|
Contents
How can we help get your child to school?
Whilst it is the parent's responsibility to secure their children's education North Lanarkshire Council is happy to help you get your child of school age to school, safely and on time. That is why school-crossing patrols are provided and we operate a school transport policy which is more generous than the law requires. Indeed our home to school transport provision is amongst the most generous of any Scottish local authority.
The policy states that we provide free school transport if:
-
Your child lives more than one mile away from his or her local primary school (by the shortest safe walking route).
-
Your child lives more than two miles away from his or her local secondary school (by the shortest safe walking route).
-
Your child has been recommended on health grounds by a designated medical officer.
-
Your child has been assessed to attend a school to meet the requirements of his/her special needs. (These assessments involve education's psychological services who also recommend appropriate transport arrangements).
-
Your child has to walk a route, which after seeking advice from the Department of Planning and Environment, is considered by the Education Department to be unsafe for children.
What free school transport means
The education department identifies the need for the provision. For primary and secondary schools we work through Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) who engage the operators to provide free school transport. For special educational needs the education department undertakes all arrangements.
The choice of the precise mode of transport depends on a variety of factors and is decided by the education department after taking all circumstances into account.
This can result in any of the following:
-
Dedicated school contract bus (service solely for pupils).
-
Bus pass on local service bus (which can either be a commercial service or subsidised local service also carrying members of the public).
-
Train pass on service train.
-
Taxi or private hire cars and minibuses.
-
North Lanarkshire Council's own school transport vehicles.
Free transport normally covers one return journey, to school in the morning and home at the end of the school day. No additional provision is made for home journeys for infants who may have a shorter day until October each year. Children not collected by parents are supervised until the end of the normal school day.
Parents of pupils wishing to return home for lunch have to make their own arrangements. Special arrangements may be available locally to cover pupils taking part in school activities after the end of the normal school day.
|
Search NorthWeb
