How do you cost up a school for tribunal hearing?

[KOKOagainandagain]

I have given the tribunal info already about the school fees which are inclusive of OT/SALT so I can't think what else there could be with regard to the school.

How the hell do you cost up a taxi (no escort)? The LA funds another child who has a taxi but they are leaving in July. I have said the mileage but don't know how to work out the cost to the LA. What do they want?

I thought there was a specific tribunal form but I can't find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

TIA

Well, can you find out the taxi firm they use and phone and ask?

How do you know the LA funds another child?

On the tribunal website there is a list of documents. Somewhere in there there is one about what the LA have to tell the tribunal about a school and at the end is the firm the la use to submit to tribunal for costs of a school,place - see if you can find it and have a look at it as that's what they will be using.

Re transport costs - I never gave the costs cos how do you find out? That said I wish now that I had as my transport costs were £27k according to the LA. my witnesses at the tribunal were saying afterwards that the figures from the LA should have been challenged as the LA gave no evidence fe the costs - there was no quotes or anything so they could have just made the figures up, there was no breakdown ether ie how much the escort cost. I guess you will like star says ask 2 local companies the LA use

I don't know for sure, but when I was making my case I put £20k down for transport (5 or 6 miles each way) and they didn't dispute the figure. It comprises petrol, a fee on top for wear end tear on car, escort wages, insurance tc etc

Well if it helps the LA said that for a mile journey each way for 2 journeys a day - 4 miles with escort for 38 weeks, 5 days a week was £1396 per year so if you can get your calculator out and use that as a guide it maybe help.

20k seems a lot - my was £27k but the journey is 90 mins each way and 40 miles each way with an escort

London might be pricier?

star - I asked the school on the recommendation of IPSEA. I'll ask them the taxi firm and then contact them for details.

bjk - I'll revisit the site and have a scout around. Interesting that not giving a precise figure lets the LA make one up! I find it not very easy to find info unless you know exactly what you are looking for.

27k and 20k sound far too high - this is per year isn't it?

Also, someone told me that LAs often care proportionately more about transport costs, as it hits their own local budget, whereas school funds essentially are requested and then given them from the central govt education pot. Not sure if true

I was able to put zero costs and get away with it because the taxi drives past my house for other children.

I think this if there are no other children attending that school with transport though it can increase the LA's determination not to award as those empty spaces are the arguments for new families.

Who funds ABA then?

Sorry. Being sloppy with my terminology.

Who funds home programmes then?

Interestingly although my LA quoted 27k - the cost to them will not really increase. There are 2 taxis at the moment taking a total of 3 children to another part of the school. They are now going to out all 3 kids in one taxi so the spare taxi will go to my son as he's in a different building. One of the three children is moving to America in June so in sept will go back down to only being 2 in the taxi so the budget for taxis for my LA won't change just because of my son.

It is the same process, I think, ie for all the educational needs of the borough they put in a budget request to the central govt fund. Like a department in a corporate makes a budget request to "head office" each year. Though of course now they are saying no to home progs!

Yes when there is a bus going already, it is harder to argue than a solo taxi. But there is also a need for more escorts as no of kids goes up - not sure what trip is

Ratio - bloody auto correct!

If you really struggle to find the form, let me know and i will email the one the LA used to you as it is the one of the tribunal website

Don't think there is a ratio as such - it will probably be done on a risk assessment of the kids needs

There's 8 children to one escort in my ds' taxi. Though the children aren't especially high needs behaviour-wise.

Some kids on buses I know have to have 1 to 1 escort or even 2 to 1 as they get bigger!

bjkmummy, was interested that your journey is 90 mins each way. We have tribunal next week and have been told 70 mins each way is too far to travel, must be less than 45 mins, and we will have to move?

The times they are quoting for you come from guidance about school transport and I have had them quoted back to me when I was arguing over my elder son.

We simply do not have any nearer schools - it would usually mean residential which we do not want either. At the tribunal, the LA did raise the time issue but my best friends son went to the school when he was even younger than my son so they couldn't really argue it. The tribunal asked for my opinion in the travel and I explained that there was no issues re the travel and he travelled well and the most important thing to us was getting the placement right for him.

So remember the timings they are quoting to you are guidance only. If you google home to school transport guidance you may find the document that they are using.

Thank you. Does it depend on age of child as well? DS is 10

Yes - think for primary it's 45 mins and secondary I think 75 mins

I haven't a clue what the rules are but they insist that it is perfectly reasonable to pick up DS at age 5 at half seven for an 8:50 start.

Yes, ds1 (6) has an 80 minute journey each way too. I think the guidelines are just that.

I'm not complaining though as ds seems fine with it, and the school is so incredible that I decided to pick my battles! If there is more than one child to pick up then it is likely the journey will be over an hour each way in total

Copied this from Ipsea website

?Suitability? of travel arrangements
The Home to School Travel and Transport Guidance (paras 52 ? 62) defines suitable travel arrangements. In particular

"they must enable an eligible child to reach school without such stress, strain or difficulty that they would be prevented from benefiting from the education provided".
must enable the child to travel in reasonable safety and comfort although this does not necessarily mean a door-to-door service. However, arrangements that entailed a child walking an unreasonably long distance to catch a public bus would be unlikely to be 'suitable'.
the guidance suggests maximum reasonable journey times of 45 minutes for primary school children, and 75 minutes for secondary school children. This may be shorter for children with SEN and/or a disability. (See Children with statements).
those who operate the travel arrangements such as bus drivers and escorts must be subject to enhanced CRB checks and should have undertaken disability equality training.

I'm a bit concerned too as I have just asked the LA to name a school which takes 70 mins to get to off peak, so it's good to know that you managed to make a case for your ds's school, BJK