Schools

Free School Transport - Do you Qualify?

Please Note: The safe walking distance to/from primary schools will be altered to 2 miles from August 2008.

Whilst it is the parent's responsibility to secure their children's education, South Ayrshire Council is happy to help you get your child of school age to school, safely and on time. That is why school crossing patrols are provided and why we operate a school transport policy which is more generous than the law requires.

The policy states that we provide FREE school transport if:

Your child lives more than one mile from his or her catchment primary school (By the shortest safe walking route).
Your child lives more than three miles from his or her catchment secondary school (by the shortest safe walking route).
Your child has been recommended on health grounds by a designated medical officer.
Your child has been assessed to attend a school to meet the requirements of his/her additional support needs. (These assessments involve Psychological Services who also recommend appropriate transport arrangements).
Your child has to walk a route which after seeking the Council's Road Safety Office's advice is considered by Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning to be unsafe for children.

What free school transport means:

Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning identify the need for the provision. For primary and secondary schools we work through Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) who engage the operators to provide free school transport. For additional support needs Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning undertake all arrangements.

The choice of the precise mode of transport depends on a variety of factors and is decided by Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning after taking all circumstances into account.

This can result in any of the following:

Dedicated school contract bus (service solely for pupils)
Bus pass on local service bus (which can either be a commercial service or subsidised local service also carrying members of the public).
Train pass on service train
The Council's own school transport vehicles
Taxi, private hire cars or minibus.

Free transport normally covers one return journey, to school in the morning and home at the end of the school day. No additional provision is made for home journeys for infants who may have a shorter day until September each year. Children not collected by parents are supervised until the end of the normal school day.

Parents of pupils wishing to return home for lunch have to make their own arrangements. Special arrangements are made locally where possible to cover pupils taking part in school activities after the end of the normal school day.

When to apply for free transport
If your child is starting primary school you should apply when you enrol him or her for school. If your child is going into secondary school you should apply in February of his or her last year at primary school. You can apply at a later time but there could be a delay while arrangements are being made. Should you move house at any time during the year you must ensure that Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning are notified of your new address. To ensure that transport is arranged, at least 2 weeks notice is required.

What happens after you apply?
You will be informed by Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning by letter, on the outcome of your application. Staff at County Buildings, Ayr will be happy to discuss this or any other matter connected with your child's application with you. If your application relates to a child already attending a school and it is successful we will aim to notify you of the arrangements before the end of June, although there can sometimes be a delay into the summer holiday period.

Appeals
If you wish to appeal against any decision made regarding your application for school transport you may do so by writing to the Director of Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning within 10 working days of receipt of the decision, indicating the grounds on which you wish to make your appeal.

Parents/Guardians
We would ask you to encourage your child to behave properly and safely when boarding, travelling on the transport and alighting from it. As parents you are responsible for ensuring that your child arrives at the pick-up point on time.

Good Behaviour
Misbehaviour could result in your child losing the right to free transport.

The responsibility of ensuring safe and acceptable behaviour remains YOURS while your child is travelling in the vehicle provided. In the case of misbehaviour, the driver may retain the children's ticket/pass for the identification of pupils involved. The incident will then be reported to the driver's supervisor. Details will be sent to the Head Teacher and parents will be invited to an interview with the Head Teacher for assurance on their children's good conduct prior to the return of the 'free' travel pass. During this period parents/guardians will be responsible for making their own arrangements for the attendance of their child at school.

If you need to know more or would like to complain
If you have any enquiries about the eligibility of your child for transport please contact Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning.

Parents who have any concern or complaint on the provision of school transport should contact the school their child attends by telephoning giving the details which will then be recorded and submitted to SPT. (Parents may also complain direct to SPT in writing to reinforce their concerns). SPT will respond directly to parents and advise the school on the outcome of any investigations.

SPT is responsible for awarding primary and secondary school contracts and for their day to day operation. SPT actively monitors the performance of school transport contracts through the deployment of a team of specialist inspectors. To assist in monitoring SPT welcomes comments or concerns from schools or from parents.

Notes

Walking Distance - Shortest walking route between your home and the local school 1 mile (Please Note: This will be 2 miles from August 2008) for primary schools and 3 miles for secondary schools.

Medical - Requests for transport on medical grounds should, in the first instance, be supported by a letter from your GP and this request will then be referred to the schools' medical officer who will arrange to have your child examined.

Safety - In considering issues of safety the Council's Road Safety Officer may be asked to assess the route either in full or in part and make recommendations to the Director of Education, Culture & Lifelong Learning.

Placing Requests - Please note that if your child attends a school by means of a placing request you are responsible for arranging transport to school.

Data Protection Act 1998
Your information will be used by South Ayrshire Council for the purpose of administration of school transport and to confirm and update the Council's records held for this purpose.

Download an Application Form

School Transport - do you qualify? (10KB)