Bus pass post 16

[EMSMUM16]

I am wondering if anyone else is in this situation. The school leaving age is now legally risen to 18 years as opposed to 16 nationally. School transport is provided for children up to 16 ( the previous school leaving age) nationally. However our county is expecting £675 a year for a post 16 bus pass to get her to school on the bus. I just think if the legal school leaving age has risen why is transport not provided until 18 to match the legal school leaving age? I wonder if there are any other parents out there in the same position?

The legal SCHOOL leaving age remains at 16, hence why continuing the rule of supply free transport to year 11 and under still applies.

The age at which young people must continue with some sort of education or training is what is now 18 and includes part time study whilst working, a paid apprenticeship or various other options.

In the West Mids you can apply for a 16-18 travel card that their college or 6th form can validate to say that your child is a student and they will still qualify for 50% off fares. It may be an idea to see if you can get that in your county.

£675 you say? Ours is over £900. Think I'll move house.

School transport is only provided for U16s if the school is more than 3 miles away though, and then only if it's not your choice to send them there (I think? I haven't investigated recently)

It's not a national 'right' for all pupils.
I believe in London TfL allows U16s to travel free, but the rest of us don't get that. Many, many parents have to pay for travel where I live, all through school.

Backforgood
We do not have to pay for school transport its because she is reaching 16 years old. Under 16 she gets it free, I'm querying why , if the school leaving age has risen to 18 nationally that she doesn't get the transport until then.
Having looked into it since posting my original message, it seems that the school leaving age has in fact NOT risen at all, there is just an EXPECTATION that young people remain in education until they are 18.

we're in scotland and if they are on the school bus it's free until they leave....all mine did highers and adv highers, and ds2 finished last year at more than 18!

Yes, I understood that, just pointing out another way of looking at it was that you are lucky in your part of the world to have had a free pass for Yrs 7 - 11, even if not for Yrs 12 and 13, as many areas have been paying for the last 5 years

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia
Wow thats fantastic, Scotland has its priorities right, putting resources into providing education & accessing it for young people. Not like stingy England!

Backforgood
Idk about other areas but I'm not in London. I believe that the nearest or allocated school provides transport if as in our case it is more than a certain distance. I know many people pay for their children to go to school under other circumstances but that's not relevant to my particular question.