Assistance with school transport

• When is assistance with school transport given?
• What are the conditions and rules?
• Where can I see a copy of the Authority's Transport Policy ?

• What can parents expect from the LEA (Local Education Authority)?
• What would the LEA like parents to do?
• What do you expect from my child?

• the school is the one which Kirklees regards as serving the area in which the pupil lives or is the nearest school and
• the journey is over three miles (two miles for children from reception to the end of Year 3

We measure distances by the shortest available walking route

We may accept other applications only in exceptional circumstances

Free transport means either a free bus pass, a place on a hired coach or the reclaim of fares.  The Senior Transport Officer makes the decision but there is an appeals procedure.

• if you cannot get a place at your local school because the age group is full, we will provide travel to the extent that it would have cost Kirklees if your child had attended their next nearest alternative school, provided that is over the qualifying distance.

  This rule does not apply if you failed to request your local school in the first place.

• we have a special rule for a pupil who lives over the "distance" from the local school but choses to attend a more distant school.  We will provide free travel up to the extent that it does not cause extra Kirklees expenditure.  In this way we make sure that we do not make a saving in travel costs if parents prefer a particular school.
• for pupils attending a Roman Catholic School, the qualifying distances mentioned above are measured to the school which serves the parish where the pupil lives.
• we make special transport arrangements for pupils with special educational, social or medical needs as necessary.

• We will provide safe and trouble free transport for your child
• We will respond to bus pass requests within 7 days
• Pupils who qualify for a bus pass will receive it within 3 weeks of the application being received in the Pupil Support Transport Section.
• We will replace lost/stolen bus passes within 7 days of the loss being reported to the Pupil Support Transport Section.
• Failure by the LEA to meet these deadlines will entitle you to reclaim travel expenses incurred by you.

• We would like you to encourage your child to behave well on school transport
• We would like you to co-operate with the School, the LEA and the Operator if your child is having any problems
• We would like you to make other arrangements for your child to travel to school if transport is withdrawn, because of your child's conduct.

• We expect them to carry their pass/ticket with them on each journey
• The child must stay seated whilst the bus is moving
• This is for their own safety and the safety of other passengers
• They use the seatbelts that are provided on every journey
• That they are polite to other bus users and behave appropriately; Behaviour of children, where the safety of others is put at risk, or damage is caused to property of others, can result in temporary or permanent withdrawal of transport
• Parents may also be requested to pay for any damage their child has caused