Workmen's trains

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm not 100% certain but I don't think LEAs are under any obligation to provide transport now.

[grahame]

I'm not 100% certain but I don't think LEAs are under any obligation to provide transport now.

There is an obligation over 3 miles on someone - in our parts it's Wiltshire Council but the wear so many hats I'm not sure which hat brings the obligation

[Bmblbzzz]

I haven't heard of anything like that in Bristol. Mind you, Bmblbzzz junior could walk to school in five minutes – if he really wanted to!

[grahame]

I haven't heard of anything like that in Bristol. Mind you, Bmblbzzz junior could walk to school in five minutes – if he really wanted to!

The obligation is only for children who have to travel over 3 miles - and "have to" are operative words.   If Mummy and Daddy choose to sent Nigel and Aurelia to the posh school in the next town, turning their noses up at the school in special measures just up the road, Mummy and Daddy have to pay for (and arrange for) travel.  I would think that in Bristol, there's going to be schools within 3 miles of pretty much everyone.

[ellendune]

I haven't heard of anything like that in Bristol. Mind you, Bmblbzzz junior could walk to school in five minutes – if he really wanted to!

The obligation is only for children who have to travel over 3 miles - and "have to" are operative words.   If Mummy and Daddy choose to sent Nigel and Aurelia to the posh school in the next town, turning their noses up at the school in special measures just up the road, Mummy and Daddy have to pay for (and arrange for) travel.  I would think that in Bristol, there's going to be schools within 3 miles of pretty much everyone.

On the other hand if there are no places at the school that is 5 mins walk and the LEA can only provide a place 4 miles away then they have to provide transport.

[JayMac]

I'm not 100% certain but I don't think LEAs are under any obligation to provide transport now.

There is an obligation over 3 miles on someone - in our parts it's Wiltshire Council but the wear so many hats I'm not sure which hat brings the obligation

There are statutory 'walking distance'  obligations on all LEAs. Above which free transport must be provided.

For under 8 year olds If the walking distance is more than 2 miles to the nearest suitable school. 

For 8-11 year olds it's 2-6 miles if they are from low income families.
 
For aged 8 and over it is 3 miles.

If there is no safe walking route then free transport must be provided regardless of distance.

A Suitable School is one that is publicly funded, providing education appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of the child. Any disabilities are also considered.

One contentious imbalance in the legislation is provision of free transport on religious grounds. That can be provided for 2-15 miles for pupils to attend a preferred publicly funded school dedicated to a particular faith. Even if there are closer secular schools. 

[Bmblbzzz]

Interesting. When we arrived in Bristol, he was 6. So we applied for a school place and as it was middle of the school year, the nearest was quite a distance away. Definitely more than 2 miles. For a short time, he commuted to school on the Severn Beach line! The 2 mile walking distance is mentioned when you apply for a school place, but there is no mention of funding for transport. I wonder if in this case it would have been payment for train tickets or if there would have been some special school bus? Never seen such a creature in Bristol, other than taking kids on school trips and to sports fields and so on. And if train tickets, would they also pay for an accompanying adult? Seems unlikely, but you can't expect a child that young to go on a train on their own. Anyway, he was only there for a couple of weeks when a place came up at a much nearer school, so it's of academic(!) interest only now.