School bus prioritises existing students over new y7

[Busornobus67]

Just wondering if any other secondaries do this?
As it seems bizarre.

As surely they are more vulnerable. Less able cross roads safely. Could be sat around alone waiting for local bus.

Surely it's first come first served?

On the other hand,
a) if you’ve been on a waiting list for a bus lower down the school it’s not fair to kick you off two years later because there’s someone else who needs it.
b) a lot of new year 7s will be driven ‘just for the first term’ or have other similar special arrangements put in place for them.

I think quite a few parents make arrangements to take their Y7s into school, especially the first term.

Unfortunately not first come first served as they send out the requests to existing pupils first.

Hmm maybe they consider the currently using kids are current customers?

Its a whole year at a time so i expect many wouldnt just drive for a term. /or local bus for a term etc.

An 11/12 year old should be fully capable of crossing a road safely and waiting for a bus.

It maybe that there are say 20 y7 so in numbers unimportant so they need the older kids to have enough for a service.
Not sure how many seats on a coach?

My dd starts year 7 in Sept and there is no space for her on the school bus. Its annoying and inconvenient but I'd never expect them to remove an existing student from the bus to accommodate her!

The y7 would be less lkely to have friends going on the local bus though.
And no mine cant cross the road safely. They dont come home or to school themselves for primary. Though this isnt my point as specific to my child.
More that there is least need for y8+.

Not sure how dc would be with waitiing 30min for local bus.

At my daughters school its a mixture of local and private buses (the private buses are for the villages more than 3 miles away, local buses for those closer) and there is staff monitoring the bus stops and pedestrian crossings... more to enforce courteous behaviour than ensure safety.

The library and computer room are also open until 4.30/5pm so there is somewhere to wait if necessary.

If its additional needs causing the problem rather than just be young, contact the SENCO to see if they can help.

My daughters school say the bus is for year 7s and 8s. Which I think is fair as 13 year olds and on wards should get be able to make their own there. When I was growing up I had to walk 6 miles a day to school as no school buses or public transport went by my school.

Sounds like there is a need for an extra bus!
I've not heard of anyone(in catchment, over 3 miles away) not getting a place on the bus. But then there wasn't a public alternative. Maybe that's the difference?

If you live more than 3 miles from the school, I'm pretty sure the council is obliged to provide free transportation, so that will be a bridge that you can cross if your child doesn't get a place on the bus.

If you live less than 3 miles from the school, most 11 year olds (unless there are additional needs) should be able to make their own way there, especially if there is a local bus service.

Unless you're about to drip feed some specials needs there's absolutely no reason a 10/11 year old shouldn't be able to cross the road safely. Them not getting to and from primary independently doesn't matter, you should have taught road safety a long, long time ago. The vast majority of Y7s can safely cross a road.

And no mine cant cross the road safely

WTF?

Mine could do this at 5 years old (although I walked with them to school, obvs) but at 11 they were more than capable of crossing a road unsupervised, were allowed to play out with friends and would have been capable of getting on a bus to school (if we didn't live so close).

I think you have some practicing to do over the summer holidays op. It can't be a surprise that your dc are going to have to use a bus to get to school. Unfortunately there are not enough spaces on the school bus, so you're going to have to practice getting in a public service. You've got 6 weeks...

How far away from school are you?

Only if there is no nearer suitable school. If there is then OP will need to make their own arrangements.

I'm presuming from the comment about your DC not being able to cross a road safely that there are some relevant SNs? I don't agree that new students should be prioritised over older student but surely with SNs there is a case to be made so your DC is considered again?

In our area very very few Yr5/6 get walked to and from school. They are all capable of crossing a road.

Presumably there will be a large number of other yr 7s in the same predicament, perhaps you could set up a group chat with the parents and discuss other possibilities.
You have at least a month to organise this, try to be proactive, you may find a better solution and also help someone else.

My DS is 26 and the school bus allocation was always done by spare seats on the bus back when he was at school. Spare seats were ones not needed by existing pupils - spaces mainly becoming available as students left Yr 11. 6th formers didn't get a space.
There was a public service bus but it wasn't popular as it was often late - although school did become sympathetic with the 'late' marks on the register for students using that bus.
No one living where we live (a sizeable village)could walk to school as there are no safe walking routes. Options were bus or lift - or occasionally train in 6th form.

Lobby for a bigger/another bus if there isn't enough space?

It makes perfect sense to prioritise children that are known users of the bus ahead of Year 7s that might not even start on the 1st day.

I'm not sure why it's less safe to be sat around for a local bus as opposed to a school one. Or why road crossing is any less important.

They will stay in school and mess about do some homework or hang around outside and talk to friends. Just like a large number of other secondary school age children.

If your Y7 (excepting SEN) can't cross a road safely, then can I suggest that is an area of focus for the summer holidays.

It depends on how rural your school is and how easy it is for students to get to the school if they can't get the school bus.

If you took my son's school bus place away from him he'd have to leave the school as there is no other way to get him there! That's clearly not fair, just so a Yr7 has an easier journey to school.

Briget- yes that makes sense. That isnt the case here.
As technically all could get public bus to this school. (For this specific school bus)
I think its a combo of young in year and sen.
I dont think senco would get involved. (As frankly had no transition help anyway).
However it is a consideration as a likelihood is dc ending up frequently at end of bus line. (Either going to or
All the y5 and y6 here do walk themselves.
Re distance it is 3+miles and closest school. But not catchment.
I wouldnt necessarily prioritise y7 but personally wouldnt put below existing.
Though it maybe to do with arranging families as if youngest doesnt get bus allocated then the oldest drop out.

We will practise the public bus journey. And the road. But i cant make her have common sense and be less impulsive.

I know it won't get sorted in time for the start of Y7, but if she genuinely can't get a public bus safely in Y7, I'd be looking at applying for an ECHP- this could then specify that they must be given a place on a school bus or alternatively could supply a taxi for transport to school.

If she's not able to cross a road safely now, I'd be concerned about her managing other aspects of her time at secondary school, so formalising her needs makes sense.