Home to School Transport
Councils are required to provide travel assistance between Home and School for children and young people residing in their area who meet the eligibility criteria.
Parents living in North Northamptonshire are asked to be aware that the criteria for admission to any school (including “linked” schools) differs from the criteria for travel assistance. With effect from the academic year starting in September 2024, linked schools are no longer treated as the nearest suitable school for new applicants for transport, unless the school is actually the nearest suitable school with places available to their home address.
The offer of a place at any particular school does not automatically guarantee the provision of travel assistance. If parents intend to apply for Home to School Travel Assistance for their child, they are advised to read the Council’s Home to School Transport policy before applying.
North Northamptonshire Council supports the right of parents to express preferences for schools. However, in order to be eligible for free home to school travel assistance, (subject to meeting the other eligibility criteria) the child or young person must be attending their nearest suitable school which has places available, or the special school named in the child’s Education Health and Care Plan if they have one. Where a parent has opted for their child to attend a school or special school that is not their named or nearest suitable provision with places, it is likely that transport will not be provided.
There is no automatic entitlement to assistance with travel between home and school. Parents requiring home to school transport or other travel assistance will need to make an application to their Local Authority. Each application will be assessed on its own merits against the published policy.
For further information about Home to School transport, including details of who might be eligible, you should read the Home to School Transport Policy relevant to the area in which you live.
Families resident in North Northamptonshire should use this link:
School travel assistance | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk) or search www.northnorthants.gov.uk/school-travel-assistance
Families resident in West Northamptonshire should use this link
School travel assistance | West Northamptonshire Council (westnorthants.gov.uk)
