Charging for Grammar school buses

[serendippyty]

Popping back in to say that, having found out the letters we were sent for our boys, from the transport department, there is no ambiguity at all. It simply states: I am writing in response to your recent application for transport assistance for X to attend X. I am pleased to confirm that the Local Authority will be able to provide transport for X. Confirmation of the transport arrangements will be sent to you by the Transport Operations Department in due course. I would like to take this opportunity to wish X every success at X school.

Nowhere does it say "subject to us changing our mind at the last minute or half way through his schooling - or even that this will be reassessed each year"...in fact, the last sentence implies almost the opposite - implicitly they sign off wishing him success throughout his school life there. Like the Birmingham link posted earlier, I can see legal challenges, if they try and introduce this for current students.

Interesting, I think this might mean they need to consider a phased introduction?

[Guest55]

'Providing transport' does not imply it is free!

However, in Bucks, the compromise was it was phased in ...

[kenyancowgirl]

It does to me - mainly because our application for transport assistance to them clearly states that we understand that X is entitled to free transport, like his brother X before him, due to WCC counting X school as the nearest school, as it is the nearest GS and X has achieved selection and been offered a place there.

And that is the crux of the Birmingham argument. The Council has not made it clear and therefore it can be argued the expectation is that it will be provided free for the entire period (this is/was in fact our belief).

If they want to phase it in, they need to start phasing, (with a contribution from parents initially, not the full whack straight off), starting with people who are applying for entry next year, leaving the current cohort (including those who have already applied for this year) as is, in my opinion. And then, spend the next year helping support the schools and charities to introduce schemes that continue to allow access to the schools for people who fall between the extremes of "benefits entitlement" and "wealthy".

[Amber]

As far as I'm aware it has never been free here (Gloucestershire). and we pay more than £660 a year for our sons to get a bus to their GS. Sorry to be harsh but most people whose children go to grammar schools have shelled out for tutoring, and according to widely available demographic data not many are on the breadline. In fact those who are in financial hardship are likely to get some assistance with transport costs. This is just another manifestation of the inequalities within our education system and priorities have to be set somewhere. Many whose children don't have access to grammar schools might consider that bussing privileged (and, usually, relatively wealthy, ie in relation to the average) children to 'better' schools miles from their homes doesn't constitute a fiscal priority in times of economic difficulty.

Taxes in this country are relatively low for the amount of return we expect on them and no one likes the difficult questions of where the axe should fall. With a health service free at the point of delivery being the (enormously expensive, some may argue unsustainably so) holy grail of all UK politics, before you even look at things like welfare, roads and sending the army off to various middle eastern countries, it is surprising we can afford schools, let alone buses to take children to them.

[FelixJ]

Hi all now the budget has been approved, does anyone know what has been agreed re transport to grammar schools? FelixJ

[dobspoon]

I just spoke with the Warks Transport people who sound remarkably like the Admissions people! They told me that anyone in South Warwickshire (so if your catchment school is a South Warks school e.g. Stratford School for us) going to a South grammar school will be considered to be attending their 'nearest qualifying school' and as such will get a free bus pass for September. I asked about the rumoured changes and they said they could only comment on the position as it is now.

Let's hope we get one of those legally binding letters...

[Sillygoose]

Just had the next £660 bill.... sigh. All for living literally a few feet in Worcestershire but still nearer AGS than many Warwickshire parents getting it free. The whole county based system sucks!

[Yamin151]

Oh dear, are you Bidford or Dunnington then? To be really annoying, we re only a few feet into Warwickshire (well, 200 yds)

[Warks mum]

Those travelling from Kenilworth will have to pay £750 to get the bus to the Stratford Grammar schools this year as the Council has chosen not to run our school bus service any more - and that's assuming your child can get a seat

[Sillygoose]

Oh dear, are you Bidford or Dunnington then? To be really annoying, we re only a few feet into Warwickshire (well, 200 yds)

North, Redditch. Worse we are hoping to get DD in next year so will be an astonishing £1320 a year just getting kids actually to school door (glad I stopped at 2!!!). I guess that's why it stings when the school ask for money for this and that, I know its not the schools fault but on top of all the mandatory costs sometimes it almost feels like Private school.