Statement on school transport
The Local Authority is under a duty to provide transport to a secondary school aged child’s designated or nearest school, or if a place is not available there, to the nearest alternative school with places, provided that it is beyond the statutory walking distance of three miles from their home.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s home to school transport policy is in line with the Department for Education statutory guidance. Within this policy there are arrangements whereby parents or carers may express a preference for their child to attend a faith school which is not the designated or nearest school to their home address. For a transport application to be considered on faith grounds the relevant evidence will need to be provided. Transport may be then provided if the home address is more that three miles from the school.
When a parent prefers to send their child to a school which is not the designated or nearest school for the home address, the parent will assume responsibility for the provision of transport and associated costs. Parents are made aware of this in the information about applying for school places.
Provisions have been brought in by the Government for secondary-aged pupils from low income families. Children from low income groups are defined in the Education Act as those who are entitled to free school meals, or whose families are in receipt of their maximum level of Working Tax Credit. A pupil from a low income family will be entitled to help with transport to one of their three nearest suitable LA schools where they live more than two miles but not more than six miles from the school.
The Local Authority are unable to comment on individual cases, however, if a parent wishes to apply for transport assistance for their child the first step is to complete a home to school transport request which will then be considered against the home to school transport policy.
