School transport post 16

Dunroamin

Do you realise that you can still claim CB/CTC for her as she's in education?

anj_S

Yes thanks the cb/ctc continuing will obviously help but its still nearly £1000 more than we have to find this year.

Also my main worry is that a spare seat wont be available. As the minibus is full at the minute and my dd is the only one in year 11, the others are younger. One of the other children has a sibling starting high school next sept, so effectively he will get the seat my dd vacates. So unless anyone moves out of the village.. Or if anyone moves in and they have to upsize the minibus then i fear a spare seat wont even be available

maman

Are you sure the grandmother is interpreting this correctly? Surely the catchment school is for where her grandchild actually lives not her?

I'm surprised that anyone has to pay to go to their own catchment area school. Unless there's been a change in the law I thought it was free to your catchment school if it's more than 3 miles away (2 for the youngest pupils).

Sorry, it doesn't help you with a 16 year old though. There was a lot of publicity here when the IOW ferry increased prices for 16 year olds after they had places in mainland colleges. They backed down for a year (so those particular students had finished their courses). It's hard to mount a campaign for one child though. At least you'll save a bit on uniform costs. Any chance your DD gets a part time job?

thegirlintheattic

I wouldn't suggest a moped. I live and work in a similar area and the roads are not safe for anyone on two wheels.

Have you spoken to the school? I teach at a rural school and we provide grants for rural students who cannot afford to get taxis or school bus to school. We also try to match students to other students, parents or teachers who could give them a lift.

The only other thing would be for her to go with you at 7:20. Our school opens at 7:30 (without supervision) so if your school is the same, your DD could get in early and do some work.

Alias_Omega

Dumbe wrote: »

Wow you would allow a sixteen year old to drive a scooter? Personally wouldn't in a rural area as the damage caused by a driver doing 60mph round a bend would not be worth contemplating.

Yup,

At 16, i had a 50cc motorbike. I only passed my car test when i was 20. I had a full bike license at 18.

I would ride sun/rain/snow/sleet.

HappyMJ

If a moped is too much then what's wrong with a bog standard bicycle? 5 miles isn't that far...it should only take 30 minutes at average speed. Or if a bicycle isn't right then how about walking...that should take about 90 minutes.

Once someone is in the market for a job they are expected to travel up to 90 minutes each way for work and walking is one option. If a job is offered and it's less than 5 miles away it cannot be turned down due to lack of public transport links as it can be walked in 90 minutes.

Counting_Pennies_2

Anj_s wrote: »

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

All our local children get the buses to their secondary schools at 7:30am.

I don't see why you can't drop her off on the way to your work, secondary schools are open early, you could drop her off at a location that would leave her with a 20 min walk, then she could arrive at school and eat a packed breakfast, and do some revision/homework.

I used to be in school at 8am when I went to school and got on with work in the peace and quiet of the school.

sunnyone

paddedjohn wrote: »

what about getting a moped?

My son has a moped for getting to college and he is nearly 16 and a half and he loves having a bit of freedom.

sunnyone

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Get her a moped/scooter, she will be 16 so able to ride one under the CBT rules.

Scooter - £500~
Helmet - £50-100
Padded Jacket - £50
Insurance (Third Part Fire & Theft) - £100
Big Lock - £30-40

An ideal investment, and will provide your child with mobility, taking the strain off mum & dad's taxi..

You are way off with your costs, especially the insurance and the cost of decent safety gear, as above my lad is 16 and his insurance for thrid party plus which is daft when the bike cost nearly the same.

sunnyone

ash28 wrote: »

We are rural and there is no way I would let someone of 16 have a moped on the roads around here.

The roads are virtually all national speed limit once you are outside of a village and drivers can be quite reckless and impatient - we wondered why our insurance went up when moved from a large urban area and having been here a year now I can understand why - there are loads of accidents - most of them not serious but accidents none the less.

We are rural and we bought our lad a scooter for his 16th, we have to give our kids wings.

Will you say no to a car when they are 17 because you are rural?

You learn a lot from your year on a scooter and it makes you a better driver though only if you are are of a decent temprament and not a boy racer type.