Home to school transport
Special Educational Needs summary
Home to school Transport explained for Pupils with Special Educational Needs aged 11 - 16
Could you be entitled to free transport assistance to school?
Section 1
It is your responsibility to ensure your child attends school although there are circumstances where we have a duty to assist you. The circumstances where this is applicable are outlined in the full home to school transport policy which is published in the admissions booklet and is also available at: Home to School Transport.
This information is a summary of the key criteria for assessing eligibility and is intended for guidance purposes only to help you determine whether to make an application for transport assistance. If you think you might be eligible and your child is due to transfer to secondary school next September you will receive an application form from your child’s primary school sometime shortly following your admissions allocation letter and this form is to assess eligibility for a bus pass. If you feel your child requires more specialist transport please contact the Access Team and request a preliminary application for pupils with a statement of special educational needs. This application form is available to download at Home to School Transport.
Section 2
Are you entitled to transport assistance on the grounds of low income Eligibility?
- Are you entitled to receive free school meals for your child?
- Do you receive the maximum level of working tax credit? ie. Part 2 of your working tax credit element on your tax credit award notice does not show any reduction due to your income.
If you have answered no to either of the above see section 3. If you have answered yes continue reading.
- Are you a resident of Calderdale?
- Do you think the distance to your child’s school is over 2 miles but less than 6 from your home?
- Is the school one of the 3 nearest schools to your home address?
If you answered yes to all three questions then you may be eligible for transport assistance and should complete an application form so we can assess it for you.
Section 3
So you’re not on low income but are you still eligible?
- Is your child attending the nearest school to your home address which is over 3 miles?
- Is your child at a school that is not the nearest to your home but has been named in your child’s statement as the nearest school that can meet your child’s special educational needs?
Please note: Consideration will be given to providing transport assistance where the distance is less than 3 miles subject to an assessment of need. If you choose to send your child to a school which is not the nearest you will not qualify unless you meet the low income criteria.
If you can answer yes to all the questions in section 2 or meet the criteria detailed in section 3 you may be eligible for transport assistance and should complete an application form so we can assess this information.
Section 4
How will transport be provided?
Transport is provided in the least restrictive way and is reviewed on a regular basis.
Transport assistance may be provided in the following ways:
- Independent travel training;
- a bus pass;
- a walking travel escort;
- an escort to accompany on public transport;
- transport from a pick up point (taxi or specialist transport);
- home to school transport (taxi or specialist transport).
For more information
- Email:
- info@calderdale.gov.uk
- Telephone:
- 01422 392749
- Address:
- Access Team
Children and Young People's Services
Northgate House
Halifax HX1 1UN.
