Eligibility for transport for the school year September 2011/2012
Eligibility for transport for the school year September 2012/2013
Eligibility for transport in 2011/2012
Please note this policy does not apply to those pupils who will transfer from primary school to secondary school or who will start primary school in September 2012. You will need to refer to the eligibiltiy criteria for the school year starting September 2012. Please click on the bookmark above or scroll down to the bottom of this page to view the details of this policy.
A free bus pass will be provided for pupils who attend their nearest suitable community, foundation or voluntary-controlled school, if the school is more than three miles from the home address by the shortest available walking route or two miles if under the age of eight.
For Roman Catholic pupils the nearest Roman Catholic school is that associated with their parish of residence.
Parents whose preference is for a denominational school based on religious grounds will qualify for a free bus pass if their home address is more than three miles from the nearest available appropriate denominational school even if the nearest denominational school is outside the Bolton boundary or two miles if the child is under eight years of age. You will be required to provide evidence that the denomination of the school is the one to which parents and children adhere and therefore you must provide a letter from your minister of religion that you are regular church attenders. Your application can not be considered without this evidence.Other pupils who will be entitled to a free bus pass are:
- Those for whom transport has been specified as part of a Statement for Special Educational Needs unless other alternative transport provision has been made.
- Those permanently excluded form their previous school and obliged to travel over three miles to their alternative school.
- Those who are in the last two years of secondary education having moved house within Bolton and are remaining at their original school which is over 3 miles from their new address.
- Children unable to walk in safety to school because of the nature of the route as determined by the Local Authority. Children who have disabled parents where the route requires a parent to accompany the child for it to be considered safe and where the parents disability prevents them from doing so. A Risk Assessment by the Authority will be used to determine eligibility.
Children in receipt of free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of their maximum Working Tax Credit and satisfy the criteria below:
- Primary aged children in this category of compulsory school age and under 11 from low income families and live more than two miles from their nearest qualifying school with places available measured using the shortest walking route, accompanied as necessary, will be eligible for assistance with home to school transport.
- Children aged 11 to 16 from low income families will qualify for travel assistance where they live more than two miles but less than six from one of their three nearest qualifying schools with places available.
- You may also be entitled to a free bus pass where the qualifying school has been expressed as a preference based on the religion or belief of both parent and child and you live more than two miles but not more than 15 miles from the nearest suitable school preferred on the grounds of religion or belief and attend that school. (Evidence of both parent and childs religion or belief will be required).
- The two mile limit will be measured along the nearest available route. However, the six mile upper limit and the 15 mile upper limit to a school preferred on grounds of religion or belief will be measure along routes which a motorised vehicle can pass, i.e. road routes.
- Evidence of entitlement to free school meals or maximum Working Tax Credit will be required to determine eligibility to assistance with home to school transport.
The Courts have held that a route is “available” if a child accompanied as necessary, can walk along it in reasonable safety to and from school. The Local Authority does not include short cuts across land or major trunk roads, where there is no footpath, as available routes.
It is important to stress that the distance will be measured to the nearest suitable school whether or not a preference has been expressed for the nearest school. The nearest suitable school will be the one closest to the home which is able to offer an efficient full-time education suitable to the child’s age, ability , aptitude and any special educational needs and any denominational grounds. You should not confuse the right to express preferences for schools with an entitlement to reimbursement of travelling expenses.
Where school buses are provided, children other than those qualifying for a free bus pass who wish to travel on them will be charged a fare. This arrangement would only apply if there are spare seats available.
Parents have the right of appeal against the refusal of a free bus pass. A written submission to the Children’s Services Department will be considered by the Education Assistance Panel if there is supporting evidence of the particular circumstances. The Panel, consisting of elected members of Bolton Council, sits to consider whether the Council's Home to School Transport Policy has been correctly applied and to consider exceptions to the published policy based on the specific circumstances of an individual family
For further information please contact Pupil and Student Services.
For more information on concessionary travel for school children contact Transport for Greater Manchester on telephone 0161 244 1050 8.00 am to 8.00 pm or on their website (see 'Links')
Eligibility for transport in the school year September 2012/2013
Pupils transferring from primary to secondary schools or starting primary school in September 2012 will be considered under the following criteria.
A free bus pass will be provided for pupils who have to travel more than three miles to their nearest school, or two miles if under the age of eight, measured using the shortest walking route, accompanied as necessary by an adult.
Other pupils who will be entitled to a free bus pass are:
- Those for whom transport has been specified as part of a Statement for Special Educational Needs unless other alternative transport provision has been made.
- Those permanently excluded form their previous school and obliged to travel over three miles to their alternative school.
- Those who are in the last two years of secondary education having moved house within Bolton and are remaining at their original school which is over three miles from their new address.
- Children unable to walk in safety to school because of the nature of the route as determined by the Local Authority.
- Children who have disabled parents where the route requires a parent to accompany the child for it to be considered safe and where the parents disability prevents them from doing so. A Risk Assessment by the Authority will be used to determine eligibility.
- Children in receipt of free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of their maximum Working Tax Credit and satisfy the criteria below:
- Primary aged children in this category of compulsory school age and under 11 from low income families and live more than two miles from their nearest qualifying school with places available measured using the shortest walking route, accompanied as necessary, will be eligible for assistance with home to school transport.
- Children aged 11 to 16 from low income families will qualify for travel assistance where they live more than two miles but less than six from one of their three nearest qualifying schools with places available.
- You may also be entitled to a free bus pass where the qualifying school has been expressed as a preference based on the religion or belief of both parent and child and you live more than two miles but not more than 15 miles from the nearest suitable school preferred on the grounds of religion or belief and attend that school. (Evidence of both parent and childs religion or belief will be required).
- The two mile limit will be measured along the nearest available route. However, the six mile upper limit and the 15 mile upper limit to a school preferred on grounds of religion or belief will be measure along routes which a motorised vehicle can pass, i.e. road routes.
- Evidence of entitlement to free school meals or maximum Working Tax Credit will be required to determine eligibility to assistance with home to school transport.
The Courts have held that a route is “available” if a child accompanied as necessary, can walk along it in reasonable safety to and from school. The Local Authority does not include short cuts across land or major trunk roads, where there is no footpath, as available routes.
It is important to stress that the distance will be measured to the nearest suitable school whether or not a preference has been expressed for the nearest school. The nearest suitable school will be the one closest to the home which is able to offer an efficient full-time education suitable to the child’s age, ability , aptitude and any special educational needs and any denominational grounds. You should not confuse the right to express preferences for schools with an entitlement to reimbursement of travelling expenses.
Where school buses are provided, children other than those qualifying for a free bus pass who wish to travel on them will be charged a fare. This arrangement would only apply if there are spare seats available.
Parents have the right of appeal against the refusal of a free bus pass. A written submission to the Children’s Services Department will be considered by the Education Assistance Panel if there is supporting evidence of the particular circumstances. The Panel, consisting of elected members of Bolton Council, sits to consider whether the Council's Home to School Transport Policy has been correctly applied and to consider exceptions to the published policy based on the specific circumstances of an individual family
For further information please contact Pupil and Student Services.
For more information on concessionary travel for school children contact Transport for Greater Manchester on telephone 0161 244 1050 8.00 am to 8.00 pm or on their website (see 'Links')