A school is not considered appropriate if:
there are no places available for your child
your child has been permanently excluded from it
there are special circumstances and the Council agree that the school is not suitable for your child
the school is not compatible with your religious or philosophical beliefs (this only applies to secondary school aged children receiving means tested transport)
Lower distances are measured by the shortest available safe walking route. Upper distances are measured by the shortest available safe driving route.
If your child has a medical condition and does not meet the distance criteria, this can be taken into account with specific written evidence from their GP or Consultant.
Your child will meet the means testing criteria if they receive free school meals, or if you are in receipt of the maximum Working Tax Credit.
Means tested applications need to be made for every school year. If there is a change in your family’s financial circumstances and your child can no longer get free school travel, a reassessment of places at closer schools will be made.
Religion includes those religions widely recognised in this country such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Rastafarianism, Baha’is, Zoroastrians and Jains. Religions must have a clear structure and belief system. A lack of religion/faith (Atheism) also applies.
A philosophical belief has to be a conviction and more than just an opinion or idea. It must be genuinely held and you must be able to show that it is the real reason why your child is going to a particular school.
Examples of what are not considered to be philosophical beliefs are:
a wish for your child to attend a particular category of school
a preference for a particular type of management or governance
a belief that your child should receive a particular type of education provision
a belief that your child should be educated privately
a wish for your child to be taught a particular language
school uniform rules
sex education policy (unless there is no opt out)
What is considered to be a philosophical belief includes:
The assessment of whether a school has a place available is made at the normal time when places are allocated. For the majority of children this is during the normal admissions round. This is when your child starts school, transfers from Infant to Junior or from Junior to Secondary school.
If you express a preference for a school other than one of the three nearest appropriate schools to your home and then cannot get a place at one of these schools, your child will not be able to get free school travel.
If you move home after the 1 September in the year that your child starts year 10 and they were previously attending one of the three nearest appropriate schools to your home, they could get free school travel to help them stay at their school.
The journey must take less than 90 minutes each way and they must meet all the other criteria. The transport assistance will be a season ticket to use on public transport. Specialised transport will not be arranged.
Please note that there will be no support for children who move home after 1 September 2011. Those who move before this date and meet all of the other criteria will get help until they complete their studies in year 11.
Children are usually given a season ticket to use on public transport. Specialised transport is generally only arranged if your child is attending a special school or has a very physically limiting medical condition.
You will need to complete an application form and send it to the Transport Coordination Unit, using the details at the bottom of this page.
To avoid delaying your application from being processed, please remember to include copies of any evidence or documents that are required. Applications are normally dealt with within 10 working days of receiving your application. Season tickets will take a further 5 - 7 working days to arrive at your child’s school.
If you apply for free school travel and are turned down, you can ask for any exceptional circumstances to be taken into account. You will need to contact the Transport Coordination Unit who can supply you with an extra form to fill out.
If your application is still not successful, you can appeal to a panel of local Councillors. The Transport Coordination Unit can advise you of how to go about doing this.
Southampton City Council
