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Secondary education

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

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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:

Sh05 · 08/09/2021 10:10

Da has a free bus pass so uses the school bus. I didn't realize it's not the same all over the country tbh.
We aren't rural so on the days his classes finish early he buys a train ticket otherwise he's very lucky to be able to get the bus.

Beamur · 08/09/2021 10:10

Rubbish isn't it. None of our local 6th forms assist with transport. It's totally down to the students and parents. Not many schools have 6th forms and the college provision is in other local authority areas.
Same with lots of the high schools too. We have grammar schools in this area and only one offers the option of school buses. It's also reasonably accessible by public transport.
The other one parents have to pay nearly a grand a year for private coaches. It's not easy to get to by public transport either.

NormaSwilly · 08/09/2021 10:10

Urban area here, we pay 10 pounds for a bus pass that lasts from 16-18 year olds and gives them free bus travel.

RandomMess · 08/09/2021 10:11

It's rubbish but going to college/6th form isn't technically compulsory they can leave and nothing or work or an apprenticeship. No doubt the fact it isn't legally compulsory is the way the government gets around it

Sh05 · 08/09/2021 10:15

Greater Manchester have the Our Pass system which enables college students a free pass to bus travel mon- Fri

Original poster

catelina · 08/09/2021 10:33

Urban areas have clearly sorted themselves out with cheap and excellent systems for young people, where rural areas have to rely on local govt provision - whether school or public transport - which is just terrible. Discriminatory, even, when it comes to access to 16+ education.

Other countries just bus their kids to school until they've completed their education. It's really not hard.

OP posts:

TuckMyWin · 08/09/2021 10:45

It’s the same at the other end as well- reception children are only eligible from the term after they turn 5 and are compulsory school age. My son turned 5 on the first day off term and still wasn’t eligible. Thankfully, our council does have spare seats that it lets you pay for. and I can afford to pay, and don’t begrudge doing so, but if I couldn’t, and couldn’t get him there any other way, what would I be supposed to do- just not send him to school for the first term?

I get it, it’s a cost saving thing. And actually, in our case, he gets the bus for convenience. We could drive him, but bus transport is provided (for free) because there’s no safe walking route to the catchment school. It means we can work full time and not take time out for the school run (no wraparound care or childminders), and it’s better for the environment, so our children get the bus. But I can afford to pay, and would much rather do so if it means children (including the youngest and oldest who are not ‘compulsory school age’ ) who don’t have any other way of getting to school could have a place.

Comefromaway · 08/09/2021 10:52

Its to do with a law that requires public transport to be disabled accessible. Apparently charging a pupil for a spare seat means that the bus is classed as public transport and many of the private hire coaches are not wheelchair accessible.

endofthelinefinally · 08/09/2021 10:53

I had 2 in 6th form. £4 a day for 4 years.

RandomMess · 08/09/2021 10:59

I live in a super urban area amazing bus services, uni students can buy a discounted termly or annual pass but those 16-18 have to pay full adult daily fare or adult passes 🤷🏽‍♀️

tywysoges · 08/09/2021 11:07

Our council provides transport to catchment 6th form or college, but my neighbour’s DC goes to school in the next county, they bought DC a moped. Shouldn’t have to, but solved their problem.
(I read an article where the parents were saying they were going to give their 16 year old a tractor to go to drive to school )

Original poster

catelina · 08/09/2021 11:08

These stories are infuriating.

How can universal access to post-16 education, which such a basic necessity for individuals and society, be such a low priority?

OP posts:

Comefromaway · 08/09/2021 11:08

@tywysoges

Our council provides transport to catchment 6th form or college, but my neighbour’s DC goes to school in the next county, they bought DC a moped. Shouldn’t have to, but solved their problem. (I read an article where the parents were saying they were going to give their 16 year old a tractor to go to drive to school

)

You must be reading the same article as me then.

tywysoges · 08/09/2021 11:14

article

Seems to be a widespread problem.

Comefromaway · 08/09/2021 11:17

I see it's made the national papers now then.

tywysoges · 08/09/2021 11:21

@Comefromaway

I see it's made the national papers now then.

I’m sure it was a local one I read it on as I got the link from angry people in local newspapers, but this popped up when I googled it as I couldn’t find it in my history.

Comefromaway · 08/09/2021 11:26

Originated from The Sentinel, that bastion of serious news!

I can just imagine the interview

Parent "What on earth do they want me to do, buy her a tractor or something"

Sentinel "Girl 16 to drive tractor to 6th Form"

tywysoges · 08/09/2021 11:29

@Comefromaway

Originated from The Sentinel, that bastion of serious news!

I can just imagine the interview

Parent "What on earth do they want me to do, buy her a tractor or something"

Sentinel "Girl 16 to drive tractor to 6th Form"

Rollercoaster1920 · 08/09/2021 11:32

Buy a 50cc scooter.

Zilla1 · 08/09/2021 11:34

I might be wrong but as background, I think the a anomaly in England might be that LA obligations for transport relating to the old 'compulsory school' age up to 16 even though education is mandatory to 18 so they may have discretion to charge sixth formers.

DameCelia · 08/09/2021 11:38

Try being in a County where schools don't have sixth forms, they are all in the City.
City deliberately set up to prevent people driving into it or parking = long journey by train which parents have to pay for.

Chloemol · 08/09/2021 11:54

You speak to your LA and ask them to sort as you have to be in education

Contact your MP and get them involved

SirSamuelVimes · 08/09/2021 11:55

If they are interested, a 50cc scooter and a few lessons to pass the CBT would probably be cheaper than the bus. Plus they've then got their own transport for getting to jobs, mates houses etc. Also will make learning to drive a car easier as they will have a year or so worth of road use and experience to draw on.

sartorius · 08/09/2021 12:28

@RandomMess

I live in a super urban area amazing bus services, uni students can buy a discounted termly or annual pass but those 16-18 have to pay full adult daily fare or adult passes 🤷🏽‍♀️

I've found this a strange anomaly with loads of things, not just transport. Kids price goes up to age 16. Then there's a student price. But no discounts for school kids over 16 🤷🏼‍♀️

jellybeanteaparty · 08/09/2021 12:38

Learning to drive as soon as 17 is common in rural areas partly for getting to 6th form

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