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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Sixth Form - not allowed on school bus, no public transport, so what do people do?

99 replies

catelina · 07/09/2021 17:26

I found out today that despite there being no public transport at all where we live, there is no transport provision for sixth formers to attend our catchment school, which is 10 miles away.

They can apply for a (paid, expensive) seat on the school bus that DS currently goes on (for free), but there is no guarantee they'll get one and most don't.

WTF do people do? Give up their jobs so they can drive 16 year olds to and from school?

OP posts:
Sheerheight · 07/09/2021 17:38

Sorry to hear this, it does sound a bit crap. Are you very rural? We have a bus that 6th formers use and it is approx £525 per year, though have recently discovered that student attending the college from the neighbouring county get a discount so it only costs them £25 per year..

Barwell76 · 07/09/2021 17:38

That doesnt sound good. My ds has just started 6th form. We live rurally. The catchment 6th form college has a fleet of buses to all the villages, costs about £900 per year. We chose the next nearest option a school 6th form. DS gets a coach run by a private company which is £1000 per year. What do previous years' pupils do?

GoodnightGrandma · 07/09/2021 17:39

Our sixth formers get a coach, it’s a private one run by the school and paid by parents.

Plumtree391 · 07/09/2021 19:09

That is ridiculous, there should be more provision. Do apply for a place on the school 'bus, he may be lucky.

Try to find out if there are others near to you who are being driven and may have a spare seat in the car.

I know someone from years ago who paid for a taxi to and from, all CDB or whatever it is, checked, and that worked well. Ask your local education authority if they will fund it because I imagine it will be expensive, unless they pick up others in which case the cost would be shared.

giggly · 07/09/2021 19:16

What is this madnessHmm free school transport for all ages within the catchment area in Scotland for state schools.
Why on earth are 6th form excluded?
The English school system totally baffles me.

RandomMess · 07/09/2021 20:00

Urgh club together and have a regular mini cab booking?

Lockdowndramaqueen · 08/09/2021 06:47

Or car share with a few other parents - would one day a week driving a group of 6 formers be possible? Or ten miles could be cycled depending on the roads.

Lougle · 08/09/2021 07:19

My DD has SN and the can't take transport safely on her own. The council will want £1300 for transport to her nearest appropriate college Sad

alrightfella · 08/09/2021 07:48

I don't understand why transport isn't free for 16-18 year olds especially as they have to stay in education.

My dd chose to go to a different sixth form. Her bus ticket is just over 1k for the year. We can afford that but for many people that wouldn't even be a possibility. Public transport in the U.K. is so expensive and I just don't think it's acceptable to charge those prices to get to school and back!

RandomMess · 08/09/2021 07:53

Urgh it's because the government wants them in school for unemployment figures but doesn't want to fund the cost of their own policy!!

HoppyHop · 08/09/2021 07:59

Our council stopped offering free 6th form bus provision about 10 years ago. There are two local colleges that have a free bus I assume they must be college funded rather than council.
The catholic high school parents organised a private mini bus for 6th form is that something you could do?

HoppyHop · 08/09/2021 08:00

@RandomMess

Urgh it's because the government wants them in school for unemployment figures but doesn't want to fund the cost of their own policy!!
Exactly this
alrightfella · 08/09/2021 08:03

It just makes me so cross, it is obviously cheaper to buy an annual ticket than pay daily (£8 return!) but why are they essentially paying an adults fare to go to school and back.

gogohm · 08/09/2021 08:09

I've paid for bus fares from 11, it was £420 a year last time I bought it (2 years ago, now at university) it is normal to pay something

traumatisednoodle · 08/09/2021 08:10

School transport isn't free for 16-18 year olds since the abolition of the EMA grant.

Teenagers2grownups0 · 08/09/2021 08:15

Yep, we pay about £350 per term for the sixth form bus. I think there may be some means tested help with the cost if required.

Jemand · 08/09/2021 08:23

@Lougle

My DD has SN and the can't take transport safely on her own. The council will want £1300 for transport to her nearest appropriate college Sad
That's worth challenging. The council still has a duty to ensure that she receives the special educational provision set out in her EHC Plan. If she can't get to college she won't receive it, so they will be in breach of their legal duties.
Original poster
catelina · 08/09/2021 09:53

It's bad enough that it's not free - or at least subsidised - for 16-19 year olds, especially for disabled/SN pupils. How can councils justify leaving kids high and dry when there is no alternative?

Previously parents have organised a minibus but it was expensive and there aren't enough 6th formers to make this work now. And not all can contribute to a lift-sharing arrangement, so that doesn't work either.

I'm going to contact them and ask what they suggest we do...

OP posts:
Samanabanana · 08/09/2021 09:55

You pay for the bus pass Confused

Comefromaway · 08/09/2021 09:57

It's even worse in an area near me. Because of new rules about wheelchair provision our local authority say they are no longer allowed to sell spare seats on buses to 6th formers from villages with no public transport and no safe walking route. Parents are prepared to pay and there are seats available.

Internetio · 08/09/2021 10:01

In mid Wales they get free college and 6th form transport. It must be a massive cost to the LA as there's so many bus routes.

We also still have EMA Confused

Original poster
catelina · 08/09/2021 10:04

@Samanabanana

You pay for the bus pass Confused
I don't object to paying! Obviously it'd be better if it was free but that isn't the main issue.

I object to them not being allowed to use the bus, unless there so happens to be a space, which is highly unlikely. I object to them not being automatically included in the numbers so that enough seats are available on school buses for all pupils aged 11-18 needing to travel to the same school 5 days a week.

OP posts:
BloodyDetails · 08/09/2021 10:05

@Samanabanana

You pay for the bus pass Confused
But, as the OP said, they have to apply for a seat on the bus in the first place. They may not get the option to pay for the bus pass as there may not be a seat.

It's shit. Rural areas are being left behind by the dire state of transport and covid has made it so much worse. Buses are still operating "emergency timetables" that have cut the service to unusable levels.

Original poster
catelina · 08/09/2021 10:06

@Comefromaway

It's even worse in an area near me. Because of new rules about wheelchair provision our local authority say they are no longer allowed to sell spare seats on buses to 6th formers from villages with no public transport and no safe walking route. Parents are prepared to pay and there are seats available.
That's interesting, and appalling. What are these mad rules?
OP posts:
Bramshott · 08/09/2021 10:08

It's a shock isn't it!! I had to start doing a school run for the first time when DD started 6th form (rural area, no public transport to speak of, school transport provided to Y11). We muddled through (although 2 lockdowns helped!) with me taking/collecting most days, a 45 minute walk to an unreliable bus stop a few times, and calling in favours from friends, both hers and mine (easier once some of her friends had passed their driving tests). But I agree, it's crazy that they have to attend school/college/training until 18, but there's no automatic provision to get them there.