School transport post 16

POPPYOSCAR

McKneff wrote: »

Another option, you could move house......

And by the time they have sold up and moved the daughter would probably have left school!!!

onlyroz

If she isn't able to get to school on time via public transport, then she wouldn't be able to get to a job either.

cutestkids

Is there anyone else of her age that this will affect near you.

If so you could perhaps get together with their parents and see if you can work out taking turns for taking to and from school.

JC9297

**Patty** wrote: »

Yes, that's right. Post 16 you have to either make your own way or pay.

I have a child in a Special School (where it's normal practice for them to stay until 18) and i have already been informed i will have to pay for transport Post 16.

This must be up to the LA as we did not have to pay here.

peaceandfreedom

Anj_s wrote: »

I've been told that we can apply for a spare seat on the minibus. However that will cost £972 a year and also it's unlikely that there will be a spare seat.

Any advice as to what we can do?

We are in a similar position with the same rural roads. The school bus is a large coach and the cost is lower (about £400 per annum). However, we car-share. Luckily, there are usually at least 3 or 4 families who want to share which means we only have to do 2 or 3 trips to school each every week. This is easy enough as most of us work from home or have flexible hours.

If you are not able to do this, is there anyone who works in the same town/village as the school who might be prepared to do some of the driving? Do you know anyone who works at the school?

I agree about the moped - no way would I let a child of mine onto a moped around here, the roads are too narrow and dangerous. I don't even like the thought of them driving a car but as we are so rural, most 17 year olds get a car as soon as they can, if they (or their parents) can afford it. Public transport is virtually non-existent.

**Patty**

JC9297 wrote: »

This must be up to the LA as we did not have to pay here.

Staffordshire.

Apparently it's education budget is one of the lowest funded in the UK (so I'm told)

mandragora_2

**Patty** wrote: »

Staffordshire.

Apparently it's education budget is one of the lowest funded in the UK (so I'm told)

If you really feel that your child is missing out, perhaps you could look at what's going on in your area to challenge it. You could look at the f40 website, which is the campaigning group for fair funding in education. I see Staffs is a member authority. Devon ran a petition last year, and involved parents, which got some attention.


http://www.f40.org.uk/members

**Patty**

mandragora wrote: »

If you really feel that your child is missing out, perhaps you could look at what's going on in your area to challenge it. You could look at the f40 website, which is the campaigning group for fair funding in education. I see Staffs is a member authority. Devon ran a petition last year, and involved parents, which got some attention.


http://www.f40.org.uk/members

Thank you.

I am sure i have managed to communicate my feelings adequately to County Transport though :rotfl:

Fire_Fox

Anj_s wrote: »

My daughter currently gets free transport to school as we live in a rural area. She attends our nearest school but it is still 5 miles on narrow lanes, no footpath etc. the current arrangement is the county council contract a local minibus that picks up in our village and takes them to school.

Next year she will be 16 and wants to go to sixth form. She will also be in the first year of kids that are affected by the increase in school leaving age.

I've been told that she will no longer be entitled to this transport. Ye by law she still needs to be in education?

Looking at the options they are very limited. The public transport bus that runs through the village is infrequent and the first bus is not Til 9.30 so not useful for school.

I've been told that we can apply for a spare seat on the minibus. However that will cost £972 a year and also it's unlikely that there will be a spare seat.

Any advice as to what we can do?

You have misunderstood the new rules. There was a thread on a similar topic a few days ago, and transport was briefly discussed within that - did you run an advanced search?


"In 2008, a new law was passed that makes important changes for all young people in England. The new law is called the Education and Skills Act 2008. It says that by 2013, all young people in England have to stay on in education or training at least part-time until they are 17 years old. By 2015, all young people will have to stay on in education or training at least part-time, until they are 18 years old.

This means that young people are required to participate in education or training through either:
full-time education or training, including school, college and home education;
work-based learning, such as an Apprenticeship, or
part-time education or training or volunteering more than 20 hours a week.

It is important that you feel prepared and informed about this change and that you feel supported in making choices and achieving.

There are many options for you to choose from at 16.

You could stay at school and do your GSCEs and A levels. You could start an apprenticeship and get some experience of work and training. You could improve your skills through taking a course on Foundation Learning. You could gain some practical experience in a subject that interests you by doing a 14-19 diploma."
http://www.skill.org.uk/youth/page.aspx?c=309&p=430


What would your daughter have done if she had got a job outside the village, surely there would have been the same issue? Can you drive her to or could she walk across country to another bus route? Could she organise a lift/ car share with another parent or a worker via college and village notice boards and newspapers? Could she take a year out of education, get a part time job, she fund driving lessons and you buy her a cheap car or she gets insured on the family car? Could you move to an area with better transport links? Could she go to a different college that is easier to get to? College classes don't always begin at 9am like school ones do.

anj_S

Counting_Pennies wrote: »

Is there no possibility to drive her there yourself? On the way to work?

If you don't drive is there anyone who can.

I am not trying to sound rude, but surely when you opted to live so far out of a town you worked out transport issues at that point?

I have to leave the village at 0720 to go to work and as a nurse working from home isnt an option.

When we first moved here, there was a small primary school in the village and then free transport to the high school. So it was never an issue.


There is no way on earth i would let her get a moped, on these lanes, like, another poster said these too are all national speed limit roads.

I have spoken to the council and its them who gave me the seat info. Prior to 2012 post 16 transport was free but this year they have changed it. So although my daughter would always have stayed on in education transport wouldnt have been an issur before now.

Unfortunately there isnt any other 16 year olds in the village so other parents can still use minibus. I will ask ariund though it there is anyone who travels to work that way and would be interested, thats a good idea.

To add more flame to the fire i discovered this over the weekend.

A neighbour has enquired about a spare seat on the minibus that goes to primary school for her grand-daughter who she looks after in the mornings. She gave me this info from the council

Where applications have been submitted in good time, we will aim to allocate Spare Seats by the start of term. Seats are offered on the basis that they can be withdrawn during the academic year if needed by eligible pupils.

Spare Seat charges are reviewed annually, but the charges for the 2012/2013 academic year are:

£265 per annum – If your child is under 16 and attending the local (catchment) school.

£390 per annum – If your child is under 16 and attending an alternative school.

£972 per annum – If your child is 16 or over and attending Sixth form.

So basically her grand-daughter who actually lives down the road from the primary school, but comes to grandma in the mornings can get a spare seat for £265.

But my daughter, from her own home to her catchment school which is also the closest school by some distance, has to pay £972?.?????

Also if i read correctly if she does get a spare seat then it can be withdrawn at any time?