The starting point for the policy of home to school transport is that parents/carers have the responsibility of making the necessary arrangements to get their children to school if they live within the statutory distances.

The LA follows the principle that it is reasonable to expect a parent/carer to make arrangements for a pupil to attend school and that a Statement does not give an automatic right to free home to school transport.

Entitlement

If the distance criterion applies there is an automatic right to free home to school transport unless the child is attending the parents/carers preferred school and there is a nearer school which is thought as suitable by the Local Authority.

It should be noted that to enable journey times to be kept to a minimum pupils who are not physically disabled will be required to walk, with parents/carers, to a pick up point to access the free transport. No pupil will be expected to walk an unreasonable distance from home

Distance Criteria:

· For pupils under the age of 8 they must live more than 2 miles walking distance from the school

· For pupils 8 or over they must live more than 3 miles walking distance from the school

If these criteria are not met then there is no automatic right to free home/school transport even if the school attended is a Special school. Please read further information on our web page: http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/schools-colleges-and-learning/home-school-transport/home-school-transport-children-special-