Fares for School Difficult to Afford

Spendless

I'd also contact the LA myself to make sure you are being given correct info. Where I live for eg the 'as the crow flies' measurement is used when applying for an out of catchment school place not seeing if you are eligible for a free bus pass which measure the travel route. Also whilst ringing each school to see if they had a place for youngest means you might not be 'in the system' does it really mean you can't be put into the system to qualify for help. Have you looked to see if there's any info on your council's website?

silvercar

Apply through the local authority now for a place at the local school, if you get rejected you can then appeal. It will also aid your application for transport help.

Speak to the education authority directly about help with transport. The LEA will have a school transport department.

Whereas school admission policies can use 'as the crow flies' as part of admission criteria, school transport has to be based on the shortest 'safe walking route'. You can ask your council for a copy of their assessment of the safe walking route from your home to school. ( it may be that they have never done one, in which case it could be cheaper for them to pay your transport costs than do one.)

In my area a group of parents challenged the council on the grounds that the under 2 miles calculation included a long road with no pavement which was unsafe. They won and the council introduced a coach service.

The point of the 2 miles rule is that is the max distance and under 8 year old should be expected to walk, but it has to be safe.

Mojisola

In addition to the advice above, keep a record of who you speak to, what you say and what they say. If you can follow up each phone call with a letter saying "As I understand it, this is what you told me on the phone..."

People will sometimes brush you off on the phone but when the problem is in writing will make more of an effort to find a solution. The record will also show that you have been trying your best to find a way to get him to school. If you have been flagged up with the EWOs, that will help if they start to cause problems.

I would also challenge your GP about a referral. There's no rule that says you have to be in total agony before you get to see a consultant! Inflammation will be affecting your joints. The longer it's left without treatment, the more damage it will be causing.

peachyprice

If what this woman says is true I'd pull him out of school and start again going through the 'proper' channels of the LA.

They can't do anything to stop you home educating until a suitable place comes up, and at least he's still at an easy age to home educate.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Although I wouldn't say 'home educate' as that means they don't have to do a thing because he's off the books from then on...

Savvy_Sue

First, I'd say stop beating yourself up over this: you were expecting some money, it didn't arrive, you need it. Is there any chance of it coming now?

Second, lots of good advice already given, but this is a suggestion for the future: can you find and join your local Credit Union, start saving a very small amount and then (hopefully) you'll have enough to borrow enough for a bus ticket if you need do so in the future.

silvercar

It costs me £100 a month to get him to school (£50 for a montly bus pass for him, same for me as its an Arriva route and they charge adult fares for children before 9am, its the cheapest way to travel). If I buy daily fares, believe it or not, its £4.40 a day x2.

I am of very limited means, and although I tried to spend carefully at Christmas, I didn't receive some money I was expecting and can't buy the monthly bus pass, I have to pay £18x2 for weekly ones. Then I have to pay for monthly bus passes and wait a week for them to arrive (I tried arriva's mobile bus pass but they have a glitch in the software and it disappears during the month, u then have to phone up and hope they will still credit u with the missing time left on the pass). So as far as cash flow is concerned, I pay twice in a sense.

Until you get some help from the council you need to sort out the finances so that you are getting the monthly passes. So when is half term? Mid February at a guess, so count back a month and you want to buy a monthly pass that ends the last day before half term. That may mean money being tight this week, but in the long run it will work out. £50 x 2 a month is about £50 cheaper than getting weeklies. So do this and make sure that they are in your possession by the start date. Then you have a few weeks to get the money together for the pass that needs to start after half term week. Once you have done it once, your cash flow should be better. Its the £18 x2 a week that is such a waste of money.

silvercar

If it helps you are not the only one. My area, Hertfordshire, is cutting back on school transport and withdrawing school buses from September. They are some people who don't know how they will get their children to school never mind pay for it. They chose schools based on the provision of the transport and now it won't be there!

thunderbird

deannatrois wrote: »

None of the other mums live near me/or don't have cars.

What do the families who do live near you but don't have cars do?
If they are taking the bus, couldn't they take your son too or if they are walking he could walk with them. Unless he has some medical problem, there is no reason why he can't walk 2 miles to school, it may seem a long way to start with but he would soon get used to it.

hope you can get something sorted and reduce your stress - as others have said you can always keep your son home till things get sorted, it's no big deal. :-)

Flyboy152

thunderbird wrote: »

What do the families who do live near you but don't have cars do?
If they are taking the bus, couldn't they take your son too or if they are walking he could walk with them. Unless he has some medical problem, there is no reason why he can't walk 2 miles to school, it may seem a long way to start with but he would soon get used to it.

hope you can get something sorted and reduce your stress - as others have said you can always keep your son home till things get sorted, it's no big deal. :-)

He is five, that is good enough reason not to have to walk four miles a day. At a speed of about one mile per hour, you guess how long it would take to get to school and back again.