What type of travel assistance will be offered?
Travel assistance covers one return journey each school day—to and from the main school base at the start and end of the normal school day (as set by the school’s governing body). Assistance may take one of the following forms:
- Public Transport Pass
For bus or train travel (pupils may need to change vehicles).
For pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities, independent travel training may be offered. - Mileage Allowance or Personal Travel Budget
A payment for parents to make their own arrangements. - Place on a School Bus or Contracted Vehicle
Pupils may need to change vehicles to complete the journey.
We decide the type of assistance based on what is appropriate, suitable, and cost-effective, and this may change over time.
Personal travel budget
A personal travel budget may be offered if a pupil has needs beyond what most pupils of a similar age require, such as:
- Use of a wheelchair or mobility scooter.
- Need for a specialised vehicle or seating (e.g., harness or restraint).
- Sensory, physical, or medical difficulties—or challenging behaviour—that pose serious risk to them or others during travel, even if accompanied.
- Requirement for personal care or medical intervention during the journey.
- Pupils may qualify for help if they need bulky medical or mobility equipment (like oxygen or walking frames) that they or their parent/carer cannot safely carry, or if the equipment cannot be accommodated on a normal school bus.
- Inability to share transport with other children or need for a passenger assistant.
- Distance or time of journey would worsen medical issues even if accompanied.
Other circumstances may apply and will be considered individually. Decisions are based on professional evidence (educational or medical), not parental opinion.
Mileage allowance
If a pupil is eligible for travel assistance based purely on them being over the distance criteria and they have no special transport need, a mileage allowance may be offered.
Payments
- Personal Travel Budget:
60p per mile for four journeys per day (two return trips) usually paid monthly in advance. The number of miles paid will be calculated to 2 decimal places using the shortest driving route (avoiding toll roads) in Google Maps at the time of day the morning journey would be made. - Mileage allowance - 45p per mile for four journeys per day attended, paid at the end of each term.
Payments may be reduced or reclaimed based on attendance. If two or more children from the same address attend the same school/site, usually only one allowance is paid.
In exceptional circumstances, for pupils with particularly specialist individual transport needs, we may offer a bespoke budget based upon those needs. Those needs would need to be demonstrated by providing professional supporting information from a school, hospital, consultant, or specialist support service of their opinion of the needs and how they affect the type of transport required
Other Key Points
- Children may need to walk up to one mile to/from a pickup point or public transport.
- Parents decide if accompaniment is needed when walking to school/pick up point and are responsible for arranging as required
- If you disagree with the assistance offered, you can request a review.
- If free travel assistance was provided in error, it will be withdrawn with reasonable notice.
We may ask parents to provide further medical professional supporting information to help us make our decision.
