Learner Travel Policy, Information and Arrangements
This document has been produced by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to comply with the requirements of the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 to make available information about its policies and the arrangements it puts in place to transport its learners.
It is the intention of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to provide a system of transportation that will seek to carry learners safely, comfortably and without unreasonable levels of stress.
1. Provision Of Free Transport
a) There is a statutory duty placed upon the local authority (LA) to provide pupils with free transport to their nearest suitable school if they reside beyond safe “walking distance” to that school. The term suitable school applies to the catchment area English, Welsh, dual language or voluntary aided (faith) mainstream school or special school/class as appropriate.
b) The law relating to safe “walking distance” is defined as two miles for pupils of compulsory school age receiving primary education and three miles for pupils of compulsory school age receiving secondary education.
c) Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has, however, chosen to define the safe “walking distance” as:
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one and a half miles for primary pupils in compulsory education (the start of the school term following a child’s fifth birthday) at their nearest suitable school, and from the start of the foundation phase (the school term following a child’s third birthday) at their nearest suitable school; and
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two miles in respect of secondary pupils of statutory school age and learners aged 16-19 who attend schools and colleges of further education.
d) The provision of free school transport will be arranged to coincide with the start and end of the normal school day only and shall be provided during the school term time. No transport is provided for breakfast clubs, after school clubs or summer schools. (Separate transport arrangements may be made as part of the E3+ programmes).
e) Where the LA has arranged for a pupil to attend an out of county residential school, transport will only be provided at the start and end of each half term.
f) Transport, except for learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN), will normally be provided from pick-up points at approved bus stops on the nearest public transport route to the learner’s home.
2. Looked After Children
The same age and distance criteria apply to ‘looked after’ children as to children who are not looked after. If the LA determines that a looked after child should attend a school other than the nearest suitable school then transport to and from that school will be provided.
3. Parental Preference
Should any parent(s) choose to place their child(ren) in a school other than the local catchment area school (as determined by the LA) then those parents are totally liable to organise and pay for the cost of transport to the chosen school, unless that school is nearer to the pupil’s home than the designated catchment school.
4. Cross Border Arrangements
Transport may be provided to eligible learners attending courses of study outside the County Borough where such attendance is consistent with the LA’s admission policy e.g Pencoed Comprehensive School for students living in Bryncae, Dolau, Llanharan and Brynna.
Learners residing in Rhondda Cynon Taf who attend the Bishop Hedley Roman Catholic High School, (Merthyr Tydfil), the Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School, (Cardiff) and St David’s Roman Catholic Sixth Form College, (Cardiff) may also receive transport in accordance with the ‘nearest suitable school’ criterion (see 1c above).
5. Over Subscribed Schools
If a learner cannot be admitted to the nearest suitable school and, as a result, has to attend another school beyond the walking distance from their home then transport will be provided to the next nearest suitable school.
6. Protected Provision – Catchment Area Variations
Where the LA decides to vary the catchment area for a school, existing transport arrangements will be protected for the pupils living in the areas affected for the duration of their attendance at the school.
7. Special Arrangements - Hazardous Routes
A route is considered to be available if it is safe for a child to walk alone or, if appropriate for the age of the child, with an accompanying adult. It is recognised that occasions will arise when routes may become hazardous. In these circumstances, the LA reserves the right to provide free school transport over distances below the discretionary limits if this is recommended by appropriate officers in the interests of the safety of the relevant learners.
In determining the comparative safety of a walking route, the LA will conduct an assessment of the risks that escorting parents and children might encounter along the route between home and school.
The assessment of a route will take place at the time of the day and on the days of the week that pupils would be expected to use the route. It will take a road safety perspective and follow the Local Authority Road Safety Officers’ Association (LARSOA) Guidelines on Identification of Hazards and the Assessment of Risk of Walked Routes to School. Consideration will therefore be given to the potential risk created by traffic, highway and topographical conditions.
As a matter of policy, these routes will be reviewed biennially and discretionary provision may be withdrawn where the identified hazard has been mitigated and the route identified as available to walk in safety. Parents will be given at least one term advance notice of the withdrawal of such discretionary transport and any withdrawal will normally be implemented to coincide with the start of an academic year unless specific transitional arrangements have been agreed.
8. Children with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities
Free transport is provided for all pupils who attend special schools, pupil referral units and learning support classes that are not located within their catchment area school in accordance with the LA’s agreed policy on walking distance and safe routes (see 1c and 7 above).
Any referrals for learners with special educational needs who attend mainstream schools must be supported by appropriate evidence and be confirmed by the LA’s Access and Inclusion SEN Panel.
Learners with disabilities (as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) may be entitled to assistance with transport from home to an appropriate school/college even though the LA’s agreed criteria on safe walking distance (see 1 c and 7 above) are not met. Such provision is subject to referral to, and approval by, the LA’s SEN Panel. Any such referrals must be supported by appropriate evidence.
9. Transport on Medical Grounds
Transport to and from school may be provided for short periods on the recommendation of an appropriate Health/Medical Officer and will be subject to confirmation by the LA. Where agreed this provision will be subject to regular review.
10. Transport to Welsh Medium and Dual Language Schools
Pupils attending the nearest Welsh medium or dual language school receive free transport in accordance with the LA’s agreed policy on walking distance and safe routes (see 1c and 7 above).
11. Transport to Voluntary Aided (Faith) Schools
Pupils attending the nearest voluntary aided school of the parent’s denomination receive free transport in accordance with the LA’s agreed policy on walking distance and safe routes (see 1c and 7 above).
12. Provision for Learners Aged 16 to 19
There is no statutory requirement to provide transport for post 16 learners.
Rhondda Cynon Taf LA has, however, decided that learners who meet the 2-mile distance eligibility criterion in respect of secondary pupils of statutory school age, and who enrol for study courses within the appropriate 14-19 area timetabled provision, will be eligible for free transport. Learners within the 2-mile distance are expected to make their own travel arrangements.
The area timetabled provision may include agreed specialist courses outside Rhondda Cynon Taf as part of the partnership arrangements with neighbouring 14 to 19 networks. The area timetabled provision excludes higher education courses. Learners who wish to pursue a study course other than within their area timetabled provision will be responsible for their own transport arrangements, except where the location at which the course is available is closer to the learner’s home than the school or college offering the area timetabled provision.
Where a learner has already started a study course other than within their area timetabled provision, transport will continue to be provided until the course ends or until the end of the academic year that the learner attains their 19th birthday, whichever is the earlier. No transport will be provided following the academic year that a learner attains their 19th birthday.
Details of learners who wish to continue their courses of study at school after year 11 (GCSE or equivalent) are formally provided to the Integrated Transport Unit by the school. Learners who wish to pursue a College course are required to complete an application form and supply three passport approved photographs to the College.
Bus passes, for use on either contracted services or the local public transport network are then provided to all eligible learners, along with information packs including travel times, pick up and drop off points etc.
Transport is made available for all eligible learners until the end of the academic year in which they attain their 19th birthday. Travel arrangements in respect of any subsequent attendance are at the discretion of the learning provider. No transport provision will be made by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council following the academic year that a learner attains their 19th birthday. Where the course continues into subsequent years, the learner will be entirely responsible for arranging and funding their transport needs for continued attendance.
This transport policy covers school 6th form and college further education courses only and does not extend to higher education courses funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW). (The one year Foundation Art & Design course at the University of Glamorgan is not funded by HEFCW and transport may be provided to learners pursuing this course subject to the age and distance criteria set out above).
13. Eligibility
There is no means testing to assess whether or not a learner is eligible for the provision of transport. The only eligibility criteria are the 11/2 or 2 mile qualifying distances from home to the school gate or route safety assessment (as set out above). Learners are assessed in accordance with these eligibility criteria and eligible learners or their parents/guardians are notified of the arrangements in advance of the provision commencing. In cases where distances are disputed, the Council will determine the most appropriate method of measuring the distances. This may be by foot, in a vehicle, by another method deemed appropriate or by a combination of methods. The measurement undertaken by the Council will be the final and definitive distance and will be used to assess transport eligibility.
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council takes very seriously any attempt to gain an advantage by giving false information, and will investigate fraudulent claims. If school transport is offered and it is then discovered that the offer was made on fraudulent or misleading information e.g. a false claim to living at an address, that offer will be withdrawn. This could cause considerable distress, particularly for the child involved.
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council will process the information you have provided in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and any amendments to that act. Any personal information will be held in confidence, with only the necessary people able to see or use it. Please note that the information provided may be given to any organisation, including other Council departments, legitimately investigating allegations of fraud, other criminal offences or child protection. In addition, it may also be crosschecked and verified against information held by other Council departments.
14. Mode of Transport
In all cases, the efficient use of resources will dictate the mode of transport provided (subject to any special needs requirements). Transport may be provided by means of contracted school transport services or existing public transport services which, together with the size and type of transport (bus, minibus, train, taxi, etc.) will be dictated by cost effectiveness. In exceptional cases, learner or parental reimbursement will be offered where this is the most cost effective method of providing transport. The provisions of section 88 of the Transport Act 1985 place a duty on local authorities to secure, in the interests of its local residents, the best value for money from expenditure on public passenger transport as a whole. The LA will therefore be mindful of its duty to provide socially necessary (public transport) bus services when arranging transport provision for learners.
15. Journey Times
The LA aims to ensure journey times for primary aged learners do not exceed 45 minutes and that secondary aged learners do not have journey times exceeding 60 minutes. There may, however, be exceptional cases where parents express preferences for their children to attend voluntary aided (faith) schools or Welsh/dual language schools that are some distance away from their homes and which may, as a consequence, necessitate longer journey times. This may also apply to some SEN journeys.
16. Other Transport Provision
Some learning providers operate, or contract, their own transport provision – in addition to that which is legally required – for which a charge is made. In some exceptional cases, where no other arrangements are viable or cost effective, petrol costs may be reimbursed to learners or their parents/guardians.
Careers Wales may be able to offer assistance to clients in its Youth Gateway programme if transport is a barrier to accessing education, employment or training. Such provision is assessed on an individual needs basis.
17. Fare Paying Passengers
In such cases the LA will reserve the right, using appropriate powers, to make spare capacity available on contracted school transport to pupils who live below the discretionary limit (as given in 1c above). When places on a vehicle are made available under this provision they will be charged at a flat rate per pupil per term. The payment is required in advance, with the level of charging being assessed annually.
It is not possible to allocate spare seats at the start of the new academic year, as the LA must assess available capacity. This does not just include changes in demand due to new starters but also learners who decide to leave after receiving their examination results. In addition, seats also become available during the first few weeks of term as some learners who are entitled to free travel decline the seat offered and do not travel on the vehicles provided. Once all these factors are taken into account, any spare seats are released for sale.
18. Change of Family Home - Transport Arrangements
Pupils in receipt of free transport whose families move to an address outside the local area of the school to which transport has been provided will not continue to receive this provision if there is an additional cost to the LA.
Families need to be mindful of this fact when they are considering moving home, especially in the years when pupils have commenced formal examination courses (years 10 and 11 for GCSE or equivalent and years 12 and 13 for AS and A level or equivalent).
19. Monitoring and Complaints Procedure
All vehicles will be available for random checks by VOSA or other appropriate body, when required. Any complaints received by the LA concerning services or vehicles will be immediately investigated. In the event of the complaint being upheld, the necessary and appropriate steps will be taken in accordance with the contract or as a matter of urgency. The LA will undertake random checks on contracts, to ensure that the contracts are being operated in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. As part of the monitoring exercise, checks will be made to include punctuality, adherence to route, size of vehicle, licences, CRB cleared staff, all of which are designed to ensure safe and stress free travel.
20. The Travel Behaviour Code – Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008
The Welsh Assembly Government is in the process of introducing “The Travel Behaviour Code” to promote safe travel for all children and young people, by setting out the standards of behaviour required when travelling between home and school.
The Code encourages schools and local authorities to work proactively with learners, their parents and the community to promote positive behaviour. Further guidance covering travel behaviour specific to the LA’s school transport provision will be issued following publication of the Welsh Government’s Travel Behaviour Code.
21.Work Experience
Where, as part of a course of study, learners follow a work experience placement they are normally required to make their own transport arrangements. Where such arrangements are made through Careers Wales, or if a learner faces particular difficulties accessing a work experience placement, transport costs may be reimbursed by the learning provider. No provision will be made by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.
22. Consultation
School staff and governors have been consulted on this policy statement as part of the LA’s statutory annual consultation on the council’s admission policy and arrangements. Similarly, voluntary aided schools and neighbouring local authorities have also been consulted (via the Rhondda Cynon Taf Admissions Forum) as part of those consultation arrangements.
The Rhondda Cynon Taf Governors Association and Coleg Morgannwg are also consulted as part of the process of reviewing this policy.
23.Availability and Accessibility of this Policy Statement
The policy statement is available as a “Key Document” hyperlink on the home page of the Council’s Internet site. The policy is also made available to learners, and their parents/ guardians, prior to admission to school.
24. Feedback
The Council is committed to using any feedback received to improve service quality. If you have any comments on the content of this document, please contact the Integrated Transport Unit 01443 425001 HomeToSchoolTransport@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk
We will decide whether any changes can be made as a result for implementation in the 2011 – 12 academic year.
25. Further Information & Points of Contact for Learners Seeking Transport Support
Further information including Frequently Asked Questions and details of contracted bus routes and pick-up points can be found on the RCT web site. (www.rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk)
Contacts:-
Other Sources of Information:-
Individual School/College – prospectuses