SEND Home to School Transport

Enabling access to education through Home to School transport is a statutory duty for those children who are eligible. This page sets out the eligibility criteria and responsibilities of the local authority and schools/colleges.

It is a duty of the local authority to provide travel assistance to compulsory school aged children and young people who are eligible under the following criteria:

Aged under 8 and live over 2 miles from their nearest suitable school
Aged over 8 and live over 3 miles from their nearest suitable school
The route to school is unsafe
The Special Educational Needs of a child mean they are unable to walk the above distances – even if accompanied by an appropriate adult

Some families on low income may also qualify for assistance when travelling to schools over 2 miles. This is means tested and reviewed annually.

For the purposes of eligibility Home is considered to be the address used to secure the school place or where the child resides for more than 50% of the school week.

For Children with an Education Health Care Plan – the qualifying school is the nearest school to the home which can meet need based on the child’s assessed needs.

Travel Assistance can be provided in a variety of ways to ensure it meets our obligations and provides value for money:

Parental Transport Allowance - This can be offered to a parent or nominated adult and is beneficial in ensuring a familiar adult is able to support the child to and from school each day
Public bus and train passes
Commissioned transport - such as mini bus or taxi

Post 16 Transport

North Yorkshire also provide assistance to pupils for post 16 education. This offer of assistance is non statutory and must be subsidised by the pupil annually.

Post 19 Transport

For Young adults over the age of 19 – travel assistance will only be provided where necessary to those with an Education Health and Care Plan, following an assessment from a social care officer.

School Responsibilities

Schools have a responsibility to

Ensure advice given to parents regarding transport is current

Inform the authority of any known issues and concerns including safeguarding

Support the LA and Transport provider in ensuring positive behaviour on transport provided
Arrange and fund any transport which is not to the school address including work experience, travel between sites during the school day, alternative provision and offsite learning.

Arrange with parents for collection of children due to illness including Covid 19, or if the child is distressed and transporting them would be a risk.

Local Authority Responsibilities

The local authority has a responsibility to

Publish a home to school transport policy
Publish an annual post 16 transport statement by 31st May
Fulfil the statutory duty to any parent requesting assistance which meet the criteria
Offer the right of appeal if assistance is declined
Ensure travel assistance is arranged with sustainable, environmental and economical consideration
Ensure travel assistance is suitable for the child to arrive at school in a manner in which they are able to learn
Ensure that all commission assistance meets a quality standard in which routine inspection will be made
Ensure all drivers, passengers and other road users are safe from harm. The authority has the right to refuse travel if the risk of harm occurring is unable to be mitigated