High school transport

Herefordshire Council have a statutory duty to provide home to school transport for High School pupils living within the County who meet one of the following criteria:

• Is attending the nearest/catchment school and lives over 3 miles from the school.
• Is attending the nearest/catchment school, living less than 3 miles from the school on a route that has been designated as hazardous.
• Is attending the school on genuine denominational grounds and lives over 3 miles from the school (contribution payable).
• Is attending the school on genuine denominational grounds, lives between 2 and 3 miles from the school and the family is in receipt of the highest level of family working tax credit or the child is in receipt of free school meals.  Evidence of low income will be required.
• Is attending one of the three nearest schools, living between 2 and 6 miles from the school and the family is in receipt of the highest level of family working tax credit or the child is in receipt of free school meals.  Evidence of low income will be required.

What is the statutory walking distance?

For high school age pupils, walking distance is defined in law as up to 3 miles.  It is always assumed that a child will be accompanied as necessary.  The distance is measured by the shortest available walking route along a road or made up footpath, as measured from the nearest pedestrian access to the school site to the nearest entrance to the external boundary of the pupil's home address.

How is the distance measured?

To ensure consistency, the distance between the home and the school is calculated by a computer based mapping system using the shortest available walking route along a road or made up footpath from the nearest pedestrian access to the school site to the nearest entrance to the external boundary of the pupil's home address.

How far will I need to walk to the nearest boarding point?

In general, children, accompanied by their parents where appropriate,  may be required to walk up to one mile to or from a designated boarding or alighting point.  (In the case of denominational transport the distance to the boarding point could be further than one mile).  However, in certain circumstances the cost of redesignating a new boarding point may not be economic or cost effective and therefore parents may be expected to take their child up to the limit of the statutory walking distances.

What happens if there is a disagreement about the walking distance?

If you believe that the distance has been measured inaccurately, please contact the Transport and Admissions Officer on 01432 260931 and the distance will be manually reassessed, using a computer based mapping system and measuring the distance by hand.

The route I need to take to school is too dangerous to walk, am I entitled to transport?

The measured distance (see 'How is the distance measured?') to school must be one along which a child, accompanied as necessary, can walk with reasonable safety to school. If a parent believes that the route to the catchment or nearest school is not safe, they can ask us to assess it on the grounds of exceptional hazard. (see 'How do I apply for the route to be assessed?').

If part of the route is assessed as containing exceptional hazards, it will not be included in the statutory walking distance, transport assistance will be provided.

Several routes have already been assessed as containing exceptional hazards so it is always worth checking if yours is one of them by calling the Transport and Admissions Officer on 01432 260931.

We are on a low income, is my child still entitled to free transport assistance?

From September 2008, children who are between the ages of 11 and 16 and attending High School from low income families (those families whose children are entitled to free school meals, or who are in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit) are eligible for free transport to one of their three nearest qualifying schools where they live more than two miles, but not more than six miles from that school.  If you would qualify for this assistance we will write to tell you once we have assessed your application for transport (see 'How do I apply for transport?')

You will need to supply evidence of your Working Tax Credit or inform us that your child is in receipt of free school meals. (To check if your child would qualify for Free School Meals please call 01432 260268).  We will return to you any evidence you submit.

My child is attending the nearest denominational school, can he have transport assistance?

Herefordshire Council will provide assistance with transport where a child attends, on denominational grounds (either at the time of their original admission or at some subsequent point in time), the nearest appropriate or designated voluntary aided church school, and it is beyond statutory walking distance from the home address.

Parents are asked to pay a contribution towards the cost of providing such transport subject to the following criteria.

1. Parents to pay contributions towards the cost of transport for the first two children attending any denominational school from any one family (at the same address) with any subsequent children having a denominational place entitled to free transport, so long as those other children remain in receipt of transport under this scheme.
2. Free transport for those children entitled to free school meals (Entitlement can be checked by contacting the Free School Meals team on 01432 260268), families in receipt of free prescriptions (on income related criteria) or in receipt of full housing or Council Tax benefit.
3. A contribution of 50% of the set contribution rate per term for those not entitled under 2 above but whose parent(s) are entitled to Housing or Council tax benefit.

A child is deemed to attend a local Church School on denominational grounds where the denomination of the parents is the same as the denomination of the school and the child is offered a denominational place.

As in the case of transport to community schools, statutory walking distance is up to 3 miles for high school children.

The Children's Services Cabinet member set the level of parental contribution in July 2011.  For budgetary purposes the charge is linked to the level of contribution paid by parents utilising the Vacant Seat Payments Scheme, which for the 2011/2012 school year is £168 per term.

For information the list of Voluntary Aided Church Schools is as follows:

Roman Catholic

St Mary's R.C. High School, Lugwardine

Church of England

The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School, Hereford

Will transport assistance be given to a school other than the one provided for their home address?

Assistance with transport is normally given only to pupils attending the school(s) provided for their home address.  Parents are responsible for transport when their child attends, by parental preference, an alternative school.  However, some exceptions may be made in the following circumstances:

1. if the catchment or nearest school is full and your child is not awarded a place in that school, the Local Authority will redesignate an alternative school for your child.  If that school is situated beyond the defined walking distance, transport assistance will be provided.
2. a pupil with problems associated with special educational needs for whom attendance at a particular school is considered to be appropriate and the school is situated beyond the defined walking distance, or if walking is too difficult for the pupil.

Is transport available to two different home addresses?

No, transport assistance is only provided to the main home address.  It is not available from a second address or to child care facilities.  Where parents live apart the child's main home is defined as the one being where they live most of the time and that parent receives the Child Benefit.  However, it maybe possible to purchase a seat for the second address under the Vacant Seat Payment Scheme (VSPS) See below.

I do not qualify for free transport, is their any other help available?

For pupils who are not entitled to free transport, Herefordshire Council operate a Vacant Seat Payment Scheme, when spare seats are sold at either the current standard rate for each child (£168 per term in 2011/2012) or at the lesser rate for each child (£45 per term in 2011/2011) who is in receipt of free school meals.  There is no guarantee that a seat will be available at the start of the following term, or continued throughout a term.  In the event of more applicants than vacant seats being available, the allocation of places will be on the basis of distance to the provided or nearest school: the nearest to the school being awarded the seat first.

It is also important to note that the Council is reviewing all routes now that pupil numbers are falling and there are likely to be an increasing number of situation in which routes will be combined or simplified, and this may mean that vacant seats will reduce in number.

If I move home whilst my child is engaged on an examination course will I continue to receive free transport?

Each year, some Year 10/11 pupils and Year 12/13 students engaged in examination courses move home address into another part of the County (i.e. into the catchment area of a different school).  In such situations, which arise from decisions taken by parents, the normal expectation is that parents will take responsibility for getting their son/daughter to the school (including under the Vacant Seats Payment Scheme, if available) at which the pupil is enrolled, or make arrangements for the pupil to transfer to another school.  Only in exceptional family circumstances, would free transport assistance be offered, on an individual basis.  Even in such situations transport assistance would normally be allowed only where provision could be made within an existing Home to School Transport route, with the parent being responsible for taking the pupil to and from the relevant boarding point.

Will transport be provided for medical reasons?

The Council may provide free transport for medical reasons, if necessary, on the recommendation of the Senior Clinical Medical Officer.

Will transport be provided to and from Independent Schools?

No travel assistance will be given to pupils attending Independent Schools.

What happens if a pupil is disruptive on the provided transport?

Parents must appreciate that the authority will not tolerate anti-social behaviour on its home to school transport.  The authority has issued various sanctions to deal with these situations, which in the most serious of cases could result in the pupil being banned from all school transport.  In these situations the parents will become responsible for transporting the child to school.

What types of transport assistance are available?

The Director of Children Services decides on the most suitable transport arrangements, bearing in mind all relevant factors, including cost.

Depending on individual circumstances, transport is arranged usually by contract bus, service bus or rail, though sometimes other individual arrangements have to be made.  Transport is provided at the beginning and end of the normal school day, but is not provided for out of hour's activities.

How do I apply for transport?

If you believe you qualify for free transport or if you wish to apply for a seat under the Vacant Seat Payment Scheme you will need to submit a 'Travel Assistance Form' (Form T).

Once complete, these forms should be sent to:

The Transport & Admissions Officer, Admissions and Transport Department, PO Box 185, Hereford, HR4 9ZR.

I have been refused assistance with transport but believe that my circumstances are exceptional and wish to appeal against the decision, how do I do this?

You can appeal against any decision made by a member of the School Transport team by writing, explaining your reasons/circumstances to:

Mr Steve Rogers, Head of Learning and Achievement, PO Box 185, Hereford, HR4 9ZR.

How do I apply for transport on the grounds of Exceptional Hazard?

For a route to be considered Hazardous it must meet the following criteria:

Criteria for Dangerous Route

If your child has not been awarded free transport on the grounds that you live less than the statutory walking distance from the catchment or nearest school, but believe that the route you need to take is not safe to walk with your child, you can apply for the route to be assessed by completing the 'Application for Dangerous Route Form' or calling the Transport Co-Ordinator on 01432 260931.

How can I contact the Transport Office?

E-mail: schooltransport@herefordshire.gov.uk

Name
Mr Andrew Blackman	Admissions & Transport Manager	01432 260927
Mrs Jackie O'Connor	Transport Co-ordinator	01432 260931
TBA	SEN, PRU and Post 16 Transport Officer	01432 383544
Mr David Baldwin	Transport Operations Officer	01432 260937
Ms Sarah Innes	Transport Operations Officer	01432 261523
Mrs Jill Bradbury	Transport Assistant	01432 260924
Ms Meg Swain	Transport Assistant	01432 260928