Some pupils may qualify for help with travel between home and school, provided they satisfy certain criteria. The Council's policies are detailed in the following policy documents:
- Home-to-School Travel - Guidance note for parents (see A below)
- Home-to-School Travel for Pupils With Special Educational Needs - Guidance note for parents (see B below)
A - Home to School Travel - Guidance note for parents
1. STATUTORY PROVISION
Pupils Aged 5-16
Free travel support is provided between home and school if:
- pupils attend the nearest appropriate school as determined by the City Council; and
- the distance between home and school exceeds the statutory walking distance ie 2 miles or more for pupils under 8 years of age and 3 miles or more for pupils aged 8-16 years of age.
- Additionally, children aged between 8 and 11 years from low income families are entitled to travel support where they live more than two miles from their nearest, appropriate, qualifying school.
- Children aged 11 to 16 from low income families are entitled to travel support to one of their three nearest qualifying schools where the distance from their home address to the school is more than two miles, but less than six miles from that school or to their nearest suitable school preferred on grounds of religion or belief, where the distance from their home address to the school is more than 2 miles, but not more than 15 miles from that school.
2. DISCRETIONARY PROVISION
Pupils Under 5 Years of Age
Travel support is provided for full-time pupils in primary school reception classes provided they attend their nearest appropriate school and live more than two miles from that school. Travel support is not provided for part-time pupils at the end of the morning session or at the beginning of the afternoon session.
Pupils Over 16 Years of Age
Travel support for 16 - 19 year old students is currently under review but at present is only provided for disabled students and students with learning difficulties to enable them to access their nearest appropriate school or college. The Council's policy is available on request.
Pupils With Medical Problems
Travel support may be provided on medical grounds, on the advice of the Health Authority, to enable pupils to attend their nearest appropriate school even though they may live within the statutory walking distance.
Pupils With Special Educational Needs
Travel support is provided for pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs to attend the nearest appropriate school, as determined by the Statementing Panel, where it is over the statutory walking distance (ie 2 or 3 miles). Exceptionally, travel support may be provided for pupils who live within the statutory walking distance to ensure attendance, ie for the following reasons:
- medical problems;
- physical impairment;
- school phobia;
- exceptional social problems.
The Council's policy relating to children with special educational needs is available on request.
Pupils Attending Denominational Schools
Travel support is provided to denominational schools where pupils:
- attend their nearest appropriate denominational school;
- live more than the statutory walking distance from that school;
- attend for denominational reasons; and
- parents have expressed a preference for denominational education prior to the start of the admissions process, although late applications will be considered on their own merits.
Pupils Who Live On Exceptionally Hazardous Routes
Travel support may, exceptionally, be provided to the nearest appropriate school for pupils who live within the statutory walking distance, if the route to school is considered by the Council to be hazardous e.g. no pavements along a busy road.
Pupils In Bed & Breakfast and Temporary Accommodation (including children looked after by Social Services)
Travel support may be provided for one term to enable pupils to continue to attend their current school. Once they have been rehoused, parents/carers have the option of transferring them to a nearer school or, if they wish to keep them at their original school, meet the cost of any travel arrangements.
B - Home to School Travel for Pupils with Special Educational Needs
1. POLICY
Bristol City Council will provide travel support for pupils with Special Educational Needs if the distance between home and their nearest appropriate school (as designated by the Council) is more than the statutory walking distance i.e. two miles for children under the age of eight years, three miles for children over the age of eight years or over the designated walking distance if the child is from a low income family.
Under the statutory walking distance, parents have a legal responsibility for getting their children to and from school. However, the Council has the discretion to provide travel support for children who live less than two or three miles from school, where this is absolutely necessary to ensure attendance. We are most likely to provide travel support in the following circumstances:
- if travel provision appears in the Statement of Special Educational Needs, because the child's own special educational needs are such that he or she would be unable to access education without appropriate transport. This could be because of:
- Safety. For example, a child with a hearing impairment, not being able to walk to school, even within a mile from home, because of not hearing traffic; or a child with no sense of social danger.
- Health. For example, chronic medical conditions such as severe asthma, making walking to school, even if nearby, impossible.
- Physical impairment.
- Chronic school refusal/phobia, where a period of taxi transport might re-establish regular attendance.
- if there are exceptional social circumstances.
Where children live very close to the school (ie less than half a mile), travel support will not normally be provided except in very exceptional circumstances (ie where a child would be prevented from attending school).
If you choose to send your child to a school which is not the nearest appropriate one, you will be asked to make and pay for your own travel arrangements.
In exceptional cases, a child may be able to travel on a local authority vehicle, where there is a spare seat. In such cases, a charge will be made each term. It should also be noted that travel support may be withdrawn at short notice if the seat is required for an entitled child.
The journey to and from school is an important part of your children's school day and we try to make it as happy and relaxed as possible. It is essential, therefore, for everyone involved to behave in a manner which promotes mutual trust and respect.
2. CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERVICES' RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Statementing Panel decides which children are eligible for travel support.
- Transport Services is responsible for the day-to-day transport arrangements such as booking vehicles, allocating pupils to routes, employing guide escorts, and notifying parents of all transport arrangements. They also order bus passes from the bus companies, where necessary.
- It has been agreed that the travelling time for children with special educational needs should not normally exceed one hour, fifteen minutes. There may be the odd exception, due to severe traffic congestion.
- CYPS recognises that children with special needs are happier with a regular driver and escort and will try to provide this as far as possible. However, this cannot be guaranteed on all occasions due to changes in contractor/staff and sickness/holiday cover.
- CYPS will notify parents, in writing, of any contractual and timetabling changes.
- Subcontracting will only take place in emergency situations when the contractor is unable to cover the route. We regret that, because this is likely to be at very short notice, it may not always be possible to advise parents in advance of these changes.
- With effect from February 1997, all vehicles less than nine years old must be fitted with seat belts or some other kind of restraint. Older vehicles will have an extra year in which to comply with the new seat belt legislation.
- Specialist seating and harnesses are available for all children who need them.
- As a safety precaution, we make it a requirement in the contracts with the companies which provide transport, that all drivers are vetted by the Police. Staff directly employed by Transport Services (escorts/drivers) are subject to the same checks. These procedures will be monitored very closely by Transport Services and the Licensing Authority, to ensure that contractors comply with the Council's requirements.
- The City Council operates a 'no smoking' policy and no employee is permitted to smoke on Council premises. This includes vehicles used for home-to-school transport, even on those parts of the runs where no pupils are present.
- Members of staff must treat all pupils and parents politely and respectfully. To avoid conflict, disputes and complaints are only dealt with under agreed Council procedures. For further details contact the Education Client Unit (see below).
- Copies of the Authority's Contract, Escorts' and Drivers' Handbooks, and Guidelines for the Use of Restraint, are available for inspection in schools on request.
3. PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES
- Whilst some children will receive a door-to-door service, others may be expected to catch the school bus at a pick up point, or will be given a bus pass to travel on public bus services. Parents will be responsible for the safety of their children to and from the pick up point, or bus stop.
- Where a home pick up has been agreed, please ensure that your children are ready in good time, and bring them to the vehicle. Drivers and escorts have been instructed to wait only five minutes for any child who is running late.
- It is vital that parents are home to receive their children at the end of the day, and meet them from the vehicle. If they are not at home, Transport Services will take children to an 'emergency' address, where details have been provided, or, alternatively, to the nearest Social Services office, from where parents must collect them.
- If pupils misbehave on the school vehicle and pose a threat to the safety of the driver, escort, other children, or other road users, travel support may be suspended by the Authority. Persistent, unresolved, problems of children misbehaving may result in transport being withdrawn completely. Under these circumstances, it will be the parents' responsibility to ensure attendance at school.
- Parents and children are asked to treat drivers and escorts courteously. In the interests of children, confrontations must be avoided and therefore any complaints about travel arrangements, or the actions/conduct of drivers / escorts must be reported to Transport Services and / or the CYPS Directorate.
- Parents are advised to listen for 'bad weather arrangements' as broadcast on local radio stations during the winter period. Advice will be given regarding school closures and cancellation of transport.
4. DRIVERS' RESPONSIBILITIES
- Drivers must carry and display suitable identification at all times.
- Drivers must, as far as possible, be punctual.
- Drivers must ensure that all passenger harness and restraint straps are properly adjusted and fitted securely before the journey commences.
- Drivers must ensure that all wheelchairs are securely clamped.
- Drivers must ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy, adequately ventilated, maintained at a comfortable temperature, and kept clean.
- Drivers must report any bad behaviour of passengers to their supervisor and/or Transport Services, and not take matters into their own hands.
- Drivers must take charge in the event of an accident.
- Drivers must treat parents and children with respect and avoid confrontations. Problems should be referred to their supervisor and/or Transport Services for appropriate action.
5. ESCORTS' RESPONSIBILITIES
- Escorts are responsible for the care of the children whilst they are journeying to and from school. They must be aware of children's medical needs and know what to do in an emergency.
- Escorts must carry and display suitable identification at all times.
- Escorts are not permitted to use any form of physical restraint except where a child is presenting a threat to him or herself, or other passengers or road users. Escorts may also reasonably restrain a child who is wilfully damaging property, including the vehicle. Bristol CYPS has published a set of 'Guidelines for the Use of Physical Restraint'.
- Any problems that arise during the journey must be reported to parents, Heads and Transport Services as soon as practically possible. A verbal report will be made initially, followed up by a written report, where appropriate.
- Escorts must always be seated in the rear of vehicles, where they can see all the children in their charge, and never leave children unattended in the vehicle, except in an emergency.
- Escorts must treat parents and children with respect and avoid confrontations. Problems should be referred to Transport Services for appropriate action.
Contact:
Sonya Challis
Tel: 0117 90 37671
Fax: 0117 90 37800
Email: sonya.challis@bristol.gov.uk
Mailing address:
CYPS Travel Team (Create)
Bristol City Council
The Council House
College Green
Bristol
BS1 5TR
Visiting address:
CYPS Travel Team
Bristol City Council
Create Centre
Smeaton road
Bristol
BS1 6XN
Special Needs - Case Officers
tel: 0117 90 37691
fax: 0117 90 37697
post: PO Box 57
BS99 7EB
Transport Services
tel: 0117 980 1331
fax: 0117 977
3985
Transport Coordinators
Sandy Park Road
Brislington
Bristol
BS4 3NZ