Travel from other addresses
There is no requirement to consider or provide travel assistance from multiple addresses. Whilst each family will have their own living/care arrangements, the authority does not consider or provide travel assistance from multiple addresses as a result of those arrangements.
Travel assistance is assessed/provided from one main home address only. If a child spends time during the school week at more than one parental or other address due a formal or informal care arrangement, parents need to decide which is the main address to be held by the school (this would usually also be the one used to allocate the school place). When it is unclear which is the main address, or there is no agreement between the parents, the address identified on the child’s registered General Practitioner (GP) records, and for which supporting evidence can be provided, will be considered as the home address for assessment of travel assistance.
You should be aware that entitlement to assistance with home to school transport is assessed separately after the admission process has completed, and school places have been offered. The offer of a school place would not automatically result in the provision of free travel assistance – our policy regarding entitlement would be applied. We would not expect to use one address to apply admissions criteria for a school place offer and another to have transport entitlement assessed when a child is joining Reception or moving between school phases.
We do not provide travel assistance to or from other addresses (including to other family member's or childminder's addresses) to suit childcare or parental work arrangements.
Only in very exceptional circumstances may we consider entitlement to travel from other addresses. Should you wish to apply as an exception, you must provide supporting information as to why you consider your circumstances as exceptional.
The following are some examples of when free travel assistance is unlikely to be provided -
- to/from breakfast or before or after school clubs or activities
- to/from work experience, taster or open days
- to/from part-time provision off the school site organized by the school e.g. to vocational classes at a college
- movement between educational establishments/sites
- to/from temporary addresses
- to/from child minders, friends or other family members addresses
- to students on exchange visits – the receiving family are responsible for arranging and paying for any transport required
- to/from dental, clinical, medical or hospital appointments
- at a differing time due to detention or after school activities15
- due to parental work or childcare arrangements
- to/from any site other than the registered main base of the school at which the pupil is registered
- due to family financial circumstances except where the income assessed criteria are met
For pupils with an EHCP, travel assistance may be provided between school and a short stay (respite) care setting where there is an existing contract that can be utilised at no additional cost. If there are additional transport costs, parents or the organisation providing respite care will be required to meet them. Requests for respite transport must be put in writing to Transport and the Connected County, giving at least ten working days’ notice.
