Applying for school travel assistance

Applying for school travel assistance
Free school travel assistance (4 to 16 year olds)
Non-entitled (paid for) school travel assistance (4 to 16 year olds)
Special educational needs travel assistance
Post-16 (year 12 and above) travel assistance
Home to school transport policies and codes of conduct

Home to school transport policies and codes of conduct

Home to School Transport and Travel Assistance for children and young people aged between 5 and 16 years of age (including those who will become 5 during the course of the academic year):

This policy document will apply to all new applications for transport and travel assistance for home to school for the academic year commencing September 2025. For in-year changes prior to September 2025 the previous policy will still apply.

1.0 Home to school transport and travel assistance

North Northamptonshire Council (the council) recognises parents’ and carers’ responsibility for ensuring attendance of their children at school. It also recognises that in some circumstances assistance may be required.

1.1 Who is entitled to free transport and travel assistance

The council is required to provide assistance for travel between home and school for children and young people residing in the area who meet the eligibility criteria set out below.

The council also has responsibility for those who live outside the area but for whom the council has financial responsibility, for example Looked after Children.

There is no automatic entitlement to assistance with travel between home and school. Parents requiring home to school transport or other travel assistance will need to make an application as set out in section 4.

The council will only enable a child or young person to travel to school for the beginning of the school day, and to return home at the end of the school day.

The council is not required to make arrangements for travel between institutions during the school day, or to enable children or young people to attend extra-curricular activities and other commitments outside school hours. Responsibility for making, together with costs of, travel arrangements in these cases will lie with the parents or school, or in exceptional circumstances the Social Care and Health team.

The council will provide transport or travel assistance, or make free travel arrangements for pupils meeting the following criteria:

Pupils between 5 and 8 years of age (including those who will become 5 in the course of the academic year, referred to in this document as Rising 5s) who are attending their nearest suitable school and who live more than 2 miles from that school.
Pupils aged 8 to 16 years who are attending their nearest suitable school and who live more than 3 miles from that school.
Pupils aged 5 to 16 years of age, (including Rising 5s) where their nearest suitable school is within the walking distances set out above but where the walking route is assessed as unacceptable to walk according to the council’s published criteria, even if accompanied by an adult as necessary.
Pupils aged 5 to 16 (including Rising 5s) whose parents and carers have a disability. Where the council relies on a parent and carer accompanying a pupil along a walking route for it to be considered safe, or to accompany a pupil between home and a picking up or setting down point but the parent’s or carer’s permanent or temporary disability prevents them from doing so, then the council may provide free transport as a “reasonable adjustment” under the terms of the Equality Act 2010.

With effect from academic year 2024/25 linked schools will no longer be treated as the nearest suitable school for new applicants for transport, unless the school is actually the nearest suitable school with places available.

Pupils already attending a school and receiving transport under the linked school element of the former policy will continue to receive transport under their current terms until they reach their next transition point or until they change address or school placement.

1.2 Faith schools and single sex schools

Pupils aged 5 to 16 years (including Rising 5s) attending single sex or faith (denominational) schools will be entitled to assistance with transport in the following circumstances:

the school concerned is the nearest suitable school and either:
a. the distance between home and school is greater than the statutory walking distance (2 miles for pupils aged rising 5 to 8 or 3 miles for pupils aged 8 to 16) by the shortest safe walking route; or
b. the distance between home and school is less than the statutory walking distance relevant to the child’s age but the walking route is assessed as unacceptable to walk according to the council’s published criteria, even if accompanied by an adult as necessary.

1.3 Definitions (jargon buster)

Home - Defined as the place where a child is habitually and normally resident. Where parents do not live together and a child or young person spends part of each week or alternate weeks with each parent, parents should agree which address is to be treated as “Home”. Where this cannot be agreed between parents, the council will look to the address where child benefit is paid for the child or young person. The council will not provide transport from both addresses.

Suitable school - Defined as the school with places available that provides education appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of the child or young person, and any SEN that the child or young person might have. “Suitable school” does not mean the most suitable school for a child or young person, merely one which can meet the majority of the needs of the child or young person concerned.

Where a child’s nearest school is oversubscribed and unable to offer them a place, the nearest school with places available is their nearest suitable school for school travel purposes.

Linked school - Schools are said to be "linked" if there is a priority given to applicants from a certain school or location. This primarily affects young people transferring from primary to secondary education. Under the former policy linked schools were treated in the same way as the nearest suitable school. This provision was withdrawn with effect from academic year 2024/25.

Walking distances - Except where otherwise specifically stated, the distance between a child or young person’s home and school will be measured by the shortest available safe walking route.

Availability of school places - Where a place is not available at the child or young person’s nearest suitable or linked school at the point of starting school, transferring to secondary school, or moving into a new area, free travel assistance will be provided to the next nearest suitable school, subject again to distance and route acceptability criteria.

Parental preference - The council supports the right of parents to express preferences for schools. However, in order to be eligible for free home to school transport, (subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria) the child or young person must be attending their nearest suitable school which has places available.

Transition point - The point or stage in a child’s education at which their entitlement to transport might change. For example, age 8 when the walking distances change, or at the end of years 6 and 11 when young people transition to the next stage of their education.

Pick up and set down points - Assistance with transport may not be provided from door to door. Young people may be expected to walk to and from a pick up and set down point, accompanied by an adult if necessary. The walking distance will not exceed half a mile for children aged between 4 and 8 years and up to 1 mile for children aged between 8 and 16. Account will be taken of a pupil’s special educational needs and disability and parents and carers’ disability when allocating suitable pickup and set down points.

1.4 Extended rights for those on low income

A child or young person will qualify for travel assistance under the low income criteria if:

they are attending their nearest suitable school
are entitled to receive free school meals on financial grounds or their parents are in receipt of Universal Credit or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit

Children, who attend a primary school and who are aged 8 years but less than 11 years, must also:

attend their nearest suitable school for transport purposes
live between 2 to 6 miles from the school

Children attending a secondary school and therefore aged between 11 and 16 years, must also:

attend one of their three nearest suitable schools for transport purposes
live between 2 to 6 miles from the school

Primary and secondary aged children, who are attending a faith school must in addition to receiving the benefits above:

Be attending a faith school as expressly requested by their parents at time of admission, where that school is the nearest appropriate faith school based upon their beliefs
Live between 2 and 15 miles from the school

If eligibility for free school meals or Universal Credit or maximum level Working Tax Credit ceases, then free transport will be withdrawn at the end of the academic year.

A full list of the low-income qualifying criteria is available in appendix A3 attached to this policy.

1.5 Inaccurate applications

The council reserves the right to reclaim the cost of any transport provided, if it is found that any incorrect information has been provided to the council in order to gain admission or transport to a school that would otherwise be outside of the eligibility criteria.

1.6 Transport and travel arrangements for non-entitled pupils and students of statutory school age (Discretionary transport or fare paying pupils)

Where parents have chosen and have accepted a place at a school that is not their nearest suitable school, they also accept the responsibility for, and cost of, the transport of the child to and from school.

Where a young person does not meet the criteria for free home to school transport or travel assistance, and where there is spare capacity on a contracted vehicle, parents may wish to purchase a paying ticket for the service.

Passes for these spare seats will be offered on a first come first served basis at a cost to be determined annually. The fares are listed in the fees and charges book, which is reviewed and published every year.

Except by special arrangement with schools, additional vehicles will not be contracted to cater for fare paying pupils and a minimum of five seats will be held unsold to cater for entitled pupils who may become eligible for transport during the school year.

Parents and carers are advised that the facility could be withdrawn at reasonable notice - not less than one month, if the space should be required for children or young people who are entitled to free transport or travel assistance. If this is the case, parents will be refunded for the remainder of the fare period.

Spare seat tickets for non-entitled pupils aged 5 to 16 (including Rising 5s) will only be available:

on receipt of payment of the fare or creation of an agreed payment plan
where there is spare capacity on a contracted vehicle

The council reserves the right to decline to sell passes for spare seats on transport provided for pupils with special educational needs.

2.0 Travel arrangements for pupils with SEN or a disability

2.1 Transport can be an important factor in the support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Not all children or young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will receive home to school transport. All children and young people will be assessed in accordance with the Council’s Transport and travel assistance policy, regardless of whether they hold an EHCP or not.

All children and young people, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) up to the age of 25, are subject to general local authority transport criteria as described in section 1 for primary and secondary mainstream children and young people.

Where a pupil with SEN or a disability lives further than the statutory distance from school, (i.e. over 2 miles from home address if under 8 or over 3 miles from home address for those between 8 and 16) and the school is their nearest mainstream school, or the nearest suitable special provision, then transport or travel assistance will be provided on the grounds of distance, taking into account any additional needs that they may have.

Transport or travel assistance will additionally be provided for children and young people who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school because of their mobility problems or because of associated health and safety issues related to their special educational needs (SEN) or disability. Eligibility, for such children will be assessed on an individual basis.

It is the responsibility of all parents with children of compulsory school age to ensure their child or young person’s regular attendance at school, regardless of any SEN or disability.

For pupils with special educational needs each case is considered individually, guided by the criteria that follow:

Transport or travel assistance will be agreed for pupils with SEN or a disability where:

The pupil is attending the nearest suitable school as determined by the LEA and as named in their EHCP if they have one.
and
The pupil has a condition where they cannot reasonably be expected to walk to and from school, and there is detailed written advice from appropriate medical personnel to corroborate this.

In determining whether a pupil cannot reasonably be expected to walk due to their special educational needs or disability, the local authority will consider whether the pupil could reasonably be expected to walk if accompanied and if so, whether their parent or carer can reasonably be expected to accompany them.

The general expectation is that a pupil will be accompanied by a parent where necessary. Where a parent or carer may be working at the time their child is travelling to or from school, or they have other children attending different schools, they will normally be expected to put in place suitable alternative arrangements.

The council will consider each case on its own merits and take account of the individual family circumstances when determining whether transport or travel assistance is required.

Travel arrangements will not be made where the pupil is not attending their nearest mainstream school, or the nearest suitable special provision, and the school attended is one of parental preference.

2.2 General points for SEN travel

The ongoing provision of travel arrangements will be reviewed as part of the child or young person’s annual review of the EHC plan, or other relevant information regarding a child’s SEN or disability - the provision of existing travel arrangements will also be reconsidered if the child moves school or home address or if there is any other significant change to the child or young person’s needs
The development of independence skills is a key part of preparation for adulthood
Where the child or young person uses a wheelchair on a vehicle, the chair used must be approved for that use and must have appropriate tie-down points - this can be confirmed by the wheelchair manufacturer and will be checked by the council before authorising transportation
Where a wheelchair is found to be not suitable for use in a vehicle, the passenger will be expected to be able to self-transfer to a vehicle seat
The council or their contractors will provide standard Wheelchair Tie-downs and Occupant Restraint Systems. (WTORS) and other standard passenger harnesses - any non-standard passenger and wheelchair harnesses and restraints must be supplied by the parents and carers and will need to be confirmed as compatible with the vehicle in which they are being used before travel commences

2.3 Home collection and drop off

Some young people with SEND may find it difficult to access collection and drop off points near to their home. These young people may be allocated a home collection. Parents and carers of children with a home collection or drop-off are required to ensure their child is ready in good time for when the vehicle arrives at the normal home address. The vehicle will park as close to the home as possible. Parents are asked to keep a lookout for the arrival of the vehicle. The driver or passenger assistant will not come to the house door, especially if there are other children on board the vehicle.

Parents and carers are also required to ensure they or an authorised adult are available to meet the child at the normal home address or drop-off point at the end of the school day.

2.4 Short break service and respite care

The home to school transport service has no responsibility to provide home to school travel arrangements for children to and from respite care facilities. Except in exceptional circumstances, where transport is agreed, it will only be provided to and from the normal home address or drop-off point. However, if there is the capacity to assist with respite care arrangements, then the transport team at North Northamptonshire Council will assist by making alternative arrangements as long as there is no additional cost to the council.

For arrangements outside these criteria parents should contact their support worker or [email protected] to agree funding for transport to respite and short break establishments.

2.5 Transport of children and young people with medical needs

Some young people have medical needs which may cause them difficulty when travelling. When we are notified of medical needs we carry out a risk assessment to identify how those needs might affect the child during their home to school journey. We will then endeavour to put in place proportionate arrangements to manage those needs.

The matters we will need to consider are likely to include:

the health condition, its triggers and symptoms
the likelihood of the condition affecting the child on the journey to and from school, and the consequences for the child if it does happen
the action that may need to be taken to manage the condition, for example whether the child may require medication and, if so, what dose is required, how it should be administered, and by whom

In order to obtain the necessary information to make this assessment and determine what arrangements should be put in place, we may need to seek further information from parents, the school and any health care professionals involved in the care of the child, for example the school nurse, health visitor, GP and any designated clinical officer or medical officer or consultant.

A medically qualified passenger assistant will only be appointed in the most exceptional cases. It would be more normal to train one or more passenger assistants in how to deal with the child’s needs and condition. This may require arranging for specialist training and support from the school nurse or other professional involved with the child.

Where it is felt that it would be unsafe to transport the child on home to school transport, parents may be requested to transport the child themselves in exchange for a mileage payment.

2.6 Exceptional circumstances

The council will consider applications for transport or travel assistance due to exceptional circumstances on a case by case basis.

By its very nature an exceptional circumstance is difficult to define, however, some examples of where the council may exercise its discretion to provide free home to school travel arrangements are as follows:

where a pupil faces a temporary medical problem which affects their mobility, so that they are unable to access school without support and school has considered and put in place reasonable adjustments
where a family has to move suddenly to temporary accommodation, for example, because of a house fire or domestic violence
where a child’s parent is unable to take their child to school because they are suffering from serious illness and they are unable to make alternative arrangements themselves, e.g. no friends or family in the area

In each case, consideration will be given to family circumstances and to any medical advice which may be available.

3.0 What travel assistance will be provided

3.1 Travel options

The council has a duty under Section 508A of the Education Act 1996 to promote the use of sustainable travel and transport. This duty applies to all children and young people of compulsory school age (5 to 16) who travel to receive education or training in a local authority’s area.

The council must also ensure that any travel arrangements they make take account of the needs of the child concerned. Those arrangements should enable the child to travel in reasonable safety and comfort, and without undue stress, strain or difficulty, so that they arrive at school ready to learn.

All school transport will normally only pick up and set down at a safe place near the pupil’s home address as shown on the school roll and council records.

Consideration will be given to requests to pick up and set down at other locations e.g. childminders or other family members, provided this is notified in writing and does not involve any further expenditure for the council.

The legislation permits local authorities to meet their duty in a range of alternative ways.

Parents may be asked to support their child with home to school travel, for example receiving a mileage allowance or accompanying them on public transport, however this can only be put in place with parental consent.

Travel options which may be considered are:

walking (alone or accompanied by parent or other adult supervisor)
walking bus (walking with other children and adult supervisors)
cycling or scooting
bus and train pass for public transport
discounted travel schemes
parental mileage payments
a personal budget
independent travel training
dedicated school bus routes
- with passenger assistant if required
a minibus or shared MPV from pick up points
- with passenger assistant if required
a minibus or shared MPV from door to door
- with passenger assistant if required
shared taxis
- with passenger assistant if required
a solo taxi
- with passenger assistant if required

3.2 Length of journey

As a general guide, the maximum length of time for a child of primary school age to journey to school is 45 minutes, and 75 minutes for a child of secondary school age. There will, however, be circumstances in which this is not possible, for example in rural areas where children live in remote locations.

Travel arrangements for children with special educational needs, disability or mobility problems can be particularly complex to make. Whilst shorter journeys may be desirable, some children may need to travel a long way to the school that is able to meet their needs and one vehicle may need to collect several children.

Where long journeys are unavoidable, we will look to minimise negative impacts for the children, for example if a child becomes distressed on long journeys the parent or school may be able to offer advice on effective ways of keeping them calm or engaging with them to minimise distress.

3.3 Passenger assistants

Passenger assistants will not be provided on all routes.

Passenger assistants will only be provided where:

it is necessary in the interests of safety, taking into account the special needs of the pupil or pupils being transported
pupils are of pre - school age (i.e. under 5)
a specially adapted vehicle that requires additional assistance is used

The provision of a passenger assistant may be agreed on the basis of the pupil’s special educational need and disability. The passenger assistant may be shared between several passengers or provided for one specific passenger on a shared vehicle.

All passenger assistants are given PATS (Passenger Assistant Training Scheme) training. This is a nationally recognised standard for passenger assistants.

Where necessary the passenger assistant may also receive additional training to deal with the specific needs of one or more passengers.

Where a child is travelling as the sole occupant of a vehicle, parents or carers may, if they wish, volunteer to accompany their child or children rather than appoint a passenger assistant to travel with the passenger. Any such arrangement will need to be agreed with the transport team. Parents will not be permitted to travel with their child where there are other passengers on the vehicle.

3.4 Transport to and from residential schools

It is anticipated that parents and carers will want to transport their children to residential placements themselves. This provides an opportunity for regular personal discussion between parent and carers and the staff at the residential provision. This arrangement must be agreed in advance with the transport team at North Northamptonshire Council and mileage can be claimed at the agreed rate on a termly basis.

Where parent or carer transport is not possible, children on termly placements (i.e. 3 terms a year) will be provided with transport at the start and end of each term and half term holiday. In addition, a mileage allowance at the agreed rate may be claimed for one visit to the school each half term.

For weekly placements, transport will be provided at the beginning and end of each week, usually on a Monday morning and Friday afternoon.

4.0 Applying for transport assistance (all students)

4.1 How do I apply for transport assistance

The travel assistance home page contains links to all transport policies and application forms.

Please ensure that you use the appropriate link for your child or young person’s age and schooling.

4.2 When should I apply

You should apply as soon as possible after your child or young person’s placement at school is confirmed.

4.2.1 Applications for the new academic year

For transport or other travel assistance to start at the beginning of the September term, applications should be made to the council by the 3rd Friday in May.

While we endeavour to process all applications received as quickly as possible, we cannot guarantee that travel assistance will be in place at the beginning of the new school year for any application received after this date.

We will look at the information you provide and make a decision on what support is necessary. We may need to call or email if we require further information.

We will acknowledge receipt of your application within 10 working days. However, we may not advise you of any decision before 15 August. There is no need to contact us before this date unless something has materially changed with your application.

You can advise us of any changes by emailing: [email protected]

4.2.2 In year applications

For applications for transport to start at any other time of the year, please allow up to 6 weeks for the application to be processed and transport commissioned. Wherever possible the council will process the application and put transport in place more swiftly than this, but we ask for the additional time to allow for the procurement process should a new service or route be required.

Until the travel arrangements are in place, it will be the parent’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for their child to attend school.

4.3 How often will I need to reapply

Once awarded, transport or travel assistance will remain in place until the next transition stage unless otherwise notified at the time of awarding it.

Please be aware that you will need to reapply:

at the end of year 3 in which the child or young person attains the age of 8 years
at the end of year 6 in preparation for transfer to secondary education
at the end of year 11, even if they are remaining at the same school for sixth form studies
if you change your home address (see 4.4 below)
if your child or young person changes school (see 4.5 below)
if the needs of your child or young person change

4.4 Change of address

Parents and carers of pupils who move home address during their schooling to an area where another school is the nearest suitable school may either:

apply to move their child to the nearest suitable school for their new address and if successful the policy stated above will apply
retain the child’s place at their current school but they will become responsible for the child’s transport provision and costs

When you move house, you will have to apply for a change to your transport.

The council will not normally provide transport or travel assistance to the current school where the family have moved home unless the current school remains the nearest school with places available.

However, if the pupil is in year 11 and following examination courses at the point of moving, some assistance may be available, based upon exceptional circumstances.

Help is not usually available for pupils in other year groups, even if they are following examination courses. Some help may be available in other exceptional circumstances, where, for example, the pupil concerned would otherwise be at risk of harm.

If your application for transport is refused because there is a nearer school to your new home, and you are subsequently informed that there are no places available at that school you should file an appeal against the refusal to provide transport, based upon the lack of places in the nearer school. Your original application will not be reviewed until an appeal has been filed.

Each case will be considered on its own merits by a senior transport officer.

4.5 Change of school

If the child or young person changes school, parents should re-apply for transport or travel assistance, and eligibility will be assessed as set out above.

If parents and carers elect to move a pupil to a school that is not the nearest suitable to their home address then they will become responsible for the child’s transport provision and costs, except in very exceptional cases, for example where the pupil concerned would be at serious risk of significant harm.

Bullying, poor educational achievement, and similar factors will not normally be considered as exceptional circumstances.

5.0 Quality standards and responsibilities

5.1 Safety

A child’s safety and welfare is always the main priority:

Where appropriate all vehicles used or contracted by the council are fitted with the standard seat belts, child seats and equipment to secure wheelchairs - specialised equipment required to support the child or young person must be supplied by the parents
All children will be independently seated, one seat per child - the council does not permit 3 passengers to a double seat
Trained passenger assistants will be made available where necessary
All passenger assistants will be approved by North Northamptonshire Council - passenger assistants will carry an ID badge at all times
Vehicles contracted by the council are expected to be licensed, taxed, insured and maintained appropriately, including MOT and other regular safety certification; this is a condition of the contract and will be periodically checked
All drivers must be licensed appropriately and should carry an identification badge at all times
All drivers and passenger assistants employed by the council will be checked as appropriate in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) - drivers and passenger assistants employed on contracted vehicles are subject to DBS checks by their employer
All vehicles, drivers and passenger assistants will be subject to random checks by council inspectors

Wherever possible you will have a regular driver and passenger assistant. Please be aware that this can sometimes change at short notice, for example due to staff sickness, so we are unable to guarantee that the same driver and passenger assistant will always be on your child’s route.

Parents and carers of pupils who have an EHC plan will receive a letter before the term commences in September detailing their child’s travel arrangements. Timings given at this point are approximate and may change throughout the year. Every effort will be taken to ensure that any disruption will be kept to a minimum, but we cannot guarantee that the timings will remain the same throughout the year.

5.2 Pupil behaviour and parental responsibilities

Pupils have a right to safe and trouble-free travel. Pupils are expected to behave in a safe and appropriate manner as set out in the transport service agreement supplied to parents and carers.

Parents and carers have a key role to play regarding the conduct of their children on transport and are responsible for ensuring that their children are aware of the necessity to behave in a reasonable and responsible manner. Parents and carers need to ensure their children are aware that failure to behave in a reasonable manner may have consequences, including:

cost to parents and carers for damage to the vehicle or to property caused by misbehaviour of their children
temporary or permanent withdrawal of free transport with no recompense and no right of appeal.

Unacceptable behaviour may include, but is not limited to, being rude, pushing and kicking, bullying, distracting the driver, refusing to wear a seatbelt, or refusing to remain seated. This includes the use of hate speech and abusive language, as well as physical behaviours which may endanger the safety and wellbeing of other people on the transport.

If a pupil misbehaves persistently, transport provision may be temporarily or permanently withdrawn.

Children and young people with SEND are not exempt from the requirement to behave appropriately on transport.

The council and its staff are aware that a child’s challenging behaviour may be part of their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem and they may use it as a way to communicate their needs, for example a child who exhibits challenging behaviour may be trying to communicate discomfort or distress.

Parents should advise the passenger assistant, if there is a particular difficulty with their child on a given day, or if there is reason to believe that the child or young person may be more prone to becoming distressed or uncomfortable that day.

We aim to work with transport operators, schools and parents to find positive ways to manage challenging behaviour wherever possible.

Transport may be withdrawn from an eligible child as a last resort and where there is an immediate and serious safety concern if the child remains on transport.

5.3 Bus passes

Applications for bus passes are made through the normal application process.

Wherever possible requests will be responded to within 10 working days, although it may take longer than this to print and deliver the pass itself. Applications made for a September start can take longer to be approved.

Pupils who qualify for assistance in the form of a bus pass can expect to receive the bus pass by mid-August for applications for the beginning of the academic year, or within 4 weeks of the application being received by North Northamptonshire Council for in-year applications.

Please make sure that your child or young person takes care of their bus pass, as they may be refused travel without it.

5.4 Lost or stolen bus pass

Pupils who have had their bus pass stolen or lost can expect to receive a replacement within 7 days of the loss being reported to North Northamptonshire Council. Reasonable requests for travel expenses will be considered by the council, if the above deadlines are not met. There may be a charge for the replacement pass. The charges are listed in the fees and charges book, which is reviewed and published every year.

6.0 Appeals and complaints

What is the difference between an appeal and a complaint?

There is a difference between an appeal against a decision and a complaint because you feel that you have been mistreated or the service you have been offered is not good enough.

6.1 Complaints

Complaints arise when you are unhappy with the service provided by the council and its transport providers, for example, this might include consistent late running of a vehicle, a member of staff or a contractor being unhelpful or that there has been an unacceptable delay in resolving an issue.

If you are unhappy about something, then you are invited to make a formal complaint.

6.2 An appeal

An appeal is for when you feel that the wrong decision has been made and you would like it re-examined.

If you are unhappy with a decision which has been taken, for example your application for transport has been declined, and you think that decision was incorrect, you may submit an appeal.

You may challenge a decision on any or all of the following grounds:

Eligibility - you believe that we have failed to take into account some significant factor in assessing whether your child is eligible for travel assistance
Distance measurement between home and school
Safety of the walking route between home and school
Transport arrangements offered are not suitable for the child or young person’s needs

Please be aware that there is no right to challenge a decision where a young person’s entitlement to transport assistance has been removed on the grounds of unacceptable behaviour.

The appeals process

Stage 1 appeal - Review of decision

You have 20 working days from the receipt of the transport decision to make a request for a review of the original decision.

The request should detail why the decision should be reviewed and give personal or family circumstances, which should be considered during the appeal process. You might like to include other documents to support your case.

These may include:

a recent medical report stating how the young person’s medical condition or disability negatively impacts on their ability to travel - this must be from a relevant consultant or specialist working with the family
map evidence to show how you have calculated the walking distance
an independent report showing why you believe the route to be unsafe
any other third party evidence you wish us to consider as part of the review

A senior officer from the transport team will review the original decision and will send you a letter detailing the outcome of the review within 20 working days of receipt of the written request.

This will set out the following information:

The decision reached
How the review was conducted
Information about other departments and agencies consulted as part of the process
What factors were considered
The rationale for the decision reached
Information about escalation to Stage 2, if appropriate

Stage 2 appeal

If you are still not happy with the decision, you will have 20 working days from receipt of the Stage 1 decision, to make a request to escalate the matter to a formal appeal.

An independent appeal panel, made up of 3 representatives of the North Northamptonshire Council, will be convened to consider the appeal within 40 working days of receipt of your request.

No member of the appeal panel will have been involved in the original decision to decline transport assistance. The independent appeal panel may consist of a combination of:

a councillor
an assistant director or their representative
a senior transport officer
another senior officer from outside the transport team

An officer from democratic services may be asked to act as clerk to record the appeal decision.

This panel will consider verbal and written representations from both the parent and officers involved in the case.

You will be invited to attend the hearing to present your case. If you do not wish to attend or are unable to attend, the panel will make its decision based upon your written representations. As in Stage 1, you may present further recent evidence to support your case if you wish. The evidence from the original application and the Stage 1 review will be re-examined together with any new evidence that you have presented.

The senior officer from the transport team involved in the review of the decision at Stage 1 may also be invited to attend.

Within 5 working days of the hearing you will receive a letter or email, detailing the outcome of the appeal hearing, which will set out:

the nature of the decision reached
the rationale for the decision reached
how the review was conducted
information about other departments and agencies that were consulted as part of the process
what factors were considered
information about escalation to the Local Government Ombudsman if appropriate

To request a review or an appeal, email [email protected].

Local Government Ombudsman

There is a right of complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman on the grounds that there was a failure to comply with the procedural rules or there was an irregularity in the way the appeal was handled.

Contact the Local Government Ombudsman.

Appendices

Appendix A1

North Northamptonshire Council School Transport

Safety of Walking Routes (Built-up areas inc. in villages)

When determining whether the council should provide transport to schools on safety grounds, a number of criteria have to be considered in order to determine a route’s acceptability for pupils to walk. The criteria assume that pupils aged 4 to 11 will be accompanied by a responsible adult, and that pupils aged 11 or over may travel independently. The law expects that all pupils will be accompanied “as appropriate”. Pupils are expected to travel by the shortest available route. However, where that route is judged to be unacceptable longer alternatives may be considered provided that they are still within the agreed walking distance.

The following are the criteria that must all be met for a route to be acceptable for use by child pedestrians in an urban or village environment.

1 Can the route be walked without walking on a classified¹ road?
If yes, the route may be acceptable.
If no, the route is unacceptable.

2 Is the 85th percentile speed² more than the guidelines for enforcement³?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

3 Are there formal crossing facilities⁴ available on A class roads as required?
If no, the route is unacceptable.
If yes, the route may be acceptable.

In measuring the speed of vehicles to apply criterion 2, only the data collected on schooldays between 0700hrs and 0900hrs and between 1500hrs and 1700hrs will be taken into account.

The route will be considered acceptable if the average speed of 85% of traffic over the week during the stated times is below the enforcement guidelines. If a route appears to meet all of the criteria, it will be deemed to be acceptable. Should a decision be challenged, a site visit would be made to verify that no exceptional circumstances exist.

1 Class A, B or C.
2 The speed which 85% of vehicles does not exceed.
3 As determined by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
4 School Crossing Patrols, pedestrian refuges, zebra, pelican or other light-controlled crossings.

Appendix A2

North Northamptonshire Council School Transport

Safety of Walking Routes (Village to Village Routes)

The following are the criteria that must all be met for a route to be acceptable for use by child pedestrians.

1 Is the route classified as Red or Amber¹ by the Highway Authority?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

2 Can the route be walked without walking on a classified² road?
If yes, the route may be acceptable.
If no, the route is unacceptable.

3 Is the traffic flow over 1,000 vehicles in the peak hour?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

4 Is the 85th percentile speed³ more than the guidelines for enforcement⁴?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

5 Are there formal crossing facilities⁵ available on A class roads as required?
If no, the route is unacceptable.
If yes, the route may be acceptable.

In measuring the speed of vehicles to apply criterion 4, only the data collected on schooldays between 0700hrs and 0900hrs and between 1500hrs and 1700hrs will be taken into account.

The route will be considered acceptable if the average speed of 85% of traffic over the week during the stated times is below the enforcement guidelines. If a route appears to meet all of the criteria it will be deemed to be acceptable. Should a decision be challenged, a site visit would be made to verify that no exceptional circumstances exist.

1 Under the Casualty Reduction Strategy, all roads in the county are classified red, amber or green on the basis of their overall accident record.
2 Class A, B or C.
3 The speed which 85% of vehicles do not exceed.
4 As determined by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
5 School crossing patrols, pedestrian refuges, zebra, pelican or other light-controlled crossings.

Appendix A3

North Northamptonshire Council

Low Income Criteria for Extended Rights Home to School Transport

If you are in receipt of any of the following, your child may be eligible for free Home to School Transport under the extended right legislation. You also need to meet the other qualifying criteria set out in section 1 of the Home to School Transport and Travel Assistance Policy.

Below is the low income qualifying criteria which is the same as for free school meals for children in year 3 or above:

Income Support
Income based Job Seekers Allowance
Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Child Tax Credit, with no element of Working Tax Credit, and a household income below £16,190 (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs)
Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
Universal Credit

A child must reside with the applicant to receive free school meals.

Useful contacts

Website: Schools and Education

Website: School Admissions
Email: [email protected]

Website: SEND Information and advice service
Phone: 0300 373 2532
Email: [email protected]

Website: Local Offer

Education Health and Care Plan team

Assessment: [email protected]
Annual Reviews: [email protected]
Resolution and Family Liaison Team: [email protected]
Provision and Placement Team: [email protected]

Journey planning

Website: Plan Your Journey | Traveline
Website: Journey Planners | Northamptonshire County Council

Road safety tips

Website: The Highway Code - Rules for pedestrians (1 to 35) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Website: THINK! – Road safety

This policy document will apply to all new applications for transport and travel assistance for home to school for the academic year commencing September 2026. For in-year changes prior to September 2026 the previous policy will still apply.

1.0 Home to school transport and travel assistance

1.1 Definitions (jargon buster)

Home: is defined as the place where a child is habitually and normally resident. Where parents do not live together and a child or young person spends part of each week or alternate weeks with each parent, parents should agree which address is to be treated as “Home”. Where this cannot be agreed between parents, the council will look to the address where child benefit is paid for the child or young person. The council will not provide transport from both addresses.

“Suitable school” is defined as the school with places available that provides education appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of the child or young person, and any SEN that the child or young person might have. “Suitable school” does not mean the most suitable school for a child or young person, merely one which can meet the majority of the needs of the child or young person concerned.

Where a child’s nearest school is oversubscribed and unable to offer them a place, the nearest school with places available is their nearest suitable school for school travel purposes.

Linked school: Schools are said to be "linked" if there is a priority given to applicants from a certain school or location. This primarily affects young people transferring from primary to secondary education.

Parents are asked to be aware that the criteria for admission to any school (including so called “linked” schools) may differ from the criteria for eligibility for travel assistance. Parents are advised to check the relevant policies for the latest entitlement criteria.

Walking distances: Except where otherwise specifically stated, the distance between a child or young person’s home and school will be measured by the shortest available walking route.

Availability of school places: Where a place is not available at the child or young person’s nearest suitable school at the point of starting school, transferring to secondary school, or moving into a new area, free travel assistance will be provided to the next nearest suitable school, subject again to distance and route acceptability criteria.

Parental Preference: The council supports the right of parents to express preferences for schools. However, in order to be eligible for free home to school transport or travel assistance, (subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria) the child or young person must be attending their nearest suitable school which has places available.

Transition point: The point or stage in a child’s education at which their entitlement to transport might change. For example, age 8 when the walking distances change, or at the end of years 6 and 11 when young people transition to the next stage of their education.

Pick up and set down points: Assistance with transport may not be provided from door to door. Young people may be expected to walk to and from a pick up and set down point, accompanied by an adult if necessary. The walking distance will not exceed ½ a mile for children aged between 4 and 8th birthday and up to 1 mile for children aged between 8 and 16. Account will be taken of a pupil’s special educational needs and disability and parents and carers’ disability when allocating suitable pickup and set down points.

1.2 Who is entitled to free transport and travel assistance

The council is required to provide assistance for travel between home and school for children and young people residing in the area who meet the eligibility criteria set out below.

The council also has responsibility for those who live outside the area but for whom the council has financial responsibility, for example looked after children.

The council will only enable a child or young person to travel to school for the beginning of the school day, and to return home at the end of the school day.

Responsibility for making, together with costs of, travel arrangements in these cases will lie with the parents or school, or in exceptional circumstances the Social Care and Health team.

The council will provide transport or travel assistance, or make free travel arrangements for pupils meeting the following criteria:

Pupils between 5 and 8 years of age (including those who will become 5 in the course of the academic year, referred to in this document as Rising 5s) who are attending their nearest suitable school and who live more than 2 miles from that school.
Pupils aged 8 to 16 years who are attending their nearest suitable school and who live more than 3 miles from that school.
Pupils aged 5 to 16 years of age, (including Rising 5s) where their nearest suitable school is within the walking distances set out above but where the walking route is assessed as unacceptable to walk according to the Council’s published criteria, even if accompanied by an adult as necessary.
Pupils aged 5 to 16 (including Rising 5s) whose parents and carers have a disability. Where the council relies on a parent and carer accompanying a pupil along a walking route for it to be considered safe, or to accompany a pupil between home and a picking up or setting down point but the parent’s or carer’s permanent or temporary disability prevents them from doing so, then the council may provide free transport as a “reasonable adjustment” under the terms of the Equality Act 2010.

With effect from academic year 2024/25 linked schools are no longer treated as the nearest suitable school for new applicants for transport, unless the school is actually the nearest suitable school with places available.

1.3 Identifying the nearest school

Children may sometimes live a very similar distance from more than one school.

Where the schools are within the statutory walking distance, the council will determine which is the nearest by measuring the shortest walking route. Once the nearest school has been determined the council will then separately determine the safety of that walking route for the purposes of assessing a young person’s eligibility for free travel.

Where the schools are beyond walking distance, the council will assess which is the nearest school by the same method, even though there is no expectation that the child would need to walk to school.

The council will use Google Maps and its own GIS software to identify the shortest walking route.

Where a child’s nearest school is oversubscribed and unable to offer them a place, the nearest school with places available is their nearest suitable school for school travel purposes. A child’s nearest school may be in a neighbouring local authority area.

1.4 Faith schools and single sex schools

Pupils aged 5 to 16 years (including Rising 5s) attending single sex or faith (denominational) schools will be entitled to assistance with transport in the following circumstances:

the school concerned is the nearest suitable school and either:
a. the distance between home and school is greater than the statutory walking distance (2 miles for pupils aged rising 5 to 8 or 3 miles for pupils aged 8 to 16) by the shortest safe walking route, or
b. the distance between home and school is less than the statutory walking distance relevant to the child’s age but the walking route is assessed as unacceptable to walk according to the council’s published criteria, even if accompanied by an adult as necessary.

1.5 Extended rights for those on low income

A child or young person will qualify for travel assistance under the low income criteria if:

they are attending their nearest suitable school
are entitled to receive free school meals on financial grounds or their parents are in receipt of Universal Credit or the Maximum level of Working Tax Credit

Children, who attend a primary school and who are aged 8 years but less than 11 years, must also:

attend their nearest suitable school for transport purposes
live between 2 to 6 miles from the school

Children attending a secondary school and therefore aged between 11 and 16 years, must also:

attend one of their three nearest suitable schools for transport purposes
live more than 2 miles and less than 6 miles from the school

Primary and Secondary aged children, who are attending a faith school must in addition to receiving the benefits above:

be attending a faith school as expressly requested by their parents at time of admission, where that school is the nearest appropriate faith school based upon their beliefs
live more than 2 miles and less than 15 miles from the school

If eligibility for free school meals or Universal Credit or maximum level Working Tax Credit ceases, then free transport will be withdrawn at the end of the academic year.

A full list of the low-income qualifying criteria is available in Appendix A3 attached to this policy.

1.6 Inaccurate applications

1.7 Transport and travel arrangements for non-entitled pupils and students of statutory school age (discretionary transport or fare paying pupils)

Spare seat tickets for non-entitled pupils aged 5 to 16 (including Rising 5s) will only be available:

on receipt of payment of the fare or creation of an agreed payment plan
where there is spare capacity on a contracted vehicle

The council reserves the right to decline to sell passes for spare seats on transport provided for pupils with special educational needs.

2.0 Travel arrangements for pupils with SEN or a disability

2.1 Transport can be an important factor in the support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Not all children or young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will receive home to school transport. All children and young people will be assessed in accordance with The council’s Transport and Travel Assistance Policy, regardless of whether they hold an EHCP or not.

All children and young people, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) up to the age of 25, are subject to general Local Authority Transport criteria as described in Section 1 for primary and secondary mainstream children and young people.

Where a pupil with SEN or a disability lives further than the statutory distance from school, ( i.e. over 2 miles from home address if under 8 or over 3 miles from home address for those between 8 and 16) and the school is their nearest mainstream school, or the nearest suitable special provision, then transport or travel assistance will be provided on the grounds of distance, taking into account any additional needs that they may have.

Transport or Travel assistance will additionally be provided for children and young people who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school because of their mobility problems or because of associated health and safety issues related to their special educational needs (SEN) or disability. Eligibility, for such children will be assessed on an individual basis.

It is the responsibility of all parents with children of compulsory school age to ensure their child or young person’s regular attendance at school, regardless of any SEN or disability.

For pupils with special educational needs each case is considered individually, guided by the criteria that follow:

Transport or Travel assistance will be agreed for pupils with SEN or a disability where:

The pupil is attending the nearest suitable school as determined by the LEA and as named in their EHCP if they have one.
and
The pupil has a condition where they cannot reasonably be expected to walk to and from school, and there is detailed written advice from appropriate medical personnel to corroborate this.

The council will consider each case on its own merits and take account of the individual family circumstances when determining whether transport or travel assistance is required.

2.2 General points for SEN travel

The ongoing provision of travel arrangements will be reviewed as part of the child or young person’s annual review of the EHC plan, or other relevant information regarding a child’s SEN or disability - the provision of existing travel arrangements will also be reconsidered if the child moves school or home address or if there is any other significant change to the child or young person’s needs
The development of independence skills is a key part of Preparation for Adulthood
Where the child or young person uses a wheelchair on a vehicle, the chair used must be approved for that use and must have appropriate tie-down points - this can be confirmed by the wheelchair manufacturer and will be checked by the council before authorising transportation
Where a wheelchair is found to be not suitable for use in a vehicle, the passenger will be expected to be able to self-transfer to a vehicle seat
The council or their contractors will provide standard wheelchair tie downs and occupant restraint systems. (WTORS) and other standard passenger harnesses - any non-standard passenger and wheelchair harnesses and restraints must be supplied by the parents and carers and will need to be confirmed as compatible with the vehicle in which they are being used before travel commences

2.3 Home collection and drop off

Wherever possible, young people will be collected and dropped off at a safe place near to their home. Some young people with SEND may find it difficult to access collection and drop off points a short distance from their home. These young people may be allocated a home collection. Parents and carers of children with a home collection and drop-off are required to ensure their child is ready in good time for when the vehicle arrives at the normal home address. The vehicle will park as close to the home as possible but cannot park where it would be illegal or dangerous to do so. Parents are asked to keep a lookout for the arrival of the vehicle. The driver or Passenger Assistant will not come to the house door, especially if there are other children on board the vehicle.

Parents and carers are also required to ensure they or an authorised adult are available to meet the child at the normal home address or drop-off point at the end of the school day.

2.4 Short break service and respite care

The Home to School Transport service has no responsibility to provide home to school travel arrangements for children to and from respite care facilities. Except in exceptional circumstances, where transport is agreed, it will only be provided to and from the normal home address or drop-off point. However, if there is the capacity to assist with respite care arrangements, then the Transport team at North Northamptonshire Council will assist by making alternative arrangements as long as there is no additional cost to the council.

For arrangements outside these criteria parents should contact their support worker or [email protected] to agree funding for transport to Respite and Short Break establishments.

2.5 Transport of children and young people with medical needs

Some young people have medical needs which may cause them difficulty when travelling. When we are notified of medical needs, we carry out a risk assessment to identify how those needs might affect the child during their home to school journey. We will then endeavour to put in place proportionate arrangements to manage those needs.

The matters we will need to consider are likely to include:

the health condition, its triggers and symptoms
the likelihood of the condition affecting the child on the journey to and from school, and the consequences for the child if it does happen
the action that may need to be taken to manage the condition, for example whether the child may require medication and, if so, what dose is required, how it should be administered, and by whom

A medically qualified Passenger Assistant will only be appointed in the most exceptional cases. It would be more normal to train one or more Passenger Assistants in how to deal with the child’s needs and condition. This may require arranging for specialist training and support from the School Nurse or other professional involved with the child. Where it is felt that it would be unsafe to transport the child on Home to School Transport, parents may be requested to transport the child themselves in exchange for a mileage payment.

2.6 Exceptional circumstances

The council will consider applications for transport or travel assistance due to exceptional circumstances on a case by case basis.

Where a pupil faces a temporary medical problem which affects their mobility, so that they are unable to access school without support and school has considered and put in place reasonable adjustments
Where a family has to move suddenly to temporary accommodation, for example, because of a house fire or domestic violence
Where a child’s parent is unable to take their child to school because they are suffering from serious illness and they are unable to make alternative arrangements themselves, e.g. no friends or family in the area.
In each case, consideration will be given to family circumstances and to any medical advice which may be available

3.0 What travel assistance will be provided

3.1 Travel options

All school transport will normally only pick up and set down at a safe place near the pupil’s home address as shown on the school roll and council records. Consideration will be given to requests to pick up and set down at other locations e.g. childminders or other family members, provided this is notified in writing and does not involve any further costs to the council.

3.1.2 The legislation permits local authorities to meet their duty in a range of alternative ways.

Travel options which may be considered:

Walking (alone or accompanied by parent or other adult supervisor)
Walking bus (walking with other children and adult supervisors)
Cycling or scooting
Bus and train pass for public transport
Discounted travel schemes
Parental mileage payments
Personal budget
Independent travel training
Dedicated school bus routes
- With passenger assistant if required
Minibus or shared MPV from pick up points
- With passenger assistant if required
Minibus or shared MPV from door to door
- With passenger assistant if required
Shared taxis
- With passenger assistant if required
Solo taxi
- With passenger assistant if required

3.1.3 As part of our commitment to encouraging and supporting the use of sustainable modes of transport, where it is appropriate to do so we will make use of commercial and public bus and train services. This not only supports the services for the whole local community, it often also provides greater flexibility for the young person, enabling them to travel earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon than the normal school bus service allows.

3.2 Length of journey

As a general guide, the maximum length of time allowed for a child of primary school age to journey to school is 45 minutes, and 75 minutes for a child of secondary school age. There will, however, be circumstances in which this is not possible, for example in rural areas where children live in remote locations.

3.3 Passenger assistants

Passenger Assistants will not be provided on all routes.

Passenger assistants will only be provided where:

It is necessary in the interests of safety, taking into account the special needs of the pupil or pupils being transported
Pupils are of pre - school age (i.e. under 5)
A specially adapted vehicle that requires additional assistance is used

All Passenger assistants are given PATS (Passenger Assistant Training Scheme) training. This is a nationally recognised standard for passenger assistants. Where necessary the Passenger Assistant may also receive additional training to deal with the specific needs of one or more passengers.

Where a child is travelling as the sole occupant of a vehicle, parents or carers may, if they wish, volunteer to accompany their child and children rather than appoint a Passenger Assistant to travel with the passenger. Any such arrangement will need to be agreed with the Transport Team. Parents will not be permitted to travel with their child where there are other passengers on the vehicle.

3.4 Transport to and from residential schools

It is anticipated that parents and carers will want to transport their children to Residential Placements themselves. This provides an opportunity for regular personal discussion between parent and carers and the staff at the residential provision. This arrangement must be agreed in advance with the Transport team at North Northamptonshire Council and mileage can be claimed at the agreed rate on a termly basis.

Where parent and carer transport is not possible, children on termly placements (i.e. 3 terms a year) will be provided with transport at the start and end of each term and half term holiday. In addition, a mileage allowance at the agreed rate may be claimed for one visit to the school each half term.

For weekly placements, transport will be provided at the beginning and end of each week, usually on a Monday morning and Friday afternoon.

4.0 Applying for transport assistance (all students)

4.1 How do I apply for transport assistance

The Travel Assistance home page contains links to all transport policies and application forms.

Please ensure that you use the appropriate link for your child or young person’s age and schooling.

4.2 When should I apply

You should apply as soon as possible after your child or young person’s placement at school is confirmed.

4.2.1 Applications for the new academic year.

For transport or other travel assistance to start at the beginning of the September term, applications should be made to the council by the 3 Friday in May.

We will look at the information you provide and make a decision on what support is necessary. We may need to call or email if we require further information.

We will endeavour to acknowledge receipt of your application within 10 working days. However, we may not advise you of any decision before 15 August. There is no need to contact us before this date unless something has materially changed with your application.

You can advise us of any changes by emailing [email protected].

It would help us if you could quote the application reference number as well as the child’s name in the email.

4.2.2 Late applications

Applications for September start which are received after the 3 Friday in May will be acknowledged but might not be processed immediately. All applications will be dealt with in order of the date on which they are received. While we endeavour to process all applications received as quickly as possible, we cannot guarantee that travel assistance will be in place at the beginning of the new school year for any application received after the cut-off date.

For late applications, transport may not be in place until October half term.

Until the travel arrangements are in place, it will be the parent’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for their child to attend school.

4.2.3 In year applications

For Applications for transport to start at any other time of the year, please allow up to 6 weeks for the application to be processed and transport commissioned. Wherever possible the council will process the application and put transport in place more swiftly than this, but we ask for the additional time to allow for the procurement process should a new service or route be required.

Until the travel arrangements are in place, it will be the parent’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements for their child to attend school.

4.3 How often will I need to reapply

Once awarded, transport or travel assistance will remain in place until the next transition stage unless otherwise notified at the time of awarding it.

Please be aware that you will need to reapply:

At the end of Year 3 in which the child or young person attains the age of 8 years
At the end of Year 6 in preparation for transfer to Secondary education
At the end of Year 11, even if they are remaining at the same school for Sixth Form studies
If you change your home address (see 4.4 below)
If your child or young person changes school (see 4.5 below)

4.4 Change of address

When you move house, you will have to apply for a change to your transport.

Parents and carers of pupils who move home address during their schooling to an area where another school is the nearest suitable school may either:

apply to move their child to the nearest suitable school for their new address and if successful the policy stated above will apply or
retain the child’s place at their current school but they will become responsible for the child’s transport provision and costs

The council will not normally provide transport or travel assistance to the current school where the family have moved home unless the current school remains the nearest school with places available.

However, if the pupil is in Year 11 and following examination courses at the point of moving, some assistance may be available, based upon exceptional circumstances.

Each case will be considered on its own merits by a Senior Transport Officer.

4.5 Change of school

If the child or young person changes school, parents should re-apply for transport or travel assistance, and eligibility will be assessed as set out above.

Bullying, poor educational achievement, and similar factors will not normally be considered as exceptional circumstances.

4.6 Delayed applications

Sometimes applications may be delayed for additional information, for example where a school placement has not yet been confirmed, or the EHCP has not been approved and published. Applications where we are awaiting further information will be put “on hold” until the information becomes available, and the normal timescales might not be met. We will inform you that we are seeking additional information and who we need to provide this. We will endeavour to keep you up-to-date with progress of your application.

5.0 Quality standards and responsibilities

5.1 Safety

A child’s safety and welfare is always the main priority:

Where appropriate all vehicles used or contracted by the council are fitted with the standard seat belts, child seats and equipment to secure wheelchairs - specialised equipment required to support the child or young person must be supplied by the parents
All children will be independently seated, one seat per child - the council does not permit 3 passengers to a double seat
Trained passenger assistants will be made available where necessary
All passenger assistants will be approved by North Northamptonshire Council - passenger assistants will carry an identification badge at all times
Vehicles contracted by the council are expected to be licensed, taxed, insured and maintained appropriately, including MOT and other regular safety certification, this is a condition of the contract and will be periodically checked
All drivers must be licensed appropriately and should carry an identification badge at all times
All drivers and passenger assistants employed by the council will be checked as appropriate in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) - Drivers and Passenger Assistants employed on contracted vehicles are subject to DBS checks by their employer
All vehicles, drivers and passenger assistants will be subject to random checks by council inspectors

Wherever possible you will have a regular driver and Passenger Assistant. This can sometimes change at short notice, for example due to staff sickness, so we are unable to guarantee that the same driver and Passenger Assistant will always be on your child’s route.

5.2 Pupil Behaviour and parental responsibilities

Pupils have a right to safe and trouble-free travel. Pupils are expected to behave in a safe and appropriate manner as set out in the Transport Service Agreement supplied to parents and carers.

Parent and carers need to ensure their children are aware that failure to behave in a reasonable manner may have consequences, including:

cost to parents and carers for damage to the vehicle or to property caused by misbehaviour of their children
temporary or permanent withdrawal of free transport with no recompense

Withdrawal of transport is a major step and the decision to do so is not taken lightly. Where a pupil misbehaves persistently, despite reasonable interventions from school, Service Provider and parents, transport provision may be withdrawn and parents will need to make alternative arrangements for their child to access school.

There is no right of appeal against a decision to remove a young person’s entitlement to transport assistance on the grounds of unacceptable behaviour. Where a parent or service user disagrees with a decision to remove transport, they should contact NNC Transport Compliance [email protected] for the decision to be reviewed.

Children and young people with SEND are not exempt from the requirement to behave appropriately on transport.

The council and its staff and agents are aware that a child’s challenging behaviour may be part of their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem and they may use it as a way to communicate their needs, for example a child who exhibits challenging behaviour may be trying to communicate discomfort or distress.

We aim to work with transport operators, schools and parents to find positive ways to manage challenging behaviour wherever possible.

5.3 Bus passes

Where a child or young person is entitled to free travel assistance and it is appropriate for them to use a commercial or public service the council will make arrangements for them to receive a bus pass from the service operator.

For bus services commissioned by the council, the young person will receive a pass for the service to which they are allocated. This includes passes for discretionary travel which have been paid for.

Some passes may be offered in a digital form to be kept on the young person’s phone or iPad. Please let the Travel Assistance team know if your young person would be unable to utilise a digital pass, and arrangements will be made to provide a physical version.

Whichever format of bus pass is issued, please make sure that your child or young person takes care of their bus pass, as they may be refused travel without it.

5.4 Lost or stolen bus pass

Pupils who have had their bus pass stolen or lost can expect to receive a replacement within 7 days of the loss being reported to North Northamptonshire Council. Reasonable requests for travel expenses will be considered by the council if the above deadlines are not met. There may be a charge for the replacement pass. The charges are listed in the fees and charges book, which is reviewed and published every year.

6.0 Appeals and complaints

What is the difference between an appeal and a complaint?

There is a difference between an appeal against a decision and a complaint because you feel that you have been mistreated or the service you have been offered is not good enough.

6.1 Complaints arise when you are unhappy with the service provided by the council and its transport providers, for example, this might include consistent late running of a vehicle, a member of staff or a contractor being unhelpful or that there has been an unacceptable delay in resolving an issue.

If you are unhappy about something, then you are invited to make a formal complaint. Information on how to make a formal complaint.

6.2 An Appeal is for when you feel that the wrong decision has been made and you would like it re-examined.
If you are unhappy with a decision which has been taken, for example your application for transport has been declined, and you think that decision was incorrect, you may submit an appeal.

You may challenge a decision on any or all of the following grounds:

eligibility - you believe that we have failed to take into account some significant factor in assessing whether your child is eligible for travel assistance
distance measurement between home and school
safety of the walking route between home and school
transport arrangements offered are not suitable for the child or young person’s needs

The appeals process

Stage 1 Appeal - Review of decision

You have 20 working days from the receipt of the transport decision to make a request for a review of the original decision.

The request should detail why the decision should be reviewed and give personal and family circumstances, which should be considered during the appeal process. You might like to include other documents to support your case.

These may include:

a recent medical report stating how the young person’s medical condition or disability negatively impacts on their ability to travel - this must be from a relevant consultant or specialist working with the family
map evidence to show how you have calculated the walking distance
an independent report showing why you believe the route to be unsafe or
any other third party evidence you wish us to consider as part of the review

A Senior Officer from the Transport team will review the original decision and will send you a letter detailing the outcome of the review within 20 working days of receipt of the written request.

This will set out the following information:

the decision reached
how the review was conducted
information about other departments and agencies consulted as part of the process
what factors were considered
the rationale for the decision reached
information about escalation to Stage 2, if appropriate

Stage 2 Appeal

If you are still not happy with the decision, you will have 20 working days from receipt of the Stage 1 decision, to make a request to escalate the matter to a formal appeal. As in Stage 1, you may present further recent evidence to support your case if you wish.

An independent appeal panel, made up of 3 representatives of the North Northamptonshire Council, will be convened to consider the appeal within 40 working days of receipt of your request.

The independent appeal panel may consist of a combination of:

a councillor
an assistant director or their representative
a senior transport officer
another senior officer from outside the Transport team

No member of the appeal panel will have been involved in the original decision to decline transport assistance or in the Stage 1 Appeal.

An officer from democratic services may be asked to act as clerk to record the appeal decision.

This panel will consider verbal and written representations from both the parent and officers involved in the case.

You will be invited to attend the hearing to present your case. Most appeal hearings are held virtually on-line. If this would be a problem for you please contact the Appeal Officer.

If you do not wish to attend or are unable to attend, the panel will make its decision based upon your written representations. The evidence from the original application and the Stage 1 review will be re-examined together with any new evidence that you have presented.

The Senior Officer from the Transport Team involved in the review of the decision at Stage 1 may also be invited to attend.

Within 5 working days of the hearing you will receive a letter or email, detailing the outcome of the appeal hearing, which will set out:

the nature of the decision reached
the rationale for the decision reached
how the review was conducted
information about other departments and agencies that were consulted as part of the process
what factors were considered
information about escalation to the Local Government Ombudsman if appropriate

To request a review or an appeal, email [email protected].

Local Government Ombudsman

Contact the Local Government Ombudsman.

Appendices

Appendix A1

North Northamptonshire Council School Transport

Safety of Walking Routes (Built-up areas inc. in villages)

The following are the criteria that must all be met for a route to be acceptable for use by child pedestrians in an urban or village environment.

1 Can the route be walked without walking on a classified1 road?
If yes, the route may be acceptable.
If no, the route is unacceptable.

2 Is the 85th percentile speed2 more than the guidelines for enforcement3?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

3 Are there formal crossing facilities4 available on A class roads as required?
If no, the route is unacceptable.
If yes, the route may be acceptable.

In measuring the speed of vehicles to apply criterion 2, only the data collected on schooldays between 0700hrs and 0900hrs and between 1500hrs and 1700hrs will be taken into account.

Should a decision be challenged, a site visit would be made to verify that no exceptional circumstances exist.

Appendix A2

North Northamptonshire Council School Transport

Safety of Walking Routes (Village to Village Routes)

The following are the criteria that must all be met for a route to be acceptable for use by child pedestrians.

1 Is the route classified as Red or Amber1 by the Highway Authority?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

2 Can the route be walked without walking on a classified2 road?
If yes, the route may be acceptable.
If no, the route is unacceptable.

3 Is the traffic flow over 1,000 vehicles in the peak hour?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

4 Is the 85th percentile speed3 more than the guidelines for enforcement4?
If yes, the route is unacceptable.
If no, the route may be acceptable.

5 Are there formal crossing facilities 5 available on A class roads as required?
If no, the route is unacceptable.
If yes, the route may be acceptable.

In measuring the speed of vehicles to apply criterion 4, only the data collected on schooldays between 0700hrs and 0900hrs and between 1500hrs and 1700hrs will be taken into account.

The route will be considered acceptable if the average speed of 85% of traffic over the week during the stated times is below the enforcement guidelines. If a route appears to meet all of the criteria it will be deemed to be acceptable. Should a decision be challenged, a site visit would be made to verify that no exceptional circumstances exist.

1 Under the Casualty Reduction Strategy, all roads in the county are classified Red, Amber or Green on the basis of their overall accident record.
2 Class A, B or C.
3 The speed which 85% of vehicles do not exceed.
4 As determined by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
5 School Crossing Patrols, pedestrian refuges, zebra, pelican or other light-controlled crossings.

Appendix A3

North Northamptonshire Council

Low Income Criteria for Extended Rights Home to School Transport

Below is the Low Income qualifying criteria which is the same as for free school meals for children in year 3 or above:

Income Support
Income based Job Seekers Allowance
Income related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Child Tax Credit, with no element of Working Tax Credit, and a household income below £16,190 (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs)
Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
Universal Credit

A child must reside with the applicant to receive free school meals.

Useful contacts

Website: Schools and Education

Website: School Admissions
Email: [email protected]

Website: SEND Information and advice service
Phone: 0300 373 2532
Email: [email protected]

Website: Local Offer

Education Health and Care Plan team

Assessment: [email protected]
Annual Reviews: [email protected]
Resolution and Family Liaison Team: [email protected]
Provision and Placement Team: [email protected]

Journey planning

Website: Plan Your Journey | Traveline
Website: Journey Planners | Northamptonshire County Council

Road safety tips

Website: The Highway Code - Rules for pedestrians (1 to 35) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Website: THINK! – Road safety

Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) - February 2025

Jargon

Topic	Meaning
DBS barring check	Disclosure and Barring Service. This is a check that tells us if a driver or PA has any criminal record or other ban that would mean they cannot work with, or be responsible for, vulnerable people.
Deliberately and knowingly	Behaviour that is not caused by a learning difficulty or other condition. The child is aware of their actions and can normally be expected to regulate their behaviour.
EHC Plan or EHCP	Education, Health and Care Plan. This is a legal document which describes a child’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve. An EHCP is created by the Local Authority after the child has had an assessment.
Parent	“Parent” means any adult with caring responsibilities for a child e.g. birth parent, foster carer, grandparent, legal guardian etc.
Passenger Assistant (PA)	A person who will supervise the child(ren) in the vehicle and will be trained to deal with specific care issues. Passenger Assistants are provided for all primary aged SEND children. Secondary school age children will have a Passenger Assistant where a specific need has been identified.
Safeguarding	The responsibility of any adult who has caring duties for a child. This includes parents, the council and the transport operators. The law states that anyone who has reason to believe that a child is at risk of harm or distress must take immediate and appropriate action.
SEN and SEND	Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Transport operator or contractor	Company or firm who runs vehicles used for school transport. They employ the drivers and passenger assistants.

Introduction

It is important that children with SEND are able to travel to school safely and with as little stress or anxiety as possible.

This code of conduct describes how the council works with the parents to make the transport experience as comfortable as possible.

Parent should discuss this code with their child(ren) and help them to understand as much of it as possible.

The council understands that some children or young people are not able to fully understand complex rules and we will take this into account at any time we are asked to investigate inappropriate behaviour.

Code of conduct

The following blue rules are those which, if broken, may cause distress to your child and anyone else in the vehicle.

There are things that a child must never take onto a vehicle - if any of these are found in a child’s possession the council may have to take safeguarding action
These banned items are:
- Any illegal substance or drugs
- Alcohol
- Any knife or bladed article
- Pressurised canisters such as nitrous oxide (known as “nos”)
The council will not tolerate any behaviour that is deliberately and knowingly abusive, discriminatory, or that uses foul language or hate speech - drivers are required to report any behaviour like this to the council and our team will investigate - it is an offence to deliberately or knowingly cause distress to anyone because of their gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability (this includes medical conditions) - The council understands that some children have learning difficulties or conditions which may cause them to involuntarily use bad, abusive or unacceptable language or have uncontrolled physical outbursts. This will normally be identified during the application process (usually as part of the EHCP) and will be planned for. All parties (operators, drivers and PA’s) will be informed and any necessary guidance given.
Deliberate bullying will not be tolerated
Smoking or vaping is not allowed on any school transport
Parents may be charged if there is deliberate damage to a vehicle or other person’s property caused by their child or young person
No recording devices should be used on school transport e.g. mobile phones

General

If your child has dedicated school transport (pick up from home):

Please make sure your child is ready and on time each morning - every child has a specific pick up time and the transport operators are expected to make sure their drivers arrive at this time - drivers will only wait for a maximum of 3 minutes at your address - after this time the driver will leave and you will need to make travel arrangements for your child for that day
Drivers and PA’s cannot normally leave the vehicle - parents are expected to bring the child to the vehicle where possible - if this is not possible we will need to make special arrangements
If your child will not be using transport in the morning (for example because of illness or your child is refusing to go) please let the SEN transport team at the council know as soon as possible - you should also tell the driver (if they still arrive)
Children must not have the personal phone numbers of drivers or PA’s for any reason - all communication with drivers, PA’s and transport operators should be made through the council’s SEN transport team
If your child does not use the arranged transport on a continuous basis, and we are not informed, we may withdraw the transport until the cause of the lack of use has been resolved - this means the council is not spending money unnecessarily - it is therefore important that you let us know if your child stops using the arranged transport - please do not assume that the contractor will tell us
Please make sure that there is a responsible adult waiting for your child at the end of the school day - if there will be no adult at home it is important that you let us, and the school, know as soon as possible
The driver will park the vehicle as close to the pick up and drop off address as possible - the driver will stay with the vehicle - parents and schools need to meet the child off the transport unless special arrangements have been made - please bear in mind that there may be parking restrictions that prevent a driver from parking immediately outside of a property
Drivers will ensure that child locks are properly engaged during each trip
Drivers cannot take your child to any address, other than the home or school address, unless they are authorised to do so by the council - please help your child to understand that they cannot ask the driver to drop them off anywhere else
Your child cannot leave the vehicle until they are told that it is safe to do so by the driver or PA
Rarely, a child may try to abscond from a school transport vehicle. Drivers or PA’s cannot physically restrain a child - if a child deliberately leaves a vehicle the driver will immediately contact the SEN transport team - if the driver feels there is an immediate risk to the child’s safety, they will also call the Police - it is important to remember that the council and the transport company have a legal obligation for the safety of all of the children in their care - a driver or PA cannot chase after a child
If a child exits the vehicle and runs away a driver is not allowed to chase after them - this can make the situation worse - in such cases the driver will call the Police and then will let Home to School transport know
Please talk to your child about the safe use of seat belts, harnesses or car seats and why they are necessary - the driver or passenger assistant will assist the child where necessary - we understand that some children may be distressed at being secured in a vehicle - if necessary, we can arrange for the child to have a “test run” so that they can meet the driver or PA and become familiar with what will happen - we can then address any problems
Drivers and passenger assistants are not medically trained - they are not allowed to give your prescribed medication unless specific training has been agreed and given in advance - for example, this could include training in the use of an epi-pen
Children should not carry prescribed medication unless it is necessary and they are competent in its use e.g. epi-pens, inhalers etc. - the council do not recommend that children are allowed to carry prescription oral medication (tablets) unless absolutely necessary
In a medical emergency the driver or PA will call 999 and will then inform the SEN transport team - parents will be contacted as soon as possible
Please talk to your child about their personal belongings - these will be stored safely in the vehicle but, in the event of an emergency, they may have to leave them behind - this could distress some children
Routes are planned by the SEN transport team to keep journey times as short as possible - in cases where there are multiple pick-ups our SEN team will try to accommodate all of the children's needs but, occasionally, this may cause longer travel times - we will work with you and the transport operator to keep these journeys as stress free as possible
It is really important that you keep the SEN transport team updated with any changes in your child’s condition or needs so that we can review their journey plans
We try to keep any changes to a minimum - we understand that some children do not cope well with change or unfamiliar people - if there is any need for us to make changes to a contract, we will give you notice where possible. - this way you can talk to your child and help them to understand what is going to happen and why the change is necessary
There may be occasions where changes are needed without notice (e.g. vehicle breakdowns or driver illness) - we will do everything possible to minimise any disruption to your child
We will arrange to provide any standard equipment such as harnesses, booster seats etc - if special items are needed these will be identified and agreed on during the application process
Solo transport i.e. only one child in the vehicle, is not offered as a standard transport solution - in order for solo transport to be agreed there must be a clear, definitive reason that has been identified either at the time of application or subsequently - any agreement to a change to solo transport (e.g. mid term) will usually involve a full review which will include the parents and the school - all other options must have been considered first
SEND transport is looked at annually - we understand that circumstances change and it is important that our SEN team have the opportunity to make any modifications to the transport arrangements to provide your child with the best possible experience

Safeguarding

The council are aware that children with SEND can have specific safeguarding needs. The council takes its safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously and takes steps to protect the children under our care. We expect a similar degree of care from all parties.

All drivers and passenger assistants must have enhanced DBS and barring checks. This ensures that they do not have any convictions, bans or any other relevant information that mean they cannot work with or be responsible for vulnerable people.

Your child should never exchange personal phone numbers with drivers or PA’s. They must never befriend the driver or PA on social media.

We encourage parents to talk to their children, in an appropriate manner, about safeguarding. Children should feel that they can talk to you about any worries they have about their school transport experience.

Talking to children about safeguarding issues can sometimes be difficult. The NSPCC have a guide that helps parents with this difficult area and this can be accessed here:

Talking about difficult topics | NSPCC

If you have any concerns about the transport arrangements, particularly the conduct of the driver or passenger assistant, please speak to the SEN transport team as soon as possible.

They will investigate any concerns and will take any action needed to keep your child safe.

Contact

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 126 3000

Provision of home to school transport - Driver and passenger assistant - Service standards and code of conduct

Explanation of terms used

Client: North Northamptonshire Council
DBS: Disclosure and Barring Service. This service checks a person’s criminal record database.
GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation. Rules governing the use and sharing of personal information.
Immediate Risk: This is when it is likely that a child or vulnerable adult is in danger and they need urgent help. An example of this is when an unauthorised adult is trying to remove a child from the vehicle.
NNC: North Northamptonshire Council
Operator: Firm or business that has been contracted by the NNC to provide transport services.
SEND: Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Service User: Child or vulnerable adult who needs transport to an education facility or other destination. PA Passenger Assistant - person who supervises and supports service users during transport and assists the driver in the safe operation of the contract.
LADO: Local Authority Designated Officer. This is the team that will review any safeguarding referrals and may investigate any individual who has been reported for possible safeguarding concerns.
Staff: Where the term staff is used this means both drivers and PA’s

Introduction

This code of conduct is issued by NNC and sets out the minimum service standards that we expect in the operation of our Home to School contracts and has been drawn up to help drivers and PA’s carry out their duties effectively and safely. Whilst some sections of this document apply only to drivers, it is expected that all staff are aware of these responsibilities.

NNC understands that some operators will issue their own minimum service agreements or codes of conduct. Nothing in this code of conduct is intended to over-rule any existing code that a driver or PA may have been given by their operator. Instead, it is intended to supplement and compliment any existing code.

If at any time a driver or PA is unsure as to what action to take they should refer, in the first instance, to their operator who will seek further guidance from NNC where necessary.

Terms

North Northants Council (NNC) has a legal responsibility for the safe transport of children and vulnerable adults. Transport is carried out by using local, private operators in appropriate vehicles.

UK Law governs the responsibilities that NNC have, particularly those of the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. NNC has various powers that it can use in order to meet its obligations.

We expect all staff working on an NNC Home to School contract to conduct themselves in a manner that any reasonable person would expect. This includes:

driving any vehicle with due consideration to all service users, other road users and in accordance with current UK law
a kind, caring and considerate approach to those in their care
a professional attitude at all times

GDPR

GDPR regulations mean that any company or organisation who has personal information about a person must make sure it is held securely and must not be shared with anyone who does not need it.

NNC may require operators to supply it with information that is necessary and relevant. This information will fall under GDPR regulations. NNC will only record information that it requires and will only retain this information for as long as is necessary. If NNC requires access to more detailed information from an operator it will, where necessary, ask for written authorisation from the data owner i.e. the driver or PA.

Vehicles

Vehicles used on an NNC Home to School transport contract are either owned by the operator or by the driver. It is the responsibility of both the owner and the driver to ensure that the vehicle not only meets minimum legal standards but also the standards that NNC expect.

Any vehicle used for home to school transport contracts must comply with all relevant legislation and:

Be in a fit and serviceable condition.
Have effective air conditioning (if fitted), heating, lighting and ventilation.
Have exterior paintwork and interior seats and fittings in good condition.
Be clean at the start of each day and be maintained to a reasonable level of cleanliness during the hours of operation.
Be fitted with passenger doors with child locks which cannot be opened by passengers and which must be closed whilst the vehicle is in motion. NNC knows that in some vehicles the front passenger seat will not have a child lock. Therefore in these instances a relevant risk assessment will need to be carried out before this seat can be used by a passenger.
Be equipped with a suitable first aid kit, fire extinguisher and means of communication.
No vehicle should be refueled during a contracted journey. The driver should plan ahead to make sure there is sufficient fuel to complete the contracted journey.
Not be left unattended, with the engine running, or with passengers on board.
Wheelchairs must be transported according to the wheelchair manufacturer’s transport instructions which usually specify forward facing. Wheelchairs should never be fitted sideways.
Be fitted, where needed, with safety harnesses secured to the vehicle. Any harnesses required on the transport must be in a presentable and clean condition for each journey.
Fitted with additional steps and grab handles to all passenger door entrances to give the lowest possible step height to assist boarding (vehicles over 8 passenger seats).
Where fitted, CCTV should not be used during period of service of a home to school transport contract unless expressly authorised, in writing, by the Compliance Team at NNC.
Details of any vehicle breakdown and the arrangements for changes to the journey should be notified immediately to NNC, who will be able to give verbal agreement to the arrangements and inform the parties affected. This must also be followed up with an email to confirm what has happened.
If the breakdown occurs outside of office hours or the operator is unable to contact the office, an e-mail should be sent as soon as possible to advise what has happened and what has been put in place to cover this.
Must be fitted with working reversing alarms (this only relates to PSV coaches or buses).

Service Delivery

In the event of any delay e.g. due to vehicle breakdown or accident, passengers should not be allowed to make their own way on foot
Services must run on time at the start of each journey - late running is only acceptable as a result of events outside the driver’s control
In the event of a vehicle breakdown or accident the driver or PA must instruct passengers to remain in the vehicle whilst contact is made with the operator to arrange a replacement vehicle (so long as it is safe to keep the passengers in the vehicle) - if they are on a motorway or similar highway they should notify the police immediately
If it is unsafe for passengers to remain in the vehicle, staff must make sure that passengers are kept together (in one group) in a safe place off the road - if the driver is unable to contact the operator, they must notify NNC
At no time should a passenger be restrained to prevent them from leaving the area if they decide to do so - the operator and NNC must be advised of this as soon as possible and, where possible, the driver should take note of those passengers that have left the scene
If safe to do so the driver or PA should follow a child who has absconded from the vehicle - this is only to keep them in view so that their location is known - the child should only be followed if there are no other children in the vehicle - if in doubt, the driver or PA must seek further guidance from their operator or NNC - at no point should a child be restrained
If a service user has voluntarily left the vehicle and the driver or PA consider that there is an immediate risk to their safety they should call 999 immediately
Drivers and PA’s must be aware of any special requirements of the service user which will be specified within the journey information
Drivers must advise the Operator, as soon as possible, of any non-pick-ups - this will enable NNC to investigate with the individual concerned to ensure that there are no problems

In an emergency, NNC home to school transport can be contacted on 01536 805 122.

Responsibilities of the driver and PA

The following are the responsibilities of the driver. Many of these responsibilities are also relevant to the PA. For the purposes of this section, drivers and PA’s are referred to as “staff”:

Staff are familiar with the timetable and route of their journey. These details must be kept secure and confidential.
Drivers hold a valid, full UK driving licence and have undertaken relevant training and qualifications for the type of vehicle being driven.
NNC policy is that there is a minimum of a 3 minute waiting time at each pick up address. This waiting time starts from the contracted pick up time or the time of arrival, whichever is later. If the vehicle arrives earlier than the contracted pick up time, the waiting period does not start until the contacted pick up time. The vehicle should not depart from the pick up address until either the child is on-board or the waiting time has expired.
All the passengers must wear seat belts, or specified restraints, at all times. NNC understand that private hire drivers are exempt under UK law from wearing seat belts. However, to reassure parents and passengers, NNC require drivers to wear their seat belts.
The scheduled route must not be deviated from unless in an emergency.
Staff must be able to communicate with passengers in English.
If communication is a problem, because of language difficulties, staff should inform the Operator who can discuss this further with NNC.
When communicating with passengers, staff must ensure that this is appropriate. There must be no use of inappropriate language. Only use the passenger’s preferred name.
Staff are clean and smartly dressed and display a current identity badge.
Staff do not smoke, eat or drink whilst on journeys. They must not smoke - including e-cigarettes - in front of passengers at any time including in the vehicle, on school premises or outside of the school premises.
Staff are courteous to passengers, are aware of the needs of the passengers and ensure all are treated fairly and respectfully.
Staff are contactable during the hours of operation, having regard for the law governing the safe use of mobile communication equipment whilst driving. Drivers must never use a mobile device whilst in control of the vehicle. The current laws and regulations regarding use of mobile devices are extensive and change from time to time. Staff have a responsibility to make sure they understand current laws and abide by them.
Staff must report any significant incidents concerning passengers to the Operator, as soon as they arise. Afterwards they must complete a written report of any incident required by NNC. This includes any pick-ups that have not taken place. Further examples of these might include passengers behaviour, passenger welfare concerns, accidents and near misses.
Staff must not be related to any of the passengers.
When the vehicle is parked or waiting it does not cause obstruction to the public and other vehicles.
The driver must ensure that the engine of the vehicle is switched off until it is ready for departure.
Staff must be aware of safeguarding and report any concerns to the operator, NNC and the school immediately.
No passengers must be allowed to sit in the front of the vehicle unless capacity of the vehicle is to its maximum and that this has been agreed by NNC and that the parent’s agreement has been obtained.
Staff must not maintain any contact with any passengers outside of the Contract or ask for any personal contact details. Even if a parent gives permission, no personal contact details of any child can be held by a driver or PA.
Staff must never make contact with any service user on social media. Any “friend” requests must be declined. No friend requests can be made by the driver.
Staff must ensure that all passengers being carried are authorised by the Client only. No other people may be carried.
If staff thinks a passenger is unfit to travel, e.g. if the emotional, behavioural or physical condition makes it unsafe for them to travel, they have a right to refuse travel. However, they must tell the Operator immediately who can get further advice from NNC.
Where needed, staff must ensure that the passenger is handed over to the assigned contact at the pick up or destination point.
Where included in the individual journey requirements, staff must text the relevant contact number on arrival at the pick-up or drop off points.
When required, staff will attend training courses provided by NNC.
Staff must ensure that any of their personal property, including medication, is locked away and cannot be accessed by the passengers.
Staff must not engage in any activity that they know will put the service user at risk of harm. It is not possible to list all of the activities that any person should avoid when dealing with children. NNC, therefore, expects staff to also use good sense and avoid any activity that they know to be wrong, dangerous or illegal.
If in any doubt about what to do in any situation, staff should ask for guidance from either the Operator or the council.

Responsibilities of the Passenger Assistant

The role of the Passenger Assistant includes:

Act as a point of contact between school and parents
Assisting passengers to get on and off the vehicle
Assisting drivers with the securing of wheelchairs and baggage before a journey begins
Support passengers throughout the journey
Communicate effectively with passengers and be able to identify when passengers are in distress
Interact safely and appropriately with them on an individual basis
Accompanying passengers after their journey, where necessary
Manage behaviours
Comply with on-site instructions from the school
To act in accordance with Health and Safety Legislation and any policies put in place by the school or operator
Keeping the vehicle tidy between journeys
Ensure you follow good safeguarding practice to keep yourself and the passengers safe

During the journey:

Communicate effectively with the passengers and be able to identify when they are in distress and how to interact safely and appropriately with them on an individual basis
Address behaviour issues on transport effectively and appropriately
Speak to parents and schools to find out how to deal with issues that arise on transport
Assist passengers onto and off transport
Ensure that passengers are seated, and seat belt fastened prior to the vehicle moving
Interact appropriately with the passengers throughout the journey to make sure that they are occupied - the PA is key to ensuring that the passenger has a good start and end to the school day
Be seated in the passenger area of the vehicle - never sit in the front passenger seat when service users are on board
Passengers are not to be left on the vehicle alone at any time during the journey - this includes when picking up other passengers
Remember, unless otherwise agreed, do not go to the front door of the pick up address - parents are expected to bring the children to the vehicle - the standard service to be provided is “kerb to kerb” not “door to door”
In exceptional circumstances we may agree to a variation of service requirements - this will have been agreed before any contract starts
Any information passed to you from parents should be passed onto the school
Keep parents up to date with any changes to transport arrangements - especially in an emergency
Ensure safe handover of pupil to school or parent

After the journey:

Report any incidents to the school, parent and operator
Check for lost property

What to do in the event of an accident or emergency

Our priority is the safety of any passengers as well as the driver and PA.

Perform a “dynamic risk assessment”. This is an immediate assessment of the risks to the passengers, driver, PA and other road users:

Pull over to the safest place you can and switch on hazard lights
Call 999 if:
1. There has been any sort of collision with another road user.
2. Any person needs medical attention.
3. The vehicle is causing an obstruction.
4. Any other situation that would reasonably need emergency services assistance.
Tell emergency services that vulnerable children are on board
Make sure passenger(s) and staff are at no further risk
If it is not safe for passengers to remain in the vehicle they need to be removed from the vehicle - only do this on the nearside of the road and remove them to a safe place as far away from other traffic as possible
In the event of a breakdown advise your operator who will ask the School Transport Team for assistance if needed
Do not attempt even simple repairs, wait for help to ensure the safety of yourself and all other passengers

In Hazardous Weather

Do not continue to operate the route if bad weather is making it too dangerous to continue - your operator will be involved in making this decision so always refer to them
In the event of hazardous weather, follow emergency procedures and summon help - seek guidance from the operator or NNC

Do not proceed with transport if you feel the weather conditions mean the risk is too great.

Disclosure and Barring Service

NNC has a responsibility, under UK law, to protect the safety of any child or vulnerable adult in it’s care. Therefore, NNC is entitled to have sight of (and record) relevant and necessary information in line with current GDPR and DBS regulations. It is the operator’s responsibility to carry out DBS checks on their drivers and PA’s in accordance with NNC requirements below:

All staff must have a valid enhanced disclosure and barred list (DBS) check undertaken - this check must be a Child and Adult Workforce category
If a DBS check shows criminal convictions or a list barring the operator must refer this to NNC for further guidance. Until authorised by NNC no driver or PA can work on an NNC contract
NNC refers to the guidelines and policies of the Institute of Licensing when reviewing any convictions
All DBS checks must not be older than 3 years unless the driver or PA has subscribed to the DBS update service
NNC will require sight of the original DBS certificate and will record, for audit purposes, the certificate number and issue date of the DBS certificate - NNC will also check that the driver or PA has no convictions which would mean they cannot work with children or vulnerable adults
NNC may require written authorisation from the driver or PA if it feels that further investigation into convictions are required and may need to retain and record further detailed information
Where the Operator has recently employed a driver or PA who has a valid DBS check which is less than 3 years old, the Operator must seek permission from NNC to be able to deploy that individual on a contract whilst they arrange their own check - this is known as a “grace” period and lasts for a maximum of 6 weeks

More information regarding the DBS service can be found here: Disclosure and Barring Service - GOV.UK

Safeguarding

NNC requires all drivers and PA’s to undertake mandatory online safeguarding training through Spectrum Courses.

NNC is committed to promoting the safety of all of its service users. This is also the responsibility of all operators, drivers and passenger assistants. Staff should follow these guidelines:

Remain calm in any situation - do not shout or become aggressive even if the passenger is being aggressive themselves
Remember - some passengers have learning needs and may display aggression because they are frightened or anxious - NNC and operators will usually know if this is likely to happen at the start of the contract
Listen and note down anything which could indicate abuse - report it at the earliest opportunity
Never promise to keep a secret
Never offer to “fix” a problem
Always take what the service user says seriously
If the service user tells you something important say that you will have to report it and contact the operator for further guidance
Never ask leading questions or give service users responses to choose from - this could hinder any subsequent investigation
Seek advice via your Operator, even if you are unsure - other people may have the full picture
Be aware of how your actions may look. If you are in any doubt about how your actions may appear to others, don’t do it
Never cover up your actions - seek advice if you feel that something that you have done or said could be misunderstood as inappropriate
If you think there is an immediate risk to a service user’s safety you should call 999 and ask for the police - then contact the operator and provide them with a full report

Remember: There is a legal obligation on any adult (who is responsible for the care of a child or vulnerable person) to report anything that may cause them harm or is placing them at risk.

Service user protection

SEND needs

It must be understood by all staff that many of the children that are transported will live with SEND. Below is an example list of some of the ways in which a child’s SEND needs can affect their travel experience. A child may:

become suddenly upset during a journey - this is known as dysregulation
not be able to easily communicate their immediate needs, for example if they are frightened or in pain
be non-verbal - this means they cannot speak but may communicate in a different way
display aggression or use aggressive or “bad” language
try to get out of their seat or restraint
try to remove their clothes

It is the staff’s responsibility to look after a child in their care in an appropriate manner. If a child displays behaviour that either poses a danger or is causing any concern the staff should make contact with the operator or NNC for further guidance.

Staff must familiarise themselves with the child needs, which will have been provided to the operator at the start of the contract, as well as any travel plan or travel passport that has been provided by the parents and carers (or sometimes the school).

Abuse

From time-to-time service users need protection from those who are supposed to care for them. If a service user tells you that somebody has done something to them or you have any reason to believe that something has happened then you are legally obliged to report it. It is always better to be safe than sorry. NNC can only take action if it knows that abuse has taken place.

Type of abuse with examples:

Physical - slapping, shaking, pushing, kicking
Sexual - forcing or coercing a child or vulnerable adult to engage in any sexual activity
Emotional - threats, bullying, intimidation, verbal abuse
Neglect - ignoring care needs, withholding food and drink or living aids
Financial - denying access to their money
Discriminatory - remarks or actions about their age, race, sex, disability or religion
Domestic - violence within the home
Professional - misuse of power by professionals
Institutional - failure of an organisation to provide care

This list is not exhaustive - there are many forms of abuse.

Staff must also be aware of both violent and non-violent extremism which can be linked to terrorism. Any concerns of this nature must be reported immediately to the operator, NNC and the school.

Any information can be reported to NNC at [email protected].

Do’s and Don’ts - all staff

The following is a list of do’s and don’ts that we expect staff to adhere to. No list can be exhaustive and we expect staff to adopt a common sense approach. Just because something is not on these lists doesn’t mean is should or shouldn’t be done.

Do’s

Always follow a child’s travel plan or travel passport if one has been provided.
Do dress appropriately - remember you are working with children.
Do cover up any tattoos that may cause offence or fear
Do keep to the agreed timetable and route
Do call the service users by their preferred names and not by overly familiar words. If you are in any doubt as to how to pronounce a child’s name, politely ask the parent or carer. Do record and report all incidents without delay.
Do report any concerns about a service user’s behaviour.
Do promptly record and report any concerns if any of your service users show any signs of abuse (see “Service user protection”)

Don’ts

Don’t change the route unless it is genuinely unavoidable.
Never deviate from the route if asked to do so by a service user.
Never engage in conversations of an intimate nature. NNC encourage appropriate conversations with the passengers as this can help develop trust and helps provide a calm atmosphere but make sure any conversation is appropriate.
Don’t use any mobile device, in any way, whilst in control of the vehicle. Familiarise yourself with current laws and regulations and abide by them.
Don’t use foul language.
Never wear any item of clothing that contains offensive or frightening material.
Don’t make unnecessary physical contact.
Don’t make threats of any kind - even in a joking manner. SEND children sometimes cannot understand the difference between a joke and a real threat.
Don’t exchange personal telephone numbers with service users, even if a parent has given permission. If you exchange your phone number with a parent or carer this should only be for professional reasons e.g. so that they can contact you in the event that the service user will not need picking up on a particular day.
Don’t phone or text service users.
Never take pictures or videos of service users or show them videos, texts or pictures from any device.
Don’t enter into any contact via social media e.g. Facebook, Instagram etc.
Never offer money, sweets or other gifts
Never accept gifts of any nature from a service user
Don’t smoke or vape (either inside or outside of the vehicle)
Don’t make any unscheduled stops unless in an emergency.

Disciplinary action

It is acknowledged that drivers and PA’s who work on NNC Home to School transport contracts are not directly employed by NNC. However, NNC will use a formal process to investigate any alleged breach of these terms and conditions and take any appropriate action.

If NNC are advised of any alleged breach of this code of conduct the following process will be undertaken:

NNC will receive information regarding an alleged breach of this code of conduct or will have obtained its own information as a result of a monitoring visit or operator audit
The driver or PA may be suspended from Home to School contract duties, whilst the matter is investigated - this is to protect the children on the transport from any immediate risk and is not an indication that NNC has pre-determined the outcome of the investigative process - this suspension also protects the driver or PA from further allegations
Any and all available information will be collated by NNC - this information could be received from:
- Children on the transport
- Parents
- Schools
- Operators
- Social services
- Members of the public
- NNC licensing authority
- Police
- From an NNC school monitoring visit
NNC will request a written statement from both the Operator and the driver or PA concerned
NNC will review all of the information that it has received - following this review a decision will be made regarding what action is to be taken - actions could be:
- No further action - allegation is found to be untrue, could not be proven or there is a lack of information
- Operator is instructed to move Driver or PA to a different contract, if this is possible
- Driver or PA is suspended from Home to School contract duties for a specified period of time
- Driver or PA is permanently removed from the authorised list of Home to School contract drivers or PA’s - this will mean they are no longer authorised to work on any NNC home to school contract with any operator

Any driver who is suspended from duties or is removed from the authorised list may continue to carry out general private hire work. However, under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to report the driver to NNC’s licensing authority who are separate to the Home to School team and will make decisions regarding a driver’s license after their own investigation.

The following example offences (where proven) would mean the immediate removal from the authorised list:

Speeding - It is now very common for parents to track their children, using their mobile devices - whilst it is acknowledged that mobile applications (such as Life 360) are not 100% accurate, where the difference in the reported speed and the road speed limit is sufficiently large we may use this application data as part of our investigation - this could also mean we ask for tracking information from the operator’s own system
Use of a mobile device whilst operating the vehicle
Using inappropriate language either to or in front of a child passenger
Displaying physical or verbal aggression to a child passenger

It should be understood and acknowledged by operators, drivers and PA’s that service users may use their mobile devices to record what is happening during a journey. NNC does not authorise the use of mobile devices for recording purposes but accept that in day to day circumstances this may happen and is difficult to completely prevent.

Occasionally, parents will provide us with video evidence of an alleged issue or occurrence. NNC will review any information sent to us as part of our investigative process and decide if this information is relevant and proportionate and should be used in our decision making process.

Appeals

A driver or PA may appeal a decision made by our Transport Inspectors. Any appeal must be made, in writing, by emailing: [email protected].

Appeals must be made within 7 working days of the original decision.

The decision will be reviewed by the Compliance Team Leader or Transport Delivery Manager. More information may be requested from the driver or PA.

Any decision after an appeal is final.

LADO referrals

On rare occasions, it may be necessary for NNC to refer a driver or PA to LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer).

LADO are responsible for investigating an individual whose conduct or behaviour has caused a serious safeguarding concern. The LADO officers will look at the information that has been obtained and will make a decision if any further action is necessary.

In the most serious of cases, this could mean that a report is made to the Police for further investigation.

Last updated 14 May 2026

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Post-16 (year 12 and above) travel assistance

Applying for school travel assistance

Contents

Home to school transport policies and codes of conduct

Home to school transport and travel assistance policy - Academic year 2025 to 2026

1.0 Home to school transport and travel assistance

1.1 Who is entitled to free transport and travel assistance

1.2 Faith schools and single sex schools

1.3 Definitions (jargon buster)

1.4 Extended rights for those on low income

1.5 Inaccurate applications

1.6 Transport and travel arrangements for non-entitled pupils and students of statutory school age (Discretionary transport or fare paying pupils)

2.0 Travel arrangements for pupils with SEN or a disability

2.1 Transport can be an important factor in the support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

2.2 General points for SEN travel

2.3 Home collection and drop off

2.4 Short break service and respite care

2.5 Transport of children and young people with medical needs

2.6 Exceptional circumstances

3.0 What travel assistance will be provided

3.1 Travel options

3.2 Length of journey

3.3 Passenger assistants

3.4 Transport to and from residential schools

4.0 Applying for transport assistance (all students)

4.1 How do I apply for transport assistance

4.2 When should I apply

4.5 Change of school

5.0 Quality standards and responsibilities

5.1 Safety

5.2 Pupil behaviour and parental responsibilities

5.3 Bus passes

5.4 Lost or stolen bus pass

6.0 Appeals and complaints

6.1 Complaints

6.2 An appeal

Appendices

Appendix A1

Appendix A2

Appendix A3

Useful contacts

Home to school transport and travel assistance policy - Academic year 2026 to 2027

1.0 Home to school transport and travel assistance

1.1 Definitions (jargon buster)

1.2 Who is entitled to free transport and travel assistance

1.3 Identifying the nearest school

1.4 Faith schools and single sex schools

1.5 Extended rights for those on low income

1.6 Inaccurate applications

1.7 Transport and travel arrangements for non-entitled pupils and students of statutory school age (discretionary transport or fare paying pupils)

2.0 Travel arrangements for pupils with SEN or a disability

2.2 General points for SEN travel

2.3 Home collection and drop off

2.4 Short break service and respite care

2.5 Transport of children and young people with medical needs

2.6 Exceptional circumstances

3.0 What travel assistance will be provided

3.1 Travel options

3.2 Length of journey

3.3 Passenger assistants

3.4 Transport to and from residential schools

4.0 Applying for transport assistance (all students)

4.1 How do I apply for transport assistance

4.2 When should I apply

4.3 How often will I need to reapply

4.4 Change of address

4.5 Change of school

4.6 Delayed applications

5.0 Quality standards and responsibilities

5.1 Safety

5.2 Pupil Behaviour and parental responsibilities

5.3 Bus passes

5.4 Lost or stolen bus pass

6.0 Appeals and complaints

The appeals process

Stage 1 Appeal - Review of decision

Stage 2 Appeal

Local Government Ombudsman

Appendices

Appendix A1

Appendix A2