Contents

1. Introduction

This policy outlines how Torbay Council will support parents and carers get their children to school and, where support is required, the type of support that will be considered.

The policy also details the circumstances in which the Local Authority will provide transport assistance for children living in Torbay, where it has chosen to exercise its discretion to do so.
More information on the relevant legislation and the statutory guidance to which Local Authorities must have regard (Home to School Travel and Transport Guidance, Department for Education, July 2014) can be found at Home-to-school travel and transport - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The policy explains when Torbay children will be entitled to travel assistance to and from school. The policy applies to all children living in Torbay from the time they start primary school up to the age of 16. This includes children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), whether they attend a mainstream school, a special unit attached to a mainstream school or a special school.

Generally, it is your responsibility to ensure that your children attend school, and this includes making the necessary travel arrangements. The council also has some legal duties to assist children in certain circumstances.

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2. Statutory Eligibility Criteria

2.1 Children of Statutory School Age

The Education & Inspections Act 2006 (Section 508B) requires local authorities to ensure that suitable travel arrangements for “eligible children” in their area are made to facilitate their attendance at “qualifying schools”.

2.2 Eligible Children & Young People

The terms “eligible children” and “qualifying schools” relate to the age of the child, the school which the child attends (including cross border schools) and the distance between the child’s home address and the school measured by the shortest available walking route (which may include rights of way).

The term “parent” relates to any person responsible for the child. Transport eligibility (free provision) is provided to the end of the respective educational year in the following cases:

2.3 Travel Assistance given because of distance from home to school

If your child is attending the closest suitable school and is:

  • Aged 7 or below and lives more than 2 miles away by the shortest safe walking route
  • Aged 8 or above and lives more than 3 miles away by the shortest safe walking route

they will be entitled to free travel assistance, usually in the form of a bus pass.

2.4 Additional assistance given for families on low income

Your child is only entitled to transport assistance if he or she is attending the closest suitable school. The exception to this is where a family is on low income, when a broader rule applies.

If your child is attending the closest suitable school and is

  • Aged between 8 and 11 and lives more than 2 miles from the school
  • Aged 11 or above and attending any of the three closest secondary schools and it is between 2 and 6 miles from your child’s home address
  • Attending St Cuthbert Mayne School on faith grounds and the school is between 2 and 15 miles from your child’s home address

they will be entitled to free travel assistance, usually in the form of a bus pass.

2.5 Travel assistance given because of unsafe walking routes:

If your child is attending the closest suitable school and

  • aged 7 or below and there is no safe walking route shorter than 2 miles
  • aged 8 or above and there is no safe walking route shorter than 3 miles
  • the walking route is unsafe even when your child is accompanied by a responsible adult

they will be entitled to free travel assistance. The type of assistance will vary depending on the location.

2.6 Travel assistance given because of a child’s SEND need:

If your child is attending the closest suitable school and is:

  • Aged 7 or below and unable to walk to school because of their special educational needs or mobility issues, even though they are accompanied by an adult and the distance is less than 2 miles or
  • Aged 8 or above and unable to walk to school because of their special educational needs or mobility issues, even though they are accompanied by an adult and the distance is less than 3 miles (or 2 miles for a low-income family)

they will be entitled to free travel assistance. The type of assistance will depend on the nature of the special educational need or mobility issue. Travel requests in this category will be individually assessed.

We might also decide, in exceptional circumstances, to give your child free travel assistance outside of these rules.

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3. How we use the Statutory Eligibility Criteria

We use a flow-chart to help us decide if your child is eligible for travel assistance. You can see this in Appendix. A.

3.1 How we decide whether your child is attending the closest suitable school:

The closest suitable school is the school nearest to your child’s home address that can meet your child’s needs. The school must take children of the same age as your child and must be able to offer a curriculum that is suitable for your child. For primary aged children, any primary school will be ‘suitable’ unless your child needs to attend a special school due to their special educational needs and/or disabilities and the local authority has agreed that this is the closest school that can meet their needs.

For secondary aged children, any comprehensive secondary school is a ’suitable’ school unless your child is unable to attend a mainstream school due to their special educational needs and/or disabilities and the local authority has agreed that a special unit or special school is the closest school that can meet their needs.
For children of grammar school ability, a grammar school is also a suitable school.

3.2 Parental Preference:

If you choose to place your child at a school other than the closest school to your child’s home address that could meet their needs, there is no duty for the Local Authority (LA) to provide transport and the families are responsible for their own arrangements.

The Local Authority will not provide transport if a place was available in a nearer school at the time you applied (for in year applications) or on the National Offer Day (for applications into Reception or Year 7).

3.3 Moving House:

Parents are advised to check availability of school places before moving house, as there are no guarantees places will be available at the new catchment or nearest school. Unless nearer schools do not have places available in the relevant year group, any request for a child to remain at the existing school upon a house move will be considered as parental preference and, therefore, families will be responsible for making their own transport arrangements.

Transport support provided on exceptional grounds will normally cease if a family move to an area served by a school with places available in the relevant year group.

The Local Authority will not provide transport support for children who have been displaced from their home because of family related issues (e.g. family disagreements).

If you move to a different address served by a different school after the closing date for applications to Reception or Year 7 you can change your school preferences. This new application will be used to assess whether your child is entitled to travel assistance. If you move further away and do not change your preferences even though there is a closer school that could give your child a place, they will not be entitled to travel assistance.

If when you apply for a school place you do not request the closest school and it has places, or you turn down an offer of a place at a closer school within walking distance, and then apply for another school later in the same school year when other closer schools are full, your child will not be entitled to travel assistance.

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4. How we measure distances

Walking routes are from where the property meets the adopted road to the nearest available entrance to school grounds as measured using the Torbay Council GIS system. This GIS system measures the distance from home to school according to the shortest available walking routes.

Walking routes may include walking along footpaths, alleyways etc. that are not accessible to cars and other vehicles. We measure walking distances up to 2 miles or 3 miles depending on your child’s age and on whether you are a low-income family.

For longer distances (over 3 miles) we measure the driving distance along roads, and we ignore footpaths.

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5. How we decide on your child’s home address

Your child’s home address is the address where he or she normally lives during weekdays. If there is shared care, the address we use will be the one that was used for your admission application. If this address is no longer relevant, parents will be asked to agree on one of their addresses to be used as the home address. This address cannot be the address of another family member or a childminder.

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6. How we decide whether you are a low-income family

To count as a low-income family, you must provide evidence of your financial circumstances. Evidence must be recent i.e. not more than three months old. You must provide evidence to show one of the following:

  • You receive income support.
  • You receive income-based job seekers allowance.
  • You receive the guaranteed element of state pension credit.
  • You receive support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
  • You receive employment support allowance (income based)
  • You are in receipt of income based free school meals (NOT universal free school meals available for all Key Stage One children).
  • You receive universal credit and your net family income is under £7400 per year
  • You receive the maximum level of working tax credit*
  • You receive child tax credit but are not entitled to working tax credit and your household income is less than £16,190 per year *

*You will need to send us a copy of your full tax credit award statement for the forthcoming financial year.

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7. How we decide if your child’s walking route to school is unsafe

We will look at factors such as footpaths, lighting and road crossing points. If you and we disagree about the safety of a walking route, the Council’s Highways department will make the final decision. We will review the safety of a walking route if changes are made to the roads or footpaths along the route. When we decide if a route is safe, we assume that a responsible adult will be accompanying your child. We would not expect young people over the age of 16 to be accompanied.

If your child is not attending the closest suitable school, they will not receive travel assistance even if the route is unsafe for them to walk.

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8. How we decide if a child with SEND need is entitled to transport assistance

Children do not automatically receive free travel assistance because they have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

We assess all requests individually where children live closer than the normal walking distance and/or where you do not think they can travel by public transport. You must give as much detail as possible on your application form and we will need to see substantial recent evidence from medical or other professionals to show that your child is unable to walk and/or unable to travel on public transport.

You will need to pay any fees charged by medical or other professionals for letters. If this is difficult, we may be able to get the information in another way e.g. if you give permission for us to talk directly to your child’s medical professionals. If there is no other way than a letter, Torbay Council may contribute to the cost if you are on a low income.

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9. How we decide if you are able to accompany your child to school

You will normally be expected to accompany your child to school if they need to be accompanied. We will not provide travel assistance if the only reason you cannot accompany your child is because of work, childcare arrangements, or social arrangements. Transport eligibility will be based on the child’s needs only.

If you are not physically fit enough to accompany your child, we will need up to date medical evidence to prove that you are unable to walk the distance from your home to the school. We will keep this under regular review. We will also ask if there is another family member or carer who could accompany your child.

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10. How we decide if your child is attending St Cuthbert Mayne School on faith grounds

When you apply for a place at St Cuthbert Mayne School, you can choose to complete their supplementary form. This form gives information about your child’s religious worship and is sent to their church minister to sign and comment. The school will then decide if you meet the criteria for admission on faith grounds.

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11. Reasons why we might give travel assistance outside of the main rules

We sometimes give discretionary travel assistance in exceptional circumstances, for example:

  • If you normally accompany your child to school but are unable to due to a medical problem (we will need robust and recent evidence from a medical professional that you are unable to walk to school with your child).
  • If you are placed in emergency temporary accommodation by Torbay Council’s Housing Team and will shortly be returning to the area where you used to live.

Where your child is not attending the closest suitable school, support will be temporary and for a short period only. For any assistance given in exceptional circumstances we will keep reviewing your circumstances.

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13. Travel assistance we provide

Normally children who are given free travel assistance are given a bus pass. If your child is unable to travel by public transport then we may provide door-to-door transport. This will usually mean that your child is collected and taken to school by taxi or minibus, but we may instead provide an escort to walk with your child.

If your child is travelling by taxi, we will expect you to accompany them where they need to be accompanied. However, you will not be allowed to accompany your child on a taxi or minibus shared with other children.

13.1 Fuel Allowance:

Sometimes we provide a fuel allowance for you to drive your child to school yourself. The type of assistance will depend on:

  • Your child’s needs.
  • The availability of transport that we can use to transport your child.
  • The cost effectiveness of a particular type of transport.
  • Whether your child can behave well enough to travel in a vehicle with other children.

When we give a fuel allowance, this is paid at a published rate that may go up or down. It is usually paid at the end of each half-term and the amount will depend on the number of days your child has actually attended school. We will look at school register entries to check this.

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14. Route operation and School Transport Escorts

We understand that many children like familiarity and routine, but from time to time we may need to change the vehicle your child is travelling on or to put them on a vehicle with different children. We will endeavour to let you know in advance if we need to make a change to a route.

Where several children are travelling together in a vehicle, or where a child has complex behaviour or medical needs that may affect them on their journey, we may ask a School Transport Escort to accompany the vehicle. Again, there may be times when we need to change the school escort on the route.

14.1 Car seats & special equipment:

We will need regular information about your child’s height and weight so that we can fit the correct booster seats into vehicles. We may ask for your help in completing a risk assessment for your child before we start to transport them. We will provide special equipment if it is identified in the risk assessment.

14.2 Medical protocols:

If your child has a medical protocol we will ask you to share this with us so that we can keep your child safe.

14.3 Independent travel training (ITT):

Some children travelling on door-to-door transport can be helped to use public transport for their journey to school through Independent Travel Training. Some schools provide this training for children where it is suitable. If your child has successfully completed their Independent Travel Training we will expect them to use a bus pass rather than having door to door transport unless their journey is unusually complicated or long.

14.4 Alternative addresses:

We are not able to collect from or deliver children to addresses other than their home address.

14.5 Transport assistance for siblings:

Brothers and sisters of a child who is being given transport will not be given travel assistance unless they meet the criteria for assistance, even if they attend the same school.

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15. What time of the day travel assistance is provided

We only provide door to door transport at the published start and end times of the school day.

We do not provide transport for children to travel between sites during the school day, or for them to attend medical appointments, outings etc.

We do not provide early transport if a child must go home during the school day because of illness.

We are not able to alter transport times because of part-time timetables, exam timetables, parent meetings etc. We are not able to alter transport times because of before or after-school activities or for work experience.

We do not provide transport for attendance at transition, taster, open or induction days at a different education setting. If your child attends school different sites on different days, we will provide transport to the main school site only and the school will be responsible for ensuring your child can get to other sites.

Occasionally we will agree there is a need for a phased induction / transition to a school requiring transport arrangements outside of normal school hours. In these cases, we will make arrangements with you and the school for a set period of time. This will normally be for a maximum of two weeks.

If a school closes unexpectedly, e.g. due to bad weather. Transport will be provided as long as it is safe to do so.

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16. Travel assistance we give to wheelchair users

If your child needs to use a wheelchair we will make every effort to transport them in their normal wheelchair. To do this we will need to be able to find a vehicle that can accommodate the wheelchair safely. If we cannot do this, we will offer you a fuel allowance to transport your child to school yourself.

16.1 Wheelchair tagging:

All wheelchairs transport must be checked and approved. Once this process has been completed a tag will be added to the wheelchair to show that it has been authorised to be transported.

If you plan to buy a new wheelchair for your child, you must contact us to check whether we will be able to transport the chair. We must inspect and tag wheelchairs before we can transport them so you must let us know as soon as possible if your child’s chair is due to change. It can take several weeks to find a suitable vehicle that is compatible, especially for a large chair.

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17. Travel assistance we provide for students in residential special schools

If your child is a weekly boarder at a residential school that the council has agreed as the closest suitable school, we will provide transport or a fuel allowance for a journey from home to school on Monday mornings and school to home on Friday afternoons (and start and end of term if these are on different days).

If your child boards for longer periods, we will normally either provide transport or give you a fuel allowance for a journey from home to school at the start of each half term and from school to home at the end of each half term.

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18. What we do if your child misbehaves on transport

If your child misbehaves when travelling to or from school on transport arranged by the council, we may withdraw travel assistance for a while. If the poor behaviour continues, we may only be able to offer you a fuel allowance for you to transport your child yourself. The council’s School Transport Code of Conduct can be seen at the end of this policy - Appendix B (Page 18).

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19. Travel assistance we provide for Post-16 students including SEND students

There is no automatic right to travel assistance for post-16 students. Torbay Council does give assistance in certain circumstances. This is explained in the Local Authorities post-16 transport statement.

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20. How you can apply for travel assistance for your child

Applications can be completed via our online portal.

You must reapply for travel assistance each year, even if your child is already being given travel assistance. We will reassess your application each year in case your circumstances have changed. We will also reassess your child’s transport during the school year if they change their school or their home address.

There is a deadline date in July each year for you to submit your application to ensure transport is in place for the beginning of term in September. If you apply later than this, we will still assess your application but transport may not be in place for the start of term. You will be responsible for getting your child to school and the Local Authority will not refund the cost of any transport you put in place while we process your application.
We can only assess your application based on the information and evidence you provide so you should give as much detail as possible on your application form.

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21. How you can appeal if we refuse your request for travel assistance

21.1 First Stage Appeal:

If we have refused transport and you believe that

  • We have used the wrong information to assess your application, or
  • We have not taken all your circumstances into account, or
  • We have made a mistake in our calculations.

you will have the right to appeal against the decision. There is a time limit for your appeal. You must send it to us within 20 working days (4 weeks) of the date of the letter informing you that travel assistance has been refused.

A panel of senior officers will review your application, taking into account any additional evidence you send to us.

21.2 Second Stage Appeal:

If the outcome of the First Stage appeal hearing is to support the original decision and refuse travel assistance, you will be able to make a second appeal to a panel of Councillors. As per the First Stage appeal, there is a deadline of 20 working days from the date of the letter informing you of the outcome of the First Stage Appeal hearing to submit the Second Stage Appeal documentation.

Details of the appeal process and appeal forms are on our website. 

Alternatively, you can phone the transport team on 01803 207688 to ask for a paper copy of the appeal forms.

21.3 Local Government Ombudsman:

If you believe we have failed to comply with procedural rules or that there are other irregularities in the way an appeal has been handled you may have the right to refer your application to the Local Government Ombudsman. If you believe that the decision made by the independent appeal panel is flawed on public health grounds, you may apply for a judicial review.

22. How you can complain if you are not happy with the service provided

First, talk to transport staff to see if you can resolve your concerns informally. If you are not able to do this you can complain formally using the council’s complaints procedure.

This can be found on our website or you can phone the transport team on 01803 207688 and ask for a complaints form.

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22. Appendix A - Eligibility Flowcharts

22.1 Entitlement to transport assistance - Statutory walking distance:

22.2 Extended rights entitlement to transport assistance:

Use if NOT eligible through statutory walking distance for pupils aged 8 and over.

22.3 Unsafe route entitlement to transport assistance:

Use if NOT eligible through statutory walking distance or extended rights.

22.4 SEND entitlement to transport assistance (up to age 18):

Use if NOT eligible through statutory walking distance or extended rights.

22.5 SEND entitlement to Transport Assistance (Age 19-24):

Only for young people with an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP)

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23. Appendix B - School Transport Code of Conduct

The safety and welfare of students travelling on home to school transport is of paramount importance and therefore it is expected that all parties will abide by the School Transport Code of Conduct at all times. Failure to do so could result in home to school transport being withdrawn from a student.

Any incident reported to Torbay Council involving school transport and the behaviour of students using school transport will be taken seriously and will be investigated by the Transport Team, where necessary some cases may be reported to the School or Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) before any action is taken. Where there is a consistent concern or refusal to comply with the School Transport Code of Conduct and a student is excluded from travelling, it will then be the responsibility of parents or carers to ensure that there is a continued attendance at school.

23.1 Responsibilities of Torbay Council

  • To provide free home to school transport by the most cost-efficient means for students living in Torbay, who qualify for free travel under the Home to School Travel and Transport Policy.
  • Provide a safe journey on all home to school transport routes between the designated pickup point and the school site, and vice versa.
  • Ensure that the Route Operator provides a suitable vehicle and that all drivers and vehicles are suitably licenced and insured for the conveyance of students. Agree all routes and schedules with the Route Operator.
  • Ensure all Drivers and School Transport Escorts have the appropriate DBS check.
  • Ensure all Drivers and School Transport Escorts are issued with a Torbay Council Identification Badge (Devon County identification may be used by some Drivers / Escorts).
  • Provide a pass for students entitled to transport assistance who travel on Stagecoach public buses or the Brixham College bus.
  • Monitor contracts with Route Operators to ensure contract and law compliance.
  • Carry out risk assessments where appropriate to establish suitability of provision and routes.
  • To ensure there is a robust complaints procedure in place.
  • Investigate all complaints, liaising with schools and Route Operators, where necessary, and respond to all parties advising of the outcome.
  • Ensure that all confidential information is handled in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

23.2 Responsibilities of the Route Operator

  • To provide students safe travel between their designated collection point and the school site, and vice versa.
  • To provide vehicles and drivers that meet all legal and contractual requirements.
  • To have appropriate employers’ liability, public liability, and vehicle insurance cover.
  • Ensure they hold an appropriate operator’s or local authority licence where applicable.
  • Comply with all terms and conditions of contract.
  • Ensure all Drivers and School Transport Escorts hold a valid Torbay Council or Devon County Identification Badge
  • Ensure that all Drivers are issued with the most up to date route and schedule.
  • Ensure that no changes are made to the schedule without approval from the School Transport Team. This includes location of designated pick up and drop off points.
  • Immediately inform Torbay Council where a serious incidence has occurred.
  • To notify Torbay Council of any incidents of unacceptable student behaviour as soon as possible
  • Ensure that all confidential information is handled in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

23.3 Responsibilities of the School Transport Escort

  • Always be presentable and courteous.
  • Hold a valid Torbay Council Identification Badge and be able to produce this when requested.
  • To undertake Torbay Council Safeguarding and Escort Training.
  • Follow the route and schedule as agreed and not deviate from this without prior authorisation, unless exceptional circumstances (e.g. a road closure) make a deviation necessary – they should notify the Transport Team in these circumstances so that the school and/or parents and carers may be notified of any delay.
  • In the event of a vehicle breakdown, maintain a safe environment for all passengers and contact the Transport Team.
  • To be responsible for the safety of the students for the entire duration of their journey
  • Unless there are genuine concerns for the safety of the students on board the vehicle, the vehicle should not be stopped. If stopped, it must be in safe place and for as short a period of time as possible and the Transport Team must be notified of such a break to the journey.
  • Serious incidents or accidents involving the safety of children, the vehicle or other road users must be reported immediately to School Transport Team.
  • Must not provide food, sweets or drinks to students in their care.
  • Seek immediate advice from the Transport Team where a serious incident occurs.
  • Ensure when transporting a primary aged student or student with Special Educational Needs they are handed over to an appropriate responsible adult before leaving designated stop (school, home or bus stop).
  • Can refuse to transport a student whose behaviour would put the driver, passengers and any other road user in danger for the immediate short term and until further guidance has been received from School Transport Team.

If the student's behaviour on the vehicle presents a danger to themselves or others, transport may be withdrawn - we will work extensively with the parent/carer and school before withdrawing transport. The parent/carer has a responsibility to manage the student's behaviour and if transport is withdrawn, it does not excuse the student from attending their education setting.

The School Transport Escort’s duty of care does not end until the last student has been discharged. On no account must this duty be delegated to any other person. School Transport Escorts are responsible for ensuring that a seat belt or safety harness provided for passengers has been secured.

School Transport Escorts are not responsible for escorting students from the vehicle into home or into school premises. School Transport Escorts are not permitted to lift or assist by manually handling passengers in or out of vehicles.

23.4 Responsibilities of Parents and Carers

  • To support the School Transport Team, Route Operator and School Transport Escort by ensuring that the Student Code of Conduct has been read and is followed at all times.
  • Ensure that your child is ready for collection five minutes before transport is due and that young children are accompanied until the transport has departed.
  • Where a student is of primary school age or has Special Educational Needs or a disability and they hold an EHCP, they will need to be met at the designated stop or home address by a responsible adult. Failure for a responsible adult being present could result in a child being returned to the school or the nearest police station.
  • Teach your child, where they do not need to be accompanied to and from the designated stop, the safest walking route between home and the designated stop, including the safest crossing points on their route.
  • Teach your child to think about their own and others’ safety, while walking to and from the designated stop and on the transport.
  • Ensure that any travel pass is carried at all times (Route Operators will make necessary checks that students are permitted to travel and have the right to refuse to carry a student without a pass)
  • Where a student’s behaviour in a vehicle presents a danger to themselves or to others, home to school transport may be withdrawn. However, where a student’s behaviour in a vehicle is due to their Special Educational Needs or disability, the School Transport Team will work extensively with parents, carers, school or college before withdrawing transport in these cases.
  • Remind your child that they need to wear any seatbelt or harness that is provided at all times.
  • For students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, ensure that seat belts and harnesses are fastened and secured before the vehicle pulling away. The School Transport Escort will support this.
  • Cooperate with the school and Torbay Council if your child exhibits bad behaviour on home to school transport.
  • Ensure that any incidents or concerns are reported to Torbay Council's School Transport and the school as soon as possible. You should not contact the Route Operator directly unless you have been asked to do so.
  • Ensure that the School Transport Team are advised of any change in the students’ personal circumstances or family circumstances which may have an impact on eligibility for free home to school travel e.g. change of address, no longer eligible for free school meals. Where there has been a change of address, evidence of the new address will be required before any new travel arrangements can be approved.
  • Parents and carers are not permitted to board the vehicle.

Parents and carers should not act in a threatening or abusive way towards the driver, School Transport Escort or any other students either on or around the vehicle. Any concerns should be reported to the school and or the School Transport Team.

It is important that students should behave in an appropriate manner towards any Driver, School Transport Escort, other students, or members of staff at Torbay Council. All students who use home to school transport are expected to abide by the School Transport Code of Conduct and any student who fails to abide by this when using any transport provided by Torbay Council may be excluded from using the transport in accordance with Torbay Council’s Home to School Travel and Transport Policy.

If your child is excluded from home to school transport for a fixed-term or permanently, you will be responsible for ensuring that they continue to attend school. Alternative travel arrangements will not be put in place.
If your child is found to be responsible for bad behaviour on home to school transport, which does not result in them being excluded, it is your responsibility to ensure that reasonable steps are taken to modify that behaviour and to stress to your child the importance of behaving in an appropriate manner while travelling on home to school transport. It is also your financial responsibility to meet the costs for repair or replacement of equipment or any property intentionally damaged as a result of your child’s actions.

Torbay Council has a determined procedure for dealing with cases of poor behaviour reported to us and will write to you to warn you that your child is at risk of being excluded from home to school transport.

23.5 Responsibilities of the Student

  • To ensure they abide by the School Transport Code of Conduct at all times.
  • To act responsibly while travelling to and from the designated stop and while travelling to and from school on home to school transport.
  • To behave well at all times and not to act in a way that may compromise the safety of others.
  • Show respect at all times for the driver, School Transport Escorts and all other passengers.
  • Ensure that they follow the instructions of the driver or School Transport Escorts at all times.
23.5.1 During the school journey
  • If provided, seatbelts and harnesses must be worn.
  • Never distract the driver or be discourteous.
  • Do not be abusive or shout at the driver, other students or other passengers in the vehicle. Bad language and unruly behaviour will not be tolerated.
  • Treat all on board with care and respect and do not bully any other students. Any form of bullying will not be tolerated.
  • Follow any instructions given by the driver or School Transport Escort quickly and without hesitation.
  • Do not vandalise or cause damage to the vehicle.
  • Do not smoke, use electronic cigarettes, drink alcohol or consume illegal substances.
  • Do not carry an offensive weapon, real or replica.
  • Do not throw objects from or within the vehicle.
  • Do not eat or drink while on the vehicle or leave litter.
  • Keep the aisle clear. Bags go under the seat, on the parcel shelf or on your lap. Make sure you have all your belongings as you leave the vehicle.
23.5.2 At the end of the school journey
  • Ensure all of your belongs are taken with you when you exit the vehicle.
  • Stand back from the road when the vehicle moves off.

It is important to understand that bad behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated and may lead to students being excluded from home to school transport. Where students are excluded, this does not excuse them from attending school and parents and carers will be responsible for the cost and provision of transport during this time.

23.6 Complaints and Concerns:

If at any time, you wish to report an incident involving the behaviour of an adult or student in connection with school transport you should email the School Transport Team at Cstransport@torbay.gov.uk

All complaints regarding passenger or parent behaviour received by Torbay Council will be investigated and, if necessary, they will be passed for further investigation to the School, Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) or the Police.

23.7 ‘No Pass No Travel’ Guidance for Parents, Carers and Students

  • Where a bus pass has been issued it MUST be shown in order to travel.
  • If a student who is entitled to travel is unable to produce a bus pass because they have forgotten to carry it, or the pass has been lost or stolen, the appropriate bus fare must be paid.
  • If a pass has been lost or stolen a replacement can be purchased. A replacement pass incurs an administration fee of £10, which must be paid at the time of request. Requests for replacement passes should be sent to: Cstransport@torbay.gov.uk
  • Out of date passes will be confiscated.
  • If transport is no longer required, please return the pass to: School Transport Team, 2nd Floor (Room SF338) Electric House, c/o Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR

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