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Original poster

Transport to Denomiational Schools

10 replies

AliJF · 21/02/2010 11:59

My 2 children are very settled and thriving in their catholic schools. They are transported there by bus provided by Bedfordshire council.
The council has proposed to end this transport in September to try to save money.
We are now,as are many other parents, faced with a massive dilemma. Do we take our children out of the schools, or drastically downsize our standard of living to fund our own transport? Both my children are at crucial stages of their education.
If we do have to lose this transport,do you think the council should have given us more notice or phased the scheme in as other councils have done?
The Council have only given us 6 weeks consultation period instead of the Government's reccommended 12 weeks, probably so they can sort this out before the announcement of the General Election, when they have to put everything on hold!
Beware, keep a close eye on what is happening in your area, demcoracy as we interpret it is not being carried out here!

OP posts:
Original poster
AliJF · 21/02/2010 12:01

My 2 children are very settled and thriving in their catholic schools. They are transported there by bus provided by Bedfordshire council.
The council has proposed to end this transport in September to try to save money.
We are now,as are many other parents, faced with a massive dilemma. Do we take our children out of the schools, or drastically downsize our standard of living to fund our own transport? Both my children are at crucial stages of their education.
If we do have to lose this transport,do you think the council should have given us more notice or phased the scheme in as other councils have done?
The Council have only given us 6 weeks consultation period instead of the Government's reccommended 12 weeks, probably so they can sort this out before the announcement of the General Election, when they have to put everything on hold!
Beware, keep a close eye on what is happening in your area, demcoracy as we interpret it is not being carried out here!

OP posts:
leosdad · 21/02/2010 15:36

ours (essex) tried to do that a while back, and now transport is only really available for up to year 3. The coach company who does the transport now has arrangements to transport the older (year 4 to 6) at about a pound a day. Keep in touch with other parents to organise this if necessary - it should be easy to organise through the parish.

mnistooaddictive · 21/02/2010 16:13

I have known parents get together and pay for a minibus that works out much cheaper than each parent doing their own thing.

dilemma456 · 21/02/2010 16:47

Message withdrawn

leosdad · 21/02/2010 18:14

tax payers fork out less for voluntary aided church/faith schools as the buildings are paid for by the church (or mosque, synagogue, temple etc) and also 10% of the maintenance costs of the building, also the parish (faith community) pay a capitation fee per child plus the termly requests for donations to school funds (whenever two or more catholics are gathered together there shall be a raffle) so the tax payer is getting a relatively good deal for a few bus fares

aoyama · 21/02/2010 18:22

Our council stoped funding transport to RC schools about 2 years ago. It did not affect anyone who was already at the schools, only new starters. It is £1 a day for transport now. Personally I don't think that the council should pay for transport if you choose not to use the local school (dif if they allocate a school miles away) but I think there is an arguement for the diocese to sub it. It will be a shame if low income families can no longer afford a Catholic education. What does your priest say about it? There is a RC area in USA (diocese, county, state?) where all Catholics pay a tithe and they manage to have free schools for all who want a Catholic education. If they can manage that, then a bus fare subsidy shouldn't be beyond us.

dilemma456 · 21/02/2010 20:24

Message withdrawn

bruffin · 21/02/2010 22:19

Our council stopped free coach travel to RC schools about 3 years ago as well. It didn't affect anyone already there just, new year 7s which is fair.

I chose to send my children to a non church school 7 miles away and I have to pay for train fares (bought next half terms tickets this afternoon and cost me £102 for two dc)
I really don't see why our case is any different to those going to a different town because they want a RC education.

LynetteScavo · 21/02/2010 22:27

My DC will get free transport if the nearest apropriate school is more than 3 miles away. So, if he gains a place a the grammer school he will have free transport there. If he goes to the nearest Catholic school (which is now 13 miles away, as the one 1 mile away has closed) he will have free transport there.

If they change this, or are going to change this, I need to know asap, so I can start planning financially.

Thanks for the warning, AliJF.

LynetteScavo · 21/02/2010 22:28

My DC will get free transport if the nearest appropriate school is more than 3 miles away. So, if he gains a place a the grammar school he will have free transport there. If he goes to the nearest Catholic school (which is now 13 miles away, as the one 1 mile away has closed) he will have free transport there.

If they change this, or are going to change this, I need to know asap, so I can start planning financially.

Thanks for the warning, AliJF.

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