Transport

At Lime Academy Forest Approach we understand that a great journey to school is part of having a great day at school. Our Students that live in Borough and require transport to enable them to get to school currently use Special Educational Need (SEN) transport on behalf of the London Borough of Havering, ensuring that children and young people with SEN in the borough can get to school on time in safety and comfort.

The service operates during term time, collecting children and young people from their homes or agreed collection points, ensuring they arrive on time and ready to learn. In the afternoon, they are collected at home time and returned safely back again.

All drivers and passenger assistants are specially trained to provide transport services for children and young people with SEN.

School travel assistance

Havering provides assistance and support to eligible children and young people travelling between home and school/college in accordance with the criteria set in their Home to school transport policy.

Eligibility

Eligibility is assessed by:

• Distance
• Safety of the route
• Low income
• Mobility needs

Before applying for travel assistance you must read the full criteria given in the policy document.

School travel assistance policy

Apply for travel assistance

Criteria

Assistance may be awarded on distance if the child attends the nearest suitable school which is beyond:

• 2 miles walking distance (if aged between 5 and 8)
• 3 miles walking distance (if aged between 8 and 16)

The nearest suitable school is the school nearest to the home address that the Local Authority has deemed can meet the pupils' needs. If parents choose another school they are not eligible for transport.

The safety criterion considers the walking nature of the route when accompanied by a suitable adult. For example lack of pavements, lack of street lighting, speed of traffic, lack of safe road crossing points.

Low income is assessed on the basis of the pupil receiving free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit if the:

• The nearest suitable qualifying school is beyond 2 miles (if aged between 8 and 11)
• School is between 2 and 6 miles (if aged between 11-16 and there are not three or more suitable nearer schools)
• School is between 2 and 15 miles and is the nearest school preferred on the grounds of religion or belief (if aged 11-16)

Assistance may be awarded on mobility problems if it is considered that the pupil cannot be reasonably expected to walk to school because of their mobility problems or because of associated health issues related to their special educational needs or disability.

Types of Assistance

Assistance may be given by:

• The allocation of a seat on a vehicle
• Travel training
• Reimbursement of travel expenses; fuel reimbursement or an oyster card.

Assistance in future years

Continuing assistance with the costs of home to school/college transport cannot be guaranteed in future years. It is reviewed on an annual basis.

Appeals

If a parent or carer is dissatisfied with the outcome of the application there is an appeals process which is outlined in the policy.

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