transport and you move address, please return the travel pass to the Integrated Transport and Planning Unit, Development Services, Riverway, Stafford, ST16 3TJ.

Medical reasons

If a pupil who is attending their correct catchment school is unable to walk to school due to a medical reason (for example a broken leg), and you can provide supporting written medical evidence that they are unable to walk to school, transport assistance may be provided.

Special circumstances

Individual consideration will be given to pupils who do not meet the criteria set out above. You must provide written details of any special circumstances you want to be considered. Please note individual family work commitments are not normally taken into account when considering eligibility for transport assistance.

If you feel that transport should be provided as you consider that the walking route is unavailable, please be aware that a route is assessed on the basis that the pupil will be accompanied by an adult as necessary. You will find below the walking route assessment criteria which is used by the County Council when considering if a route is available. If you consider that a walking route is unavailable then you must provide full details of the particular sections of the route that you feel are unavailable and the reasons why. We will only consider eligiblity for free transport on the basis of an unavailable route if it is your closest or catchment area school.

Word document walking route assessment criteria - Word version

PDF file Walking route assessment criteria - .PDF version

What type of transport assistance will be offered?

Transport assistance will normally take the form of either:-

A place on a contracted vehicle hired by the Authority, or
A travel pass for public transport, or
The payment of travelling expenses (this might include the reimbursement of bus or train fares, or a petrol or cycling allowance at a rate determined by the Authority)
Staffordshire County Council may change the type of assistance offered to make the best use of resources

Generally, children may be required to walk (or be accompanied by parents if they feel it is appropriate) up to one mile to or from a designated pick up/drop off point. The Authority will determine which type of transport assistance will be offered, and may change the type of transport provided from a seat on a hired school bus, to a seat on a public service bus or train, or vice versa

Right to review

A parent has a right to a review of a decision that free transport is not available. If you wish to request a review please write to the Head of School Admissions and Transport at Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH providing full details and any supporting evidence that you feel should be taken into account.

Behaviour and safety on school transport

For information relating to behaviour and safety on home to school transport, please follow this link.

Not entitled to transport assistance?

For more information on public transport please call Traveline on 0871 2002233

For assistance with journey planning including both bus and rail information the website www.transportdirect.info may be of assistance

For website addresses and contact details for Staffordshire schools www.education.staffordshire.gov.uk/Directories/

Where a vehicle hired by the Authority has more seats than are needed for pupils entitled to free or subidised transport, places may be made available to other pupils under the Temporary Vacant Seat Scheme.

Post 16 transport

Entitlement to free transport ends once the child has completed their compulsory education. For information and application forms for travel to sixth form or college, please use this link.

Last Modified: 18/11/2008 17:29:07
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