special school transport criteria

[clangermum]

I know this is a tricky one, as presumably every case is judged on its merits, but is there a set qualifying distance for an able bodied child to be provided with transport to a special school?

With the school I'm looking at (dd is currently at anther special school) my problem is I have another child in mainstream in the opposite direction, and both schools start and finish at the same time. Presumably they'd just say that's my problem and it wouldn't be taken into account? The special school is just over a mile away, which isn't very far, but it would make life very difficult. I know there's a minibus that goes past our door, but again that might be neither here nor there in the calculations, plus all the places might already be allocated.

At the moment we have transport provided because her current school is just over the LEA border, so they never quibbled about it. I'm gearing up to suggest a transfer for various reasons, but the transport issue plays quite a big part in whether I push for it.

Sorry, don't know, but bumping for you.

I think it probably depends on your lea's policy, you could try googling as they're usually online somewhere or ask to get a copy sent. Part of the reason dd3 gets transport is that I have kids at other schools and like you can't split myself or time travel

At DC's special school even if pupil is in wheelchair if it they are in the catchment area they have to be taken to school. The school is on a mainstream primary school site. ?Fortunately we live 30 miles away. Don't suppose this is much help but I thought stick my tuppence in!

Yes, read your LAs transport policy and if you apply state the blooming obvious. I did my application in bullet points to answer the criteria required, e.g

1. reason dc attending that school
2. dc dx & I am main carer
3. distance we live from school
4. reasons dc cannot walk to school
5. reasons can't use public transport etc.

Stress being on safety and well-being of dc.

Hope that helps

That's brilliant - thanks for all the replies, will search online for their policy. It's good to hear people have had personal circumstances taken into consideration.

i only live 5 mins away from ds2 sn school but he gets took and brought back home.

That's good to hear ilovesprouts. It would probably take me 30 minutes to walk to the school, in theory, but there are behaviour issues so I couldn't guarantee it happening smoothly every day. Maybe they would take that into consideration, as it's part of her identified special needs.