16 plus school transport (facebook group)

[t1zzy]

(As a parent of a 16 year old who has been travelling free to his nearest catchment school 20 minutes away for free until he hit 16 )now we have to fork out £946 for a travel card per Year , AIBU to think this is unfair especially as local school was shut (Iver Bucks) I cannot afford to pay this all in one go so am spreading the cost but for this I have to pay over £50 more a year! So unfair and many families will just not be able to afford to keep their children on at the school they know and love... Chalfont Community College

we've been paying for the last year because my son stayed on at his current school, the standard one that everyone goes to. I assumed this happened everywhere once they were 16. unfair that it differs so much in different areas.

i'm sure that for some families it must be a struggle. But I've heard so many people complain of hardships and then go and spend a fortune on new flooring/windows etc for their house or puff away at loads of fags.

i thought there were suppossed to be hardship funds available at schools for those in real need - this replaced the EMA, which was a farce in this area - was always a major irritant with my son as his mates had £30 to spend on whatever they liked compared to his £5

way too far to ride by bike peds are dangerous and too young for a car ....

www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/16pluschooltransport

please join our facebook group' 16 plus school transport 'if you agree ....

we have started a petition and contacted councillors etc and a facebook group ...

t1zzy 20 minutes isn't that far to bike surely, I used to do it.

I was worried about my brother being on a moped but all his friends have them too and nine of then have ever been hurt but I understand your worry, just a suggestion.

Oops typo, none of them not nine :o

There are loads of other options and they have schemes for those that need it.

Where are they going to magic this money from? Surely this is something you would have been aware of and could have budgeted for

Mopeds aren't really 'dangerous' either

A bike is fine for 20 min journey. Exercise is a good thing?

People who are recieving benefits deserve to have free transport of course , However I feel the education of our children should not depend on If Parents can afford transport costs ....

peanut - i think it depends on the roads. its a busy, but narrow and windy country B road to my son's school 9 miles away. It would also have the school buses on it, which is dangerous at the best of times.

A friend of mine has a relative who is now paralised from the neck down after slipping on wet leaves on a moped.. My sons friends do have them but I am a nurse and this makes me rather anxious!

But I don't think the government should be responsible for getting all of your children to school for free, ESP if you are working and just haven't budgeted for it.

I don't understand why parents wouldn't be responsible
For getting their children to school? I mean they are your kids

t!zzy - i'm not sure i agree that all people receiving benefits deserve free transport. the single mum who refuses any overtime above her standard 16 hours because it affects her benefits and she'd prefer to spend time with her children, whose son runs a car (admittedly he has a PT job) - why should the taxpayer subsidise her?

I know a paralysed person who slipped over and cracked his head on the curb, doesn't mean I view walking as totally dangerous.

Just need to be careful and use common sense

Its the fact that a perfectly good school just down the road was shut in the first place that annoys me more than anything else TBH although the school the kids now go to is outstanding it would maybe be better for the school to have stayed open in the first place preventing all the transport problems and taking alot of traffic off the roads...

But if he runs a car with his job then he won't be having the free bus pass surely?

just be thankful that you have an outstanding school. my son's education and future has been well screwed up by the place he attends

hmmm! its a dangerous world lol!

Fair enough :)

Agree that education should not be based on parental income.

If parents won't pay towards transport costs for teenagers then the teen has to become one of the NEET group.

This is more or less saying that teens are not important enough for part of the LA budget, which contravene's the ECM policy.

In my region weekend jobs for 16 year olds are non-existant, so earning for themselves isn't an option. Adults do the paper rounds.

There needs to be better planning for teenagers from all walks of life, but especially in some of the more disadvantaged areas.

It is at this age for many that life starts to fall apart.

I have cause to visit a teen hostel and there sn't as much as people would think available even for the most vulnerable to keep them in education and so that they can participate in lesuire activities, as any member of our society should.

I know what the LA spendsmoney on and this issue should be covered before many of the stupid schemes that are budgeted for.

We need clear policies for teens, so that they do feel like an important part and resource for our country, which they very much are and can be with the right support.

YANBU

And for all the get a job brigade, have you actually calculated the point of short hours on min wage.

For DD to work, when she is older, it would mean 20 miles, minimum, diesel for me. That's -£3.23 of her wages before she starts (and of course running a car cost far more than fuel, no company would dare pay 16p a mile).

All day Sat would be worth it, but a few hours waitressing????

kayano

But I don't think the government should be responsible for getting all of your children to school for free, ESP if you are working and just haven't budgeted for it.

Sort of with you on this BUT it differs widely from area to area - Love or Loathe Boris, all under 19's have unlimited free transport whilst in education. Their pass lasts until the end of the academic year, not end of studies (In May time).

So by that reasoning, there is an inequality because of where you live.

Hear hear Birdsgottafly... I'll vote for you if you stand for government! :)

Yanbu, we should be supporting all under 19 in education.

Also why the hell should teens work 6 days plus a week (7 if they actually study hard).

Also DD has friends who want to do Medicine and Vet science, she wants to do something very specific too. To get in they will all have to do various voluntary jobs etc for their personal statements.

These cost parents lots of diesel and in the case of DDs relevant "hobby" serious hard cash.

If your parents aren't rich, you are stuffed!

Our local shop keepers daughter went to med school, back in the days when good grades and determination was what you needed.
She was a really down to earth, practical, hard worker, I suspect she is a superb Dr.

No way could she have been ferried round getting lots of works experience etc. it's a very spread out area and her mum had a business to run.