AIBU to expect school transport?

[mumof3boys33]

This has made me annoyed. So AIBU?
We live in 3 miles from our local village school. It is the school of the village in our address. There is a slightly nearer school but it is not our catchment school and also across the border in a different county.
When the children at the school reach year 7 they automatically move up to the nearby secondary school. It is our catchment secondary school. There are various school buses picking up at various places. My oldest 2 get picked up at on our front drive and taken the 7.5 miles to school (obviously picking up lots more children on the way) We do have a nearer secondary school that is not our catchment school as it is across the border, it is only 4 miles away. No transport is provided as the buses don't cross the border. Which is fair enough. Hence attending the catchment school. In our county.
Anyway, my oldest has been offered his 6th form place at the school he's attended for 5 years along with his friends. I applied for a place on the school bus, I know I have to pay £230 a term for this bus, but assumed he would get the bus as usual. I received a letter saying he cannot get on the bus as the school over the border is nearer. I must admit I was not expecting this to happen. So I appealed. Appeal turned down.
AIBU to be angry? It means I have drive 150 miles a week on a journey the bus is doing anyway. It will still be reversing up my drive to pick up the other child. It seems bonkers to me. Why should he change schools? Why should another council school him when we pay tax to our council? It's madness. They say he can cycle the 4 miles to the other school (on a very busy main road) or obviously I take him. The primary school is the same direction as the current secondary (5 miles further on) so if I do have to drive then it doesn't make much difference fuel wise which school. But I still think it's madness.

[mumof3boys33]

No one is 4 miles. Other is 7.5 miles. I still think as most of the 6th formers get transport to the school then everyone in catchment should. It would be very different if no one could get on the transport. Or if all villages closer to the school over the village get refused. But they don't, to just cut off half our village and one other and refuse just them is unfair.
I have had an email from the council today saying I can put in a complaint if I want to. I won't. I just replied asking when I will know whether there is a spare seat. If there is no seat on our bus, I have asked whether there will be a spare seat on any of the other 4 buses that pass through the village. If there is then I'll buy my son a bicycle, he can cycle 3 miles to the bus stop. If that's the case I will ask people in nearby houses if he can leave his bicycle there. That is our best option. Not keen on him biking the 3 miles, I won't ride one myself on our country lanes. I've had too many near misses. In the winter I would have to just run him to the bus stop. The roads get very icy round here.
I wouldn't even consider sending him to the school across the border. As I said earlier he doesn't want to change schools. I don't blame him. Plus he can't take core maths at the other school. He really needs to do that course.

[Storminateapot]

Completely missed OP's point there Nicpem, but I hope you have a great view there from your high horse.

[Nicpem1982]

Out of county is irrelevant

Rurally no I don't have a clue

transport policy and statutory duty I'm well versed on - bottom line there's no obligation in the la to support the ops choices or fund transport for a young person who is not of compulsory school age.

It's absurd that there is an expectation that the la should sort this out op is the parent, post 16 policy is published annually in may so the op should have been aware of what the policy for the area was

[Storminateapot]

No she doesn't, that school is out of county. You really don't have a clue what it's like to live rurally do you?

Ignore it OP - I am in your situation and many others here are too. My NEAREST school is 8 miles away, oh to have options and the liberty of choices as to where my children go to school. Particularly when they are already at the school which was deemed catchment when they started and before such things were done away with.

[Nicpem1982]

3 miles is which is the distance quoted in the op however you have a school under that distance that you've chosen not to send ur ds to

[CouldntMakeThisShitUp]

4 miles is around one hour and 30 mins of walking - he can do that easily in the summer.

Give him lifts during winter.

[mumof3boys33]

Nicperm so 4 miles is expected walking distance?

[Nicpem1982]

You're ds is not attending his nearest school, catchment areas aren't a thing

You've essentially chosen a school over the statutory walking distance

That's before you then take into account he's not of compulsory school age

If I'd have been the one assessing your application I'd have declined it too as it sounds as though the policy has been applied correctly.

[mumof3boys33]

Ok I just looked up and at least 18 villages feed into our local secondary school. They are all in the catchment for the school. Not all the villages have a primary school but will go to the nearest primary. So most of these villages the children going to 6th form get a place on their school bus.(they have to pay) So why should the 2 villages nearest the border not be allowed on the bus? That is what I'm saying isn't fair. We are being penalised for being nearer the border. The other village 6th formers get on. Even though some are still nearer the school over the border. This is what I have been saying all along.

[mumof3boys33]

Yes but why should nearly all the students get transport apart from one and a half villages that are still in the catchment? It would be different if none of the villages were offered transport.

[Nicpem1982]

Mum- so did I the average cost of a school bus (35 seats) is about 50k pa

If the bus is half full then you should have no problem getting a spare seat

Transport shouldn't continue as you're not entitled to it and the responsibility lies with you not the la.

The personal circumstances of the students that do qualify are irrelevant if the policy has been applied correctly which I suspect it has in your case

[mumof3boys33]

I meant £230 times 3 (3 6th formers will be in the bus) so £690 every 6 weeks should help towards running a bus that is already doing that route. The last 5 years it has only been a half full bus. I'm fairly sure there will only be a couple of new year 7's on our local bus, the council already know how many they have to collect on this bus route as I had to apply for my other son in May. His pass has already arrived. So the council already know exactly how many are getting on. So instead of asking me to keep appealing, refusing appeal and saying I can re apply in Sept for a spare seat, why don't they say there will be "x" amount of spare seats on buses 1, 2 and 3 etc. instead of going through all this appealing. (They originally said to appeal if we wanted transport, appeal refused. Didn't mention spare seats until second appeal refused) Or they could say this year all buses are full make your own way. I know all buses passing through the village will not be full even if the one coming past here is. He can bike into village and get one.
I wouldn't be happy but at least I would not have to keep appealing. But I do still think transport to school should continue.
But the part that originally made me annoyed was the fact that roughly 98% of 6th form pupils can get on the bus into the catchment school and a small percentage can't. Just because they are by the border. If none of them could get a bus then I wouldn't be complaining. That was my whole point.

[bigmac4me]

Have you told your local councillor and/or MP about this - because that is truly, monumentally ridiculous

I have indeed PerspicaciaTick. And as this decision was made at the time of the general election I told every candidate in our constituancy too. All sensible people realise how ridiculous this is. However, the reason given is that our £2.45 came out of social services budget that they are trying to cut, but the £60 comes out of school transport budget that isn't under such scrutiny. Of course to the council tax payer it's an extra £57.55 a trip and it does not matter what budget it comes out of.

[CatMcFlap]

YANBU.

As suggested above, try local councillor. If the bus ISN'T full, it's unreasonable. It's also unfair to have to change schools IMHO.

For people suggesting walk/cycle because the child's over 16 - have you considered whether it's safe/rural roads/high speed traffic, and have you faced your own child doing this? OP has said it's a high speed road... just because someone is 16+ doesn't make them an adult or the road less risky, especially around rush hour in the mornings.

[Nicpem1982]

Mum - 230 per student for a term is no where near meeting the costs for a bus

Also by letting a child that is not eligible take a seat, even with paying a contribution, when an eligible child needs that seat it won't be there and the la will have to fork out for individual taxis

The responsibility ultimately lies with the parents you were unreasonable to assume that the la would take your child to school

[elevenclips]

Just completely asshole-ish not to let the child get on a bus his sibling is getting on, at the end of their driveway

Rules + procedures but no common sense or human brain function. Welcome to modern Britain!

[Bluntness100]

The thing is being angry won't change anything, if they don't have a free seat they don't have a free seat and although you pay I suspect th school is subsidising looking at the numbers.

I get why you're angry, it's a faff and a pain in the back side, but it is what it is. Writing to your mp won't make a difference.

[PerspicaciaTick]

Unbelievably they will put on two seperate taxis meaning the cost is £60 a trip. But at least they save the £2.45 they were paying us!!

Have you told your local councillor and/or MP about this - because that is truly, monumentally ridiculous.

[bigmac4me]

mumof3boys33 I can't tell you how much I understand and sympathise with you. I have found in recent years that the school transport services are completely devoid of any logic (or compassion). I have also found them immovable once they have made a decision, even when they are legally wrong. It is one of the departments that seem to use every rule in the book to get out of providing transport, and suggesting a child rides a bike on dangerous roads that an adult would not attempt is one of their get out clauses. I also live in a rural area with no public transport, and 7 miles from the nearest school (another one 9 miles in the opposite direction).

As a foster carer who has looked after many children attending different schools, I can honestly say the school transport are the worse possible people do deal with. I will give you this example of how ridiculous school transport is.

Two of my current foster children have statements of educational needs which includes transport to their school. From September they will be attending the same school. Because of having to provide transport until now they paid us 35p a mile to transport the children. was happy with this and it therefore cost the council £2.45 a trip. From September they are not prepared to pay us this £2.45 (fair enough) BUT because the children are entitled to transport they will provide a taxi. This taxi will cost them £30 a trip. Unbelievably they will put on two seperate taxis meaning the cost is £60 a trip. But at least they save the £2.45 they were paying us!!

[MimsyFluff]

I was 15 when I was hit by the car

[MimsyFluff]

I don't let my DC ride bikes on UK roads far to dangerous. I was hit by a car walking home once (bright clothing) the car didn't even stop, if I was hit harder I'd of been knocked out down a ditch and wouldn't of been found for a few days+ stayed at friends houses a lot

Those of you whom think it's safe should drive into the country, the middle of nowhere, 60 MH roads down windy (sic) roads with the hedge so high you can't see round and ride your bike around. I bet you wouldn't even get out of your car after seeing the dangers yourselves.

[mumof3boys33]

I know we live in a rural area. Though I'd say not really as rural as many places. Had there been no bus from day one then I wouldn't mind. As I said earlier a taxi could be provided free to primary school had I wanted (I have taken them myself so taxi not needed) a minibus or taxi picks them up and takes them to the nearest bus stop from years 7-11 where they get on a bus just for their school. My other half has 2 older children, (15 years older than our oldest) one of them was collected free of charge for 6th form back then. So I expected it to continue. I knew there was a charge now. I'm not complaining about charge. To the person that said 3 6th formers at £230 each per term wouldn't pay for the bus, (£690) I think it would go quite a way to pay towards a bus that is already doing the route. Maybe I was wrong to expect it to continue. For the council to say that about 10 villages all in catchment area can get on the bus for 6th form but 1 and half villages on edge of catchment can no longer get on the bus with all their peers still seems daft and unfair to me.
As for a moped, yes he could ride one to the nearest secondary. But he doesn't want to change schools. I said earlier it took him several years to settle in his school, he has made friends and is happy. If he had to change schools he wouldn't do A levels. The school he wants to continue at that he has been to for 5 years (plus all his primary school friends go to it and all his other friends in surrounding villages) has bad roads all the way. Plus 3 lanes of traffic to negotiate across. There are many accidents there with cars. No way is he riding a moped across. (I know the council are considering a roundabout at this junction)
Thanks to all those who think IANBU. I think I'll be writing to my local MP. I know it won't get me anywhere but it may help others in the future.

[Henrythehoover]

I would still get him a moped it teaches good road skills for the future and with the right training isn't as dangerous as people say. Like I said I now ride motorbikes to work and my 11yr old dd is counting down to get her moped.

[Storminateapot]

Well I feel very stupid & suitably chastised for bringing my children up in the middle of nowhere. What a fool, it's so obvious! Never mind that pretty much everywhere is middle of nowhere in my county and transport was provided until the end of 6th form (free) when we moved here. Ladies - the answer is for we rural idiots to move into the towns! Problem solved.

Put further pressure on housing stock, drive up prices,, take up already scarce school places and abandon rural areas to the decay they deserve. Obvious! Who's first?

[titchy]

16 year olds can't ride motorbikes only mopeds...