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Secondary education

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

Original poster

School buses

20 replies

Cowsontheloose · 07/09/2023 21:26

Hi all.

DD11 started secondary this week. Tuesday was Yr7 and yr11 only and she managed to catch the bus home. Yesterday and today she's been left stranded at school as the buses were full and the bigger kids pushed the littler ones to the side so they could get on.
I've emailed the school and the coach company that runs the school bus and I don't know what else to do?
There is obviously a need for a couple of extra buses as there were loads of kids when I went to pick up DD.
If I do 2 school runs a day it will be 60miles a week! I was hoping to just drop off on a morning.
Anyone any ideas? Do I just suck it up?

OP posts:
Fairydustandsparklylights · 07/09/2023 21:29

Is it a school bus or a public bus? If it’s a school bus, you pay per term and your child would have been issued a bus pass. The travel company will then allocate a bus with the correct number of seats. If older children with no pass are getting on, then you need to speak to the travel company as buses are rarely run by the schools in the state sector. What did the school say when your dc and other young ones went and told the teachers they couldn’t get on the school bus?

GunkyAndGungey · 07/09/2023 21:34

So you're 3 miles from the school? In which case she is entitled to free school transport, which means this is a problem for the LA to sort out.

Original poster
Cowsontheloose · 07/09/2023 21:40

It's a school bus but it seems to be first come first served.
She has a bus pass and uts 80p a journey.
I'm new to all this so not sure how it all works.

OP posts:
Neighneigh · 07/09/2023 21:40

You need to speak to your local authority as they'll manage the bus contracts, not the school. If it's your catchment school you should get a free pass - if not (like us) you'll need to pay. Which LA are you in? If you Google they're likely to be under "school transport team" or similar

Neighneigh · 07/09/2023 21:41

Sorry cross posted - you've already got a pass , in which case I'd email school transport at the LA and tell them they're full and failing duty of care to get the pupils home. Sounds like they need an extra vehicle!

sleepyscientist · 07/09/2023 21:42

So is it a dedicated school bus? Could she get the service bus?

Original poster
Cowsontheloose · 07/09/2023 21:42

Fairydustandsparklylights · 07/09/2023 21:29

Is it a school bus or a public bus? If it’s a school bus, you pay per term and your child would have been issued a bus pass. The travel company will then allocate a bus with the correct number of seats. If older children with no pass are getting on, then you need to speak to the travel company as buses are rarely run by the schools in the state sector. What did the school say when your dc and other young ones went and told the teachers they couldn’t get on the school bus?

Edited

They basically said too bad you didn't get on, it's full now.
I've heard nothing back from the school yet so I emailed again today.
The principle also got on the bus to see if anyone was willing to give up their seats for 2 year 7 girls, no one did.
I understand they all want to get home, I take issue with the amount of buses

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowsontheloose · 07/09/2023 21:44

sleepyscientist · 07/09/2023 21:42

So is it a dedicated school bus? Could she get the service bus?

It's a school bus, she can't catch a service bus as its not a direct route. It'll be into town, then to home

OP posts:
Original poster
Cowsontheloose · 07/09/2023 22:17

I have just emailed the local councils school transport. Fingers crossed we get somewhere

OP posts:
MarchingFrogs · 08/09/2023 01:38

Cowsontheloose · 07/09/2023 21:44

It's a school bus, she can't catch a service bus as its not a direct route. It'll be into town, then to home

Show quote history

Would the cost of the occasional two bus fares be a lot more than the cost of fuel for you to go and pick her up? Or is there a long wait for the next public bus from the school end, once it's obvious that she isn't going to be able to get on the contract bus?

GunkyAndGungey · 08/09/2023 06:27

How far you live from the school, and whether it's your closest school, are really important things to be clear on when you contact the transport team.

If it's your closest school, and it's 3 miles or more away, she is entitled to free school transport provided by the LA. End of. Paying 80p, or only getting transport if there's room on the bus, are not acceptable!

But if it's not your closest school, or it's less than 3 miles away, then transport is your problem and the LA won't be interested.

Where we live the closest secondary school is 5 miles away so all the local DC are bussed in, and every single one of them has a seat on a school bus. Their bus pass means the transport is free. Some kids who only live 2 miles away are also able to get the bus but only if there's a) a spare seat and b) they pay. You need to know which group your DD is in before you bother contacting the LA!

PuttingDownRoots · 08/09/2023 06:29

Do they have after school clubs? The situation may sort it self out...

Are these buses because the pupils live over the statutory distance or to help the pupils avoid awkward journeys?

larlypops · 08/09/2023 06:30

There are 270 kids in year 7 at my sons school, they provide multiple buses to different surrounding villages over 3 miles and older kids have to use the normal bus route but pass is provided to cover costs.
As Far as I’m aware if it’s over 3 miles and the catchment school adequate transport has to be provided

Original poster
Cowsontheloose · 08/09/2023 07:30

It is over 3 miles, there is a slightly closer one, still over 3 miles.
I'd just be happy with a place on the bus and paying 80p. I try to only do car journeys when needed so will have all the extra miles. They want us to think about the planet, I'm trying

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 08/09/2023 07:35

Dds school has scholars busses, so regular busses from the local company but dedicated routes that start on school grounds and travel out to local towns and villages.

The school dismiss the kids to the buses by year group, starting at y7, so if it fills up its the older kids who need to find another route.

gogomoto · 08/09/2023 07:49

Do you have a school closer than 3 miles? If not then the pass should be free though only to your nearest school. If there's public transport available, even if there's a change, they are under no obligation to provide school specific services.

GunkyAndGungey · 08/09/2023 09:07

Cowsontheloose · 08/09/2023 07:30

It is over 3 miles, there is a slightly closer one, still over 3 miles.
I'd just be happy with a place on the bus and paying 80p. I try to only do car journeys when needed so will have all the extra miles. They want us to think about the planet, I'm trying

Unfortunately if there is a closer school that you could have chosen, then the LA are under no obligation to make any transport arrangements (including making sure there's a seat on the bus) for your child. There are a few very limited circumstances such as your child having an EHCP where the rules are different, but I'm assuming that isn't the case or you'd have mentioned it by now!

Original poster
Cowsontheloose · 08/09/2023 11:12

GunkyAndGungey · 08/09/2023 09:07

Unfortunately if there is a closer school that you could have chosen, then the LA are under no obligation to make any transport arrangements (including making sure there's a seat on the bus) for your child. There are a few very limited circumstances such as your child having an EHCP where the rules are different, but I'm assuming that isn't the case or you'd have mentioned it by now!

Show quote history

No EHCP. The main reason I picked this school is because she would be able to catch a direct bus home. The other school is 3 villages away although closer, ours is the next village in the other direction. She went to a 'feeder' school for the secondary she's in.
I just thinks it's very poor that the contract bus is barely providing a service at all.

OP posts:
GunkyAndGungey · 08/09/2023 12:27

It sounds like a really crappy arrangement and total chaos tbh.

Only children who are eligible for transport should be getting on a dedicated school bus, and every single child should have a seat. It should never be first come first served, that is just awful. What if a Yr 7 didn't have a parent able to come and get them at short notice?? It's just not an acceptable arrangement at all and the LA need to sort it out.

But, if your child isn't eligible for transport (and it sounds like this is the case) then unfortunately she has no right to a seat the bus and the LA won't be funding an extra bus in order to transport non-eligible children.

GunkyAndGungey · 08/09/2023 12:29

Feeder schools are neither here nor there when it comes to transport btw. Our local primary is a feeder for one school, but it's 7 miles away and the closest school is only 5 miles away but in another country - the local kids still only get free transport to the closer one.

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