School travel assistance

Overview

School pupils aged under 19 in full-time education are entitled to free travel on buses operated by Transport for London (TfL).

This is sufficient to meet the travel needs of most pupils.

Where this doesn't meet a pupil's needs and they have been assessed as eligible, we arrange suitable free travel to enable pupils to attend school or college.

The service aims to meet pupils' needs in an efficient, safe and cost-effective way.

Free travel for eligible children does not mean we must arrange the transport if “suitable” transport is already available through a third party (for example, TfL).

Important note about shared service

Where assessed as eligible for assistance and arranged transport is provided, it is important to note that this is a shared service and is not a personal or door-to-door arrangement.

In most cases, pupils are:

  • picked up from a designated pick-up point within half a mile of their home address
  • picked up and dropped off at a designated time which is suitable for the route the driver is taking

Timings may change throughout the school year because of potential route changes.

If a pick-up or drop-off time is not suitable, the parent or carer needs to arrange for somebody to be with their child at the pick-up and/or drop-off times.

Statutory duty for children under 16

We have a statutory duty to provide free home-to-school transport for eligible children aged five to 16. However, this duty changes once a student reaches sixth form age (school years 12, 13, and 14), when there is no longer a statutory entitlement to free travel assistance.

At this stage, any support offered is at our discretion. While assistance may have previously been provided under our statutory duty, this does not mean it will automatically continue when the student reaches sixth form age.

Types of assistance

Travel assistance is based on need, not on preference.

Our approach to providing travel assistance is to promote independence and help children and young people to reach their full potential.

For this reason, we often provide independent travel training (ITT) to pupils seeking school travel assistance. This often enables them to feel confident using free services offered by TfL.

Otherwise, the types of travel assistance we offer to eligible children include:

  • funding for an Oyster Card or travelcard
  • providing a walking attendant or travel buddy
  • reimbursing a mileage allowance
  • personal transport budgets where parents or carers take full responsibility for getting their child to and from school
  • a seat on a suitable vehicle arranged by us from an agreed pick-up point
  • other types of travel assistance deemed appropriate, including consideration of more flexible options or creative solutions

Independent travel training

Travel training gives young people with additional needs the skills to get to and from school or college by public transport.

If you already receive school travel assitstance and believe your child or young person would be suitable for independent travel training, you should contact us.

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