General eligibility criteria for all pupils (including those with an EHCP)
Children from reception up to year 11 are eligible for home to school travel assistance if they meet the following criteria:
- they live in Staffordshire and also,
- live over walking distance from the school where they are registered and it is their catchment area school (as determined by Staffordshire County Council), or it is the nearest suitable school with places available; or
- live under the walking distance, but the child’s learning difficulty or disability means they cannot be reasonably expected to make the journey safely to the nearest suitable or catchment school, even when accompanied. Parents/carers are responsible for making any arrangements for their child to be accompanied if necessary.
Please note assistance is not given to fee-charging schools unless this is one that has been named as the most appropriate in a pupil’s Education, Health and Care Plan. Travel assistance would also not be provided to access education arranged as part of Elective Home Education.
Generally, we do not consider work or other childcare commitments as a reason for parents not to accompany their child themselves, or to make their own arrangements for any accompaniment, if required.
Assistance may also be provided:
- If a pupil lives below walking distance from the nearest or catchment school, but the route has been declared unavailable for an accompanied pupil and there is no other alternative route below the walking distance
- Under the low income criteria for income assessed travel assistance for secondary age pupils.
- When attending the closest or catchment school and a medical condition prevents the pupil form making the journey even when accompanied. If your child does not qualify for assistance, you will have to arrange and pay for your
