School transport question, what is dd entitled too?

[Endler32]

Dd has got a place at a local high school starting in September, school is not in catchment area but is closer than the school that is in catchment so we have been told she is entitled to free transport, I was very pleased when they conformed this but I have since found out that the collection point/bus stop is over a mile away. Dd has some mobility issues and AS (but not statemented ) so there's no way she can walk the one mile alone to the bus stop, if I was to drive her to the bust stop I might as well drive her to school ( which is ok but I am unable to collect her as pick up time clashes with dd2 pick up time ).

What is she entitled too, surely if she is entitled to free transport it should be provided by collecting her closer to our house? Where do I stand? Can I ask them to provide something more suitable, can the bus change route slightly to pick dd up closer to home? Or do I not have a leg to stand on?

[balletgirlmum]

You may get more responses if you post in Secondary Education rather than Higher Ed (uni level)

But generally children are only entitied to free transport if the nearest suitable school is over 3 miles away.

You would need a statement in order to get the transport in regards to her disability I think.

[balletgirlmum]

From googling even then it drownds on how severe the needs of the child are.

[BrieAndChilli]

If you could drop her to the bus stop on the morning in time, what would be the timings for pick up. Would you be able to pick up your younger child then pick her up from the bus stop? She would arrive to the bus stop later , and could wait a few more minutes for you?

[Endler32]

Thank you, oops posted in the wrong place, will ask for it to be moved.

School is 4 miles away so we are entitled to transport ( they told us this in the letter which confirmed her school place ). She would probably get dropped off just before I pick dd2 up from school so she could wait for me to collect her but this will probably make her a bit anxious.

The bus has to drive almost half the distance towards my house after the pick up point before turning onto a different road so I'm not sure why they can't pick up a bit closer to our house. I have emailed them to ask if it will be possible as they are going in that direction anyway.

[Decorhate]

If you end up deciding to drive her there & back yourself, there should be no problem with her waiting at school until you get there. You will probably find that there are lots of pupils still about, doing after school activities or also waiting to be collected etc. There will usually be staff around till 5 or 6

[Whyjustwhyagain]

In our county the criteria for school transport is either distance or the availability of a safe walking route.
What's the route from your home to the bus pick up point like? Is it lit? Pavements? Safe crossing points? If not, then it might be worth asking about a closer pick up

[Endler32]

The route to the bus stop from our house is along country lanes and a main road, no pavements, it's not safe and there's no way I would let her walk it, she has Aspergers and her road sense is not great, she's also unable to walk the distance due to her hypotonia ( she would be in agony ). I want her to go on the bus to give her a bit more freedom rather than me taking her in and collecting her. We have a public bus stop outside our house which used to be used on the bus route to school.

[IreneA78]

If you are in a rural area they will stop anywhere on the route by request.Or at least they do here where there are a lot of farm kids to collect

[2lol2lol]

School bus trip can be good social time for kids. Driving 2 miles has to be less hassle to you than driving 8 miles, no?

[Kez100]

At our secondary there were lots of after school activities including homework club with Internet access and no required level of attendance - so she could do 30 minutes while waiting for you.maybe they will have something similar

[IreneA78]

they won't reroute the bus .it isn t a taxi! you will have to take her to the bus stop of you don't think she can walk alone

[titchy]

They may well re-route the bus actually. She has a statutory right to have safe transport provided and walking a mile on an unsafe road to access said transport does not really fulfil that criteria.

Our LEA laid on a bus to do a specific route when there was no nearby alternative bus service for kids in a particular part of our town.

[IreneA78]

They may well re-route the bus actually. She has a statutory right to have safe transport provided and walking a mile on an unsafe road to access said transport does not really fulfil that criteria

Well that hasn't been my experience.Rural children have to walk to the bus route along country roads- or more usually are dropped off by parents.