Help with Free School Transport

Cinta1981

Hi all, i hope to get some advice on how to challenge a decision from Lincolnshire County Council refusal to grant free transport for my son.

When we moved to the area last year my daughter was Allocated a place in school by the council as we moved mid term. She was granted free transport, I can’t remember though on what basis. My son is due to start school now & naturally when I filled out the application I put the same school as his sister as my first choice & other schools as well. He was accepted at his sisters school. The school is 6 miles away from our home & my daughter is 8 & son is 4 turning 5 in December.

I applied for the free transport & it was declined, according to the letter it was because your chosen school is neither the designated or nearest for your address.

So I’m now confused as when I read the transport policy it only mentions Designated Transport Area & looking at the map the school is shaded in on the map. My daughter will still get free transport as I didn’t pick the school, my son won’t, but we live 6 miles away.

I leave for work at 7am & the school club doesn’t open until 7.30, my mother comes round at 7am to get kids ready etc but she doesn’t drive, I honestly don’t know what to do now besides try & change his school to walking distance for my mum. Someone at work said that according to the law the LA must provide transport if the school is more than 2 miles away & does not mention anything about not being eligible where you’ve picked a particular school.

I have applied for concessionary transport but there are no spaces available, there is no school bus in the area & the public bus doesn’t go past the school 😢

calcotti

The policy documents are here https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-and-college-transport/free-school-transport/126363.article

If the decision is in accordance with the policy (which i assume complies with the law) then I don't see on what grounds you can challenge it.

If it doesn't comply with the policy then that is what you would highlight to them.

At the bottom of the webpage it tells you how to challenge a decision. It does refer to personal circumstances can be taken into account. Perhaps you need to highlight that your choice of school is not an arbitrary choice but is because your daughter already attends that school (as allocated by the council).

xylophone

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-and-college-transport/free-school-transport/126363.article


If not eligible for free transport, can he travel on the same bus as his sister?

Are you able to afford the fares?

If not, have you tried your local councillor for help?

If he had not been offered a place at his sister's school, would you have been allocated the school nearest to your address?

You would have been content to have the children at different schools?

Mrsn

Unfortunately it is correct that if there is a a school closer to home or indeed your catchment school and you don’t apply for it then it affects the ability to receive help for school transportation.... I didn’t find this out until the appeal stage last year! It’s unbelievably wrong but not illegal

[Deleted User]

I would have thought that as your youngest is four, you don't have to pay for transport immediately? That will give you a bit of time to get both children in the same school. Hopefully your area will have child fare passes if you can't arrange a school transfer.

I would ask again about school places in local schools. Unfortunately that is more difficult this time of year, so you may have to pay for transport for your younger child eventually.

If you can find a way to get your younger child into a local school, it might help get your son in there as well, but I realise this might create impossible logistic difficulties.

[Deleted User]

It's the right decision. It needs to be the nearest school for your child's needs. One that you choose yourself or were allocated by the council. As you've chosen to send him to the same school as your daughter and not a local school he's not eligible when your daughter is.

paddedjohn

Find a school closer to home for both of them.