Apply for school or college transport (young people - SEND)
You can usually get to and from school by:
- walking
- cycling
- accessing public transport
accompanied by a parent or carer if it is necessary.
If you are of complusory school age (the start of term after your fifth birthday until the last day of the academic year in which you are in year 11), your parent or care has a legal duty to make:
- sure you attend school regularly
- any necessary arrangements for you to attend school.
The following are four core categories of elgibility for travel assistance:
- statutory walking distances
- unsafe walking routes
- extended rights
- special educational needs, disability and mobility problems.
Children below the age of 5 will not be eligible for free travel assistance between their home and school. However, they might be eligible to get a free travel pass or support to travel to and from school.
Eligibility if you are attending a mainstream school
You can apply for a free travel pass if you:
- live in the borough of Slough and
- attend your nearest school and
- live more than three miles if you are aged between 8 and 16 (year 4 to year 11).
You can also apply for a free travel pass if you are:
- 8 to 11 years old (years 4 to 6) and live more than two miles from the nearest qualifying school and
- eligible free school meals or your parents receive their maximum level of Working Tax Credit.
or
- 11 to 16 years old (year 7 to year 11) and live between two and six miles from one of three “nearest qualifying schools” or two miles but less than 15 miles from the nearest suitable school preferred on religious grounds and
- eligible free school meals or your parents receive their maximum level of Working Tax Credit.
Home to school transport policy for 5-16 year olds
Local authorities have to provide free assistance with travel to and from qualifying schools and colleges if you are:
- aged 5-16
- have a special education need, disability or mobility issues and cannot be expected to walk to school.
Assistance with travel will be offered based on:
- an assessment of need
- the distance between the home and school
- the transport routes available.
How to apply
All schools except Grove Academy
You can apply online on Slough Borough Council - Citizen Portal.
If you have issues accessing or completing the application or if you need further information email educationtransport@slough.gov.uk.
The transport team will notify you of the outcome of your application within 10 working days of receipt of a correctly completed form.
Grove Academy
Please email BetterBy@slough.gov.uk to request the application pack, which includes the full eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, and an application form. The pack can be emailed or posted to you.
The application form needs to be completed in pen and posted to:
Major Infrastructure Projects
Transport
Slough Borough Council
Observatory House
25 Windsor Road
Slough SL1 2EL
There is currently no online application process.
Travel assistance if you have an EHC Plan
If you have an EHC Plan you will have an annual review to check and monitor the progress towards your:
- outcomes
- longer term aspirations.
Part of the review process will be to consider home to school transport arrangements. This review will include:
- consideration of whether you are eligible for free home to school transport in the light of any changing circumstances
- your ongoing development to help you develop independent travel skills as you get older.
The decision will be considered by a panel involving the SEND Team.
Post-16 travel
All young people carrying on their education post 16 must reapply for travel support.
‘Sixth form age’ refers to those young people who are:
- over 16 years of age and under 19 or
- continuing learners who started their programme of learning before their 19 birthday (years 12, 13, 14).
Local authorities also have a duty to encourage, enable and assist young people with learning difficulties / disabilities to participate in education and training, up to the age of 25.
Slough Borough Council transport policy uses the term ‘Post-16’ to include both:
- learners of sixth form age and
- those with learning difficulties / disabilities up to the age of 25.
Find details on Post-16 travel and concessions available on Slough Borough Council website.
