The Education Act 1944 as amended by the Education Acts 1986 and 1996 and the Education Reform Act 1988 sets out the minimum provision for home to school transport which local authorities must provide.
Transport will be provided free of charge for those pupils of primary and secondary age who are travelling over the statutory walking distance to/from the main entrance of their nearest suitable school. The statutory walking distances are:
- 2 miles up to the age of 11 years (primary pupils)
- 3 miles from the age of 11-16 years (secondary pupils)
The Education and Inspections Act 2006 also extends Local Authority duties and powers by extending entitlement to those from low income families, this is called ‘Extended rights’. These rights extend free transport to those who are entitled to free school meals and those whose parents are in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit and include transport to:
- Three nearest schools between 2 and 6 miles from their home
Click here to view the current policy document and to access an application form.
Eligibility and Appeals
The majority of pupils with SEND will not require assistance because they will be attending their local mainstream school. Usually assistance will only be given to pupils with a statement of SEN or a single Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) and will be a result of advice and information gathered during the statutory assessment process.
The Local Authority considers pupils needs on an individual basis and will consult with all relevant parties before arriving at a final decision. When deciding if a pupil will be given assistance, the following will be taken into account:
- The age of the pupil
- Whether a walking route is appropriate
- The nature and severity of the pupil’s SEND
- Whether suitable public transport is available
- Whether the pupil would be a danger to drivers and other passengers if public transport were used
- Whether there are any prohibitive personal/family circumstances which impact on the pupils ability to attend school
- The most cost effective mode of transport for journeys to placements outside of Hartlepool
- Any other individual circumstances
For further information, contact the Special Education Needs Team or click here
Post 16
Local Authorities have a duty to prepare and publish an annual transport policy statement specifying the arrangements for the provision of transport for those accessing post 16 Education. The Policy provides details of the support options, transport providers across the region and ticketing options.
