Home to School Transport - case study examples

Angela is the mother of three children, Ben (aged two), Charlotte (aged three), and Daniel (aged seven). Charlotte and Ben attend a nursery placement at the same school attended by Ben. The school is their catchment and nearest school and is more than three miles from their home address.

• Daniel’s application was made before  the new policy came into effect, so he is currently eligible for local authority funded transport and will remain eligible until the end of Year 16, provided that no new application is made for him due to a change in circumstances before this time (for example, if the family moves home).
• Charlotte will start school in September 2019. Her application for a school place will take place under the current policy. She will not be eligible for transport assistance until the start of the term after her fifth birthday. Until this date, her parents may apply for a privilege seat for her (please see Home School Transport website for further information). Allocation of a seat would be based on availability.
• Ben’s school application will take place under the new transport rules. He will not be eligible for any Home to School Transport for his nursery or Reception places until he reaches compulsory school age (the term after his fifth birthday). His parents may be able to purchase a Privilege Seat (please see Home School Transport website for further information) when he starts in Reception until he becomes eligible for Home to School Transport on reaching compulsory school age, if a seat is available on existing transport. 

Edward and Fiona are parents to Grace, a 16 year old girl with Special Educational Needs who has an Education, Health and Care Plan. Grace hopes to start college in September 2019, She may be eligible for transport assistance to the nearest suitable college offering a course which is designed specifically to meet her special needs if her parents can establish that without HCC’s transport assistance she would be unable to attend college.

There will be an annual parental cost associated with this service based on the following table: 

Ian and Jenny have a six year old daughter, Katie, who receives local authority funded transport assistance because she lives two and a half miles away her infant school.

For September 2019 Ian and Jenny intend to apply for a place at the co-located Junior School. Katie will turn eight in February 2020.

From her eighth birthday Katie will no longer be eligible for local authority funded transport.

Thomas and Lisa have a six year old son, Jack, who receives local authority funded transport assistance because they live two and a half miles away from their all through primary  school.

When he turns eight in November 2019 Lucifer will continue to receive local authority funded transport assistance as his transport application was made under the old transport policy.

If his circumstances change e.g. he moves house, such that a fresh application for transport is made under the 2019 policy, then transport can be removed on his eighth birthday.

Luke and Mary have a two year old son, Nathan, whose birthday is in November. Nathan has Special Educational Needs (SEND). Nathan’s parents expect to send Nathan to their nearest school, two and a half miles from their home. This school provides nursery places as well as schooling from Reception year.

Under the new HCC policy, Nathan would not be eligible for Home to School Transport until he reaches compulsory school age (the beginning of the term after his fifth birthday). He would then receive Home to School Transport until his eighth birthday (as the statutory distance threshold increases from two miles to three miles at this point), at which point transport would be withdrawn unless his Special Educational Needs mean he can not reasonably be expected to walk to school.