Definition of Home to School Travel Arrangements
For eligible children attending a qualifying school, travel arrangements apply to journeys in both directions between home and the relevant educational setting.
Eligible Children – Key Categories
There are four categories of children who may be eligible for home to school travel arrangements:
- Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), a disability, or a mobility difficulty
- Children whose route to school is unsafe
- Children who live beyond the statutory walking distance
- Children from low-income family's
What Counts as a Qualifying School?
A qualifying school includes:
- Maintained (publicly funded) school or nursery
- Non-maintained special school maintained special school
- Pupil Referral Unit
- University Technical College
- Academies
An independent school can also be classed as a qualifying school if:
- It is named in Section I of the child’s EHC plan, and
- There are no comments stating that parents will provide transport.
Travel times
As a general guide, the maximum journey time for a child of primary school age should be 45 minutes each way.
And 75 minutes each way for a child of secondary school age, including any time taken to walk to a pick-up point
Children of Compulsory school age (5-16)
Section 508B of the Education Act 1996 states that Local authorities are required to arrange free, suitable, home to school transport for children of compulsory school age who are eligible, to their nearest suitable qualifying school
The Travel to school for children of compulsory school age Statutory guidance state:
“The arrangements should enable the child to travel in reasonable safety and comfort, and without undue stress, strain or difficulty, so that wherever possible they arrive at school ready to learn.”
“It may not always be necessary to provide children with ‘door to door’ transport in order to meet their needs.”
If a child has SEN, a disability or mobility problems which means they cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school, then they are an ‘eligible child’ and are entitled to home to school transport.
If a school is named in Section I of the EHCP and the Local Authority have agreed that this school can meet the child’s needs they should provide the transport to that school unless stated otherwise.
If a parent decides on a place of learning that is further away and there is one closer that can meet needs, then the Local Authority may name the parents/carers choice in the EHCP with a caveat stating it is parental preference and transport must be paid by the parents.
Children Under Compulsory School Age (Below 5)
Children who are below compulsory school age are not automatically entitled to free transport to school or early years settings. years settings.
Local Authority Powers
Under the Education Act 1996:
- Section 509A allows Local Authorities (LAs) to choose to provide travel arrangements for children under compulsory school age who attend an early year's setting.
- Section 508C allows LAs to provide travel arrangements they consider necessary to ensure attendance for children under compulsory school age who attend school.
Although there is no strict duty for LAs to provide transport for this age group, an LA cannot refuse transport simply because the child is under compulsory school age. They must consider requests case by case and cannot apply a blanket policy excluding all under5s.