Getting kids to different schools in a morning!!

lil_me

If an SEN child has a statement and the school they attend is specified in the statement they are usually obliged to provide transport. Many travel in my area on a bus/taxi with other children attending the same unit/school. Children who attend a school which is further than a set distance which is the closest school to meet their needs, should also be provided with transport. If you choose to send your child to an alternative school which isn't the closest to meet the childs needs then usually you would have to pay the costs yourself. For example I am currently looking at a special needs school for my son which is not as close as another but I prefer it, if I chose to apply for that school I would be responsible for his transport to and from school.

Each LEA has it's own transport policy and you can contact your LEA and ask about this. See if there is any way they can help. Usually the policy is available online, I don't know which area you are in or I would have had a look for you.

Have you thought of applying for DLA for the child you have with special needs as this could help, if awarded, with things like transport costs etc if you are still having to foot the bill.

Another alternative a friend of mine uses is she pays extra each day for her youngest to start nursery an hour earlier, some do offer this facility.

Zziggi

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Responding to the comments above:

Unfortunately there are no other parents living nearby who have kids at either DDs school or DSs school. DS's school also doesn't have a nursery otherwise i would have her in there already. There's no other nurseries, pre-schools or nursery unit attached to school either nearer.

Whilst DS has his problems flagged up, he doesn't have a SEN statement and consequently his school isn't a "named school" for him.

I've checked the councils policy on-line and it clearly states that in our circumstances they are not legally obliged to provide transport so they don't. However there is a small proviso at the end about highly specific cases when supported by the community medical officer (?!?) MAY result in transport. So i will be chasing that one up next week.

I am also going to have a word with the teacher in charge of the nursery unit at DDs school. She is very nice and will go out of her way to help. She'll probably know more about the LEA and might be able to point me in the right direction over the issue (although really it is DS & his school that is the real issue).

I'm going to chase up the free bus pass for me thing as well (thanks PP) - it's a quid per day saved if nothing else! (well actually £3 as i also have to pick DD up at lunchtime and DS in the afternoon)

I'll chase up the taxi thing about a discount for a regular run and see if there are any organisations that can help and if i have to take this option then I'll have a word with DS's school and ask if i can drop him of at the office rather than wait in the playground because i now have to get DD to school across town in a taxi. Hopefully they will be sympathetic

thanks again.

elaine373

I find this thread extremely interesting as i have just moved to an area where many many schools are oversubscribed. I have a place for my 9 year old daughter at a school near to us.(thats fine, no issues there) the same school has no places at the moment for my next daughter but I have at last, found a school for my 8 year old daughter somewhere else. This is at a school approx 2 1/2 miles away, luckily it starts and ends at a different time to my older daughters school, So i am hoping i can manage this school run. I have just received a letter from our lea offering my 4 year old son , a place in september for a school which i have never heard of, which is 2 miles in the other direction!!.(certainly wasnt on my list of choices) I have refused this place as i definitely cannot manage a third. He is however first on the list where the first daughter goes,so its possible he may get a place by september if some-one drops out. Also he doesnt have to legally be in school until january as he is 5 in december. To the original person, i would have a chat with your local education department at your local council offices.All the best.

Zziggi

elaine373 wrote: »

I find this thread extremely interesting as i have just moved to an area where many many schools are oversubscribed. I have a place for my 9 year old daughter at a school near to us.(thats fine, no issues there) the same school has no places at the moment for my next daughter but I have at last, found a school for my 8 year old daughter somewhere else. This is at a school approx 2 1/2 miles away, luckily it starts and ends at a different time to my older daughters school, So i am hoping i can manage this school run. I have just received a letter from our lea offering my 4 year old son , a place in september for a school which i have never heard of, which is 2 miles in the other direction!!.(certainly wasnt on my list of choices) I have refused this place as i definitely cannot manage a third. He is however first on the list where the first daughter goes,so its possible he may get a place by september if some-one drops out. Also he doesnt have to legally be in school until january as he is 5 in december. To the original person, i would have a chat with your local education department at your local council offices.All the best.

If you are appealing against the school choice for your 4 year old - couldn't the transport issue be part of the arguement?

I know when DD starts in sept. 2008, if she doesn't get a place at DS's school then the transportation issue will be high on my list although at the moment I am looking at transport issues for next week nevermind for sept. 2008!

Spendless

Zzigi, What time would your DD finish if she went to the PM session instead at nursery would it be enough time to get from one school to another that way?

Spendless

Zziggi wrote: »

I know when DD starts in sept. 2008, if she doesn't get a place at DS's school then the transportation issue will be high on my list although at the moment I am looking at transport issues for next week nevermind for sept. 2008!

I thought you meant she'd be starting this Sept 07. I'm guessing that you have taken an early entry place for your daughter. TBH I think if it was causing more problems, financially as well as time, I would give up the early entry place and see if you could sort something out for September this year re transport.

Savvy_Sue

elaine373 wrote: »

I find this thread extremely interesting as i have just moved to an area where many many schools are oversubscribed. I have a place for my 9 year old daughter at a school near to us.(thats fine, no issues there) the same school has no places at the moment for my next daughter but I have at last, found a school for my 8 year old daughter somewhere else. This is at a school approx 2 1/2 miles away, luckily it starts and ends at a different time to my older daughters school, So i am hoping i can manage this school run.

I do not know, but it seems to me possible that you would be entitled to help with transport for DS2, because although this is not the nearest school, it is the nearest school which can offer her a place, and it is over 2 miles away.

Now, the help would not be petrol money for you to drive her, but possibly a free bus pass - which is only any use if there are suitable bus routes and she is sensible enough (in time) to travel alone - or a taxi / minibus, perhaps with other children. And that may cause other problems: depending on when she is picked up and brought home, you may then have difficulties getting your older daughter to and from school.

If you would prefer both daughters at the same school, then asking for transport may encourage the LEA to 'find' her a place with her older sister. Did you go to appeal for that? (Remember your post on the England board, haven't followed any other developments, if you've reported on them!)

D&DD

Hi Zziggi I get LEA transport for DS2.I applied for him to go to the same school as his bro which is about 3 miles away.He has mobility probs but NO statement and we (fortunately) got transport provided without a fight *for a change!!!*Here we got asked for a supporting letter from the GP and that was it HTH and you get it sorted

ailuro2

Paying £6 a day for transport- that's £30 per 5 day week- how much does the nursery attached to the same school charge?

It might be easier to have them both in the same place,depending on the money.

JillD_2

If all else fails, and I know its not ideal, then since DDs nursery place is, as you say, non compulsory, then could you ask them if its ok to drop her off a bit late each day ? I know its not ideal but she would still get a couple of hours there, and she is young enought o not be bothered by arriving later than the others, and even if she was, it would soon become routine to her.

HTH
Jill