Transport to Primary school - anyone know anything about the rules?

[SuePurblybilt]

If there was a school within 1.5 miles but it's a grant-maintained faith school and a school at 3.5 miles but non-faith, would there be any transport help available to get to the school further away? If, for example, you objected to the closer school's religious teaching?

I dimly thought there was some system for getting rural children to their nearest school - a minibus or something - but I don't know how far away you have to live and if objecting to the religious aspect is a good enough reason to reject the closer school and so be given a place on that hypothetical minibus to the other school. If that makes any sense at all.

Anyone know anything about this?

If you applied to the faith school but didn't get in you would be entitled to free transport to the non-faith school provided it is over 2 miles walking distance away (3 miles if the child is over 8). If you did not apply to the faith school the LA does not have to provide free transport. Some LAs will provide transport in this situation but most do not.

Thank you. So there's no difference if there are places in the faith school but you have issues with the faith? It's grant maintained and the faith bit is inbuilt into lessons, assemblies, grace at mealtimes, lessons with local clergy etc. A strong focus, to put it mildly.

I guess what you're saying is that only the LA can answer?

My SIL is in a place where this has just changed - transport was in the past provided to any state school over the statutory distance (in practice there were three schools that parents used). This has been cut, and you get transport only for nearest school (or next nearest if nearest full etc).

So yes, you have to check with the LA. Faith wasn't a consideration in her area - and IIRC, there is no duty for LAs to provide transport for a faith-based choice.

If we were talking about secondary school and your child was entitled to free school meals you may be able to argue for free transport on faith grounds in this situation but at primary school level it is entirely up to the LA.