School Transport Policy

Free transport provision for compulsory aged learners

Learners will qualify for free transport to school where they meet ALL OF the following criteria:

1. Are ordinarily resident within Carmarthenshire (i.e. Council Tax for registered home address is paid to Carmarthenshire). The “home address” is as defined in the “Admission to School – Information for Parents” booklet published by the Local Authority Education & Schools - Carmarthenshire County Council and a “parent” as defined in Section 576 of the Education Act 1996. Please note that registered home addresses and parental responsibility² are checked at the application stage against the records held by the school and Education Authority.
2. Are of compulsory school age. By law parents and guardians must arrange for their children to receive full-time education at the beginning of the term following their 5th birthday, however transport is offered from the date of their 5th birthday. There is no entitlement to transport to learners under the age of 5. 
3. Attend the designated catchment school for their address, as defined in Carmarthenshire’s Admission to School – Information for Parents booklet and live over the “statutory distance” from the school (Refer to point 4.3 for detailed guidance).

Learners may also qualify for free transport to school where they meet ONE of the following criteria:

• Live within the “statutory distance” of the designated catchment school but there is no available walking route to school. Refer to point 4.3 for detailed guidance.
• Live within the “statutory distance” of the designated catchment school but where the medical condition of learners either prevents them from making use of the normal transport or the condition prevents them from walking the defined “statutory distance". Refer to point 4.9 and 4.10 for detailed guidance.
• Live outside of the catchment area but have additional learning needs. Refer to point 4.7 for detailed guidance.
• Have a Local Authority Individual Development Plan (not School held) /Statement of Additional Learning Needs issued by the Local Authority. Refer to point 4.7 for detailed guidance.
• Attend a Referral Unit. Refer to point 4.8 for detailed guidance.
• Is a Looked After Child and the Local Authority with corporate parental responsibility. Refer to point 4.4 for detailed guidance.
• Live outside of the catchment area but have changed address from within the catchment area during GCSE years to outside of the catchment. Refer to point 4.2 for detailed guidance.
• Live outside the catchment area but resides at more than one address, with one address located within the catchment area. Refer to point 4.15 for detailed guidance.
• Has been permanently excluded from their school. Refer to point 4.12 for detailed guidance.
• Where a learner is unable to secure a place at their catchment school because the school is full and has been formally refused admission through the school admissions process. Refer to point 4.14 for detailed guidance.

² For the purposes of this policy, parental responsibility has the meaning set out in Section 3 of the Children Act 1989 and refers to all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that a parent has in relation to a child and the child's property. Where this policy refers to a parent, it includes any person who has parental responsibility for the learner in accordance with the Children Act 1989.