Questions and answers: home to school transport

Nearest school

How should I apply for schools when I need to apply for school transport?

You should always apply for the nearest school(s), so the preferences you make, should be ordered by nearest distance(s) to meet the HTST Policy eligibility for transport. If your 2nd or 3rd preferences are further than a nearer school, we deem this parental choice. We have provided examples below.

You must apply for your nearest school as your first preferred school if:

• this school is available and nearest, you could be eligible for transport
• the first school is available but not their nearest (e.g. catchment), then you would not be eligible for transport

You must apply for your second nearest school as your second preferred school if:

• the first preferred school does not have places and the admissions service offer the second preferred school (then only if this school is your second nearest, then you could be eligible for transport)
• the second school is offered but not your second nearest school, then you would not be eligible for transport

You must apply for your third nearest school as your third preferred school if:

• the first/second preferred schools do not have places and the admissions service offer the third preferred school (then only if this school is your third nearest, then you could be eligible for transport)
• the third school is offered but not their third nearest school, then you would not be eligible for transport

When we say 'could be eligible' this means you still need to live:

• 2 miles from the school if your child is under 8 or 3 miles from the school if your child is 8 or older (the statutory walking distances are measured by the shortest available walking route)
• in an area where there are no viable walking routes

Due to the complexities of oversubscribed schools and/or 2:3-tier provisions, if we offer a different named school, to your named preferences, then this is treated as an LA placement, and we consider this to be the nearest ‘available’ school for transport eligibility. We also consider whether the nearest school is a 2 or 3-tier provision (as the LA would not, where possible, offer a pupil a place in a 2-tier school when attending a 3-tier school and living within a 3-tier cluster).

How do I know which school is my nearest school to apply for?

We have a postcode lookup to find your nearest school. Please note, the postcode search results are indicative of the nearest school(s) which is determined by the centre of a postcode.

Postcode lookup for primary, lower and middle schools

Postcode lookup for middle, upper and secondary schools

The distance to a school may vary, either shorter or longer from your specific address, or 2 schools could serve one postcode. For accurate results, contact us.

Important note: if your child is attending a 3-tier school, see 3:2-tier school transport section below.

My nearest school is oversubscribed, where should I apply instead?

You should apply for your nearest school to be eligible for transport. If the school is oversubscribed, we will offer you the next ‘available and suitable’ nearest school – this place if accepted, would become your nearest school for transport eligibility purposes.

Important note: If you choose to apply/attend a school that is further way or to not accept the first place offered – the school you choose will not be considered for transport eligibility purposes, and it will be your responsibility for transport from home to school. If your child is attending a 3-tier school, see 3:2-tier school transport FAQ below.

3:2-tier school transport

My child attends a 3-tier middle school, but the nearest school is a secondary (2-Tier). Do I have to apply for the nearest school to be eligible for transport?

Our admissions service would not where possible, offer a pupil a 2-tier school place when they attend a 3-tier school and live within a 3-tier cluster, so this place (if accepted) would become the pupils nearest suitable school for transport eligibility.

On your school transport application, you should apply for your nearest 3-Tier upper school.

If your first-choice school is the nearest 3-tier provision and a place is offered – this will be considered the nearest school for transport eligibility purposes.

If your first-choice school is the nearest 3-tier provision but not available – the place we offer is considered your nearest school. You would need to accept the offered place for transport eligibility purposes.

Important note: If you choose to attend a school that is further way or to not accept the first place offered – the school you choose will not be considered for transport eligibility purposes, and it will be your responsibility for transport from home to school.

Honoured transport arrangements

My child attends a catchment school and was in receipt of school transport, when the Home to School Transport Policy was updated to remove catchment. Are they still eligible for transport?

We have a commitment to all pupils that were in receipt of transport when our policy was approved, to honour transport arrangements until they leave their current school (or up to year 11). 

Important note: You must re-apply for transport each academic year, otherwise the existing arrangement will be cancelled.

My child is part of the honoured transport arrangement, and my younger child will be starting at the same school – how do they apply for transport?

The council has a commitment to families where younger siblings will attend the same school, at the same time (an overlap) of an existing transport user with an honoured transport arrangement.
This arrangement is only where the siblings have an overlap (older sibling still attending the school when the younger sibling starts). Where there will be no overlap (e.g. the older sibling leaves before the younger sibling starts) transport will not be provided to the younger sibling under this arrangement. Transport will be honoured for the younger sibling until they leave the school (or up to year 11).

Important note: You must re-apply for transport each academic year, otherwise the existing arrangement will be cancelled.