Home to School Transport - Catholic School Withdrawn

[Stylelostinlabour]

Had a letter stating the home to school transport will be withdrawn from the end of this school term, I understand about them paying for it but we do actually pay for our two places and we need this to ensure the children can get to school safely, no safe route to walk, stop school gate conjestion etc.

Does anyone know, understand what the school are meant to do about this or anyone else in the same boat?

Our council says its now up to the school and will give the 4K towards cost but the school has no idea what they should be doing and say that the current transport costs 13K so a rather large shortfall.

I've worried as afterschool care is in short supply around here and currently my non driving in laws wait for the bus so will have a huge impact and need to time to rearrange things.

I would think if you can prove that the service would cover the costs, then the school should be happy to run it. How many people pay for the bus, and does that cover the 9k transport costs?

If not, then would people realistically be willing to pay more? Your best bet is probably to try do a survey of people currently using the bus, and see how keen they are for the service to be retained. Then take your findings to the school and ask them to continue the service..

I would check the schools estimate of £13k per year. That seems very cheap - only £33 per journey. Depending on length of route and size of bus, I would expect the bus company to charge £120-£250 per day.

Thanks for the responses. On our little bus there is only 5 children and 3 of them pay for the bus the other two get it free due to some prior rules.

Apparently it costs 75.00 a day and is basically a taxi not a bus for the 5 children. (it's a six seater).

All the parents the other 3 parents that use the bus depend on the service as well so hopefully we can either arrange it direct with the taxi who do it now or through the school - does anyone know if we should be speaking to the school or govenors on this?

This is a serious fear of mine. I would be talking to everyone. How far is the journey? I would have thought arranging a taxi directly would be less than £75, unless it's very far.

The journey is about 2.5 miles from our house and maybe 3 from the first pick up - its a government thing for local authorities not to pay for catholic school transport or contribute unless it's your catchment school and the argument is that it's our choice to send them to the catholic school although the letter really annoys me as it says "parents religion" actually it's my child's but never mind...

Our nearest (and therefore catchment) Catholic high school is 13miles away. DS1 has a free bus pass. DC 2 & 3 won't get free bus passes, as transport to faith schools is no longer funded. It's also not funded in 6th form. I will have one year where I will pay nearly 2K for their transport. I'm concerned if the transport fees put parents off sending their child to the Catholic school, the bus may stop altogether. I suspect it would be cheaper for me not to work and take them to school to than to pay for a taxi.

Strangely, travel to grammar schools is still funded.

Surely a pre-booked taxi of 3 miles each way shouldn't cost that much? Could you ask other companies what they would charge?

Think I will ring the diocese tomorrow to find out what they suggest as they have been in the press about it but strangely our school had no idea although we did and had been to meeting and filled in forms why we should still have transport - we have two options me stop work or move to a non catholic school doesn't seem right

I'm that local government ever funded this!

Oh I agree it shouldn't have ever been funded by the LA but my issue is we need transport to school happy to pay and we have been paying but it's the fact no one knows what happens now... Who can arrange and who we pay!

Some of my DC go to school 12 miles away by a dedicated school bus. We pay £120.00 per month for their places on a 50 seater coach.

£120.00 is per child.