Travel Assistance to School / College (SEND)
Home to School Transport Policy
As a parent, it's your responsibility for getting your child to and from School. However, in some cases, the Council can provide help / support for your child's travel between home and school. Our Home to School Travel Policy is integral to Middlesbrough Council promoting social inclusion and parental choice, by removing potential barriers to learning.
If you live in Middlesbrough, the Council can provide assistance with home to school transport if your child is of statutory school age and meets one or more of a number of criteria.
PUPILS IN PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS
If your child falls into one of the following groups, they may qualify for free home to school transport:
Free home to school transport or assistance will be provided for the following eligible pupils who will be of compulsory school age during the current academic year:
a) A primary school age pupil attends their nearest suitable school and that school is over 2 miles from the home address where the distance is determined by the Council and uses the shortest walking distance along which a child, accompanied as necessary, may walk with reasonable safety;
b) A secondary school age pupil attends the nearest suitable school and that school is over 3 miles from the home address where the distance is determined by the Council and uses the shortest walking distance along which a child, accompanied as necessary, may walk with reasonable safety;
c) A secondary school age pupil from a low income family and attends:
i. any one of their three nearest suitable schools and the school is between 2 and 6 miles away from their home address, or
ii. the nearest school preferred by their parents on the grounds of religion or belief and the school is between 2 and 15 miles away from their home address.
For some pupils attending 'special' schools or support bases within mainstream schools, Middlesbrough Council will contract taxi operators or minibus suppliers to provide the transport to and from school.
Travel Support
Pupils who attend a school that has its own dedicated transport will be bought a pass by the Local Authority to travel on the transport (subject to availability). All other pupils will be supplied with funding which can be used to purchase tickets of Public Service vehicles that service the school. Weekly passes are available on both Stagecoach and Arriva buses. Please see the details below.
How to apply for travel assistance
If you think you may qualify for travel assistance, please contact Middlesbrough Councils Integrated Transport Unit (ITU) to ask for an application form to be sent out to you. When you have completed your form, please return it to the ITU for approval. Email: act@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Your application will then be considered and if your child qualifies for support, they will arrange for the most appropriate form of assistance. All transport assistance is assessed annually and renewal applications are required to be submitted during May and June for the forthcoming academic year.