Free Home To School Transport

Free transport is available to:

• The nearest appropriate and/or suitable Community School, if that school is more than two

miles from the parental home using the shortest walking route.

• The nearest appropriate Voluntary Aided (Church) School for pupils whose parents adhere to

that particular denomination and who obtain a place at such a school and where that school is more than two miles from the parental home using the shortest available walking route.

Notes: The nearest suitable school is the nearest available school which offers an efficient fulltime programme of education suited to the age, ability and aptitude of the child. Certain areas are linked to particular schools to secure admission for the pupils in those areas and to limit travel costs. In these instances the appropriate school will be identified by the Authority. These arrangements are referred to as 'Associated Transport Provision'. The Authority will indicate on the parental preference form whether or not school transport is available.

Free transport to Voluntary Aided (Church) Schools will be granted only to those pupils whose parents adhere to that particular denomination. Parental adherence is defined as: to the Roman Catholic denomination, where at least one parent and the pupil are baptised Roman Catholic: and, to the Anglican denomination, where at least one parent is a practicing Anglican and the pupil is baptised Anglican. In all other circumstances a 'suitable' school will be a Community School.

The Authority reserves the right to consult with parents and the diocesan authorities in arriving at decisions on individual cases and will request parents to produce the appropriate baptism certificates.

Travel Assistance - Concessionary Arrangements

Pupils who are not entitled to free transport may, however, be offered a "concessionary" seat on a school contract bus if a spare seat is available. Where such facilities are made available they will be at the discretion of the Authority and will be subject to strict conditions and may be withdrawn at any time. Although there is no right to concessionary transport, at present Darlington Borough Council does not make a charge. It should be noted that this policy may be subject to change in the future (ie,. a charge may be levied before concessionary seats are offered).

Following a change of address

Where parents move house, the Authority may be prepared to assist with travelling expenses to enable pupils in their fourth and fifth years of secondary school (Years 10 and 11 National Curriculum) to continue to attend the same school. These arrangements will not be extended if pupils continue into post-compulsory education after 16 years of age.

Home to School Transport for pupils of Post-Compulsory School Age

The Authority provides travel assistance in the form of a travel grant to those pupils who are continuing in post compulsory education up to the end of the academic year in which they attain the age of 19. The travel grant consists of a payment of £165 per academic year, which is made to the student. To qualify, the pupil must be attending a full-time course at an educational establishment which is more than three miles by the shortest walking route from their home. The institution must also offer the programme of learning (core course) which, in the view of the Borough Council, meets the primary learning goals of the applicant. Assistance will cease at the end of the academic year in which the student reaches the age of 19.

Exceptionally, students who have been awarded either an Education Maintenance Allowance from Darlington Borough Council or a Further Education Maintenance Grant/Assistance from Access Funds from a further education college, may be paid a travel grant if they live more than two miles by the shortest walking route from the nearest educational establishment which offers the programme of learning (core course). In addition, those pupils living more than three miles from college and in receipt of a grant/assistance will be eligible for increased travel assistance.

For Roman Catholic students, the nearest college for Sixth Form pupils will be deemed to be Carmel RC Technology College.

A travel award will terminate automatically at the end of the educational year.

Darlington Borough Council reserves the right to amend the Home to School Transport Policy, if necessary, in respect of the 2003/2004 school year.

For further information contact the School Transport Section,
Education Department, Town Hall, Darlington DL1 5QT.
Telephone (01325) 388851/2.