School minibuses - just used for School sport teams?

[Roisin]

Are your school minibuses ever used for anything other than school sports teams?

Our PTA contribute £££ regularly for minibus funds; yet with 8 years attendance between them, neither of my boys have ever been in a school minibus.

The boys are often in teams for STEM events - competitions, lectures, other events. But transport is always either in taxis, coaches, or parents have to arrange it themselves. And often we have to pay for the taxis/coaches.

Why is it that the PE department always get first priority for access to the minibus?

Ours are used for transport to off site vocational courses, small number school trips, sports fixtures, local primary school hire - may be others but these are all uses I have seen or where my DC have been on board.

Ours are used for transporting our 6th form students from our school to the ones we share 6th form with every day. Twice a day, I believe.

our school has five and they are used for all sorts of stuff

W have two and we are widely encouraged to do more than one trip in them rather than book a coach. I have taken them to competitions, open days, Carol service and all sorts in them. Our main problem is not having enough qualified drivers!

Oh, and ours have a booking system on the school network. If you get there before PE, they're yours!

Hmm... Sounds like it's just us then.

Roisin, is is just that the staff who take your kids on things either haven't done their midas training, or don't like driving the minibus. I am not a PE teacher, and take the minibus if i need it for trips, but some of the time i am only taking 2 students, so take my own car, and sometimes i am taking 50 so i need a proper bus.

The one at dd's school is used for sports teams, choir, anything where a small number if children have to be transported to somewhere not within walking distance.

ours are used for all sorts, like JWIM said.. however, when my DC have been on sporting fixtures we have to pay a contribution (£1 or £2 depending on distance)

Dd1 went in theirs today for a maths competition.

We have 2, used al the time for sport, forest school or local class trips in fact feel rather sorry for school secretary who often seems to be the designated driver for the second bus!

ours are used at the start and end of each day to transport students to and from school from outlying areas as well as sports matches - during the day they are used for local trips ie d of e practice, careers fairs, local theatre trips, trips to the law courts etc