Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Help! What are our legal rights wrt getting a 16yo to school? Local authority say it's not their problem

28 replies

PollyFilla · 08/09/2014 09:32

I hope someone can help.

My son is starting 6th form in a new school (same council though) and the council tell me there is no space on the school bus. Although it's only 10 miles away this creates a logistical nightmare as we both WOTH.

Public transport options mean a 1.5 hour journey or him on the way home and a 1 hr 15 minute journey for me every morning if I drop him off. Plus I have a younger child who needs to go to school in the opposite direction.

Do the Local Authority have to provide a way for him to get to school? I'm happy to pay but ATM they're saying there's no space.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

OP posts:
loudarts · 08/09/2014 09:46

It depends on your local council, ours takes no responsibility for children once they leave year 11, after that they have to use public transport.

Bramshott · 08/09/2014 09:46

Round here free/organised transport runs out at the end of Y11. However, there are lots of buses which go to the local college and the students can get an (expensive) bus pass provided there's one which runs nearby.

Is the school bus council run or a public bus?

unweavedrainbow · 08/09/2014 09:45

Is there no bus there in the morning? AFAIK, the council only have to provide a way to get a child to the closest school they could get a place, rather than the most suitable, but I'm not sure how this would work for 6th form. What does the school say?