11 Plus Exams Forum

We have received a letter stating that Warwickshire County Council are proposing to charge parents £660 or£700 for a bus pass for all Grammar School pupils. This is pretty outrageous and we have been urged to contact our local councillor which I have done this morning.

similar in Lancashire - they provide free transport if live over 3 miles away but only for nearest school so those going to GS have to pay

This has been true in Warwickshire for as long as I've known it - we currently pay £660 for an annual bus pass and it's been like that for the last six years. You only get a free pass if you live more than 3 miles away from the school and your chosen school is the nearest available secondary school. There's a comprenensive school less than 3 miles from us so we've never got free transport...

I'd forgotten this is only for youngsters between 8 and 16 - so sixth formers are on their own!

https://www.gov.uk/free-school-transport" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And also - in Warwickshire it can be a bit of a lottery as to whether you get a place on the bus provided by the county at all.

Magwich - do you know exactly what's changed?

yep some of the lancashire 6th formers are paying £900

Yes, very important to contact local councillors regarding this. I am very worried about finding this extra money.

What has changed is that previously if one's child passed the 11+ then the nearest QUALIFYING school was the nearest Grammar school and not the nearest secondary school. Now the nearest school will be just that whether or not it is a Grammar school.

There is no requirement for the council to fund a bus to a GS - only to your nearest secondary if it is more than three miles away.

What is the issue here?

I think it sounds like Warks is coming into line with some other areas where the nearest secondary school is considered to be a suitable school and hence the travel will only be paid / provided for that journey (if >3 miles)

ETA - this is Bradford's comment on it (there are loads of kids who live in Ilkley and travel to Skipton GS (approx 9 miles) so a big issue there)

Tom’s parents believe in selective education. They are on a low income. Tom has got
a place in a grammar school 9 miles away in a neighbouring Local Authority. There is a
suitable comprehensive school 2 miles from his home. He will not get free transport, as
his parents’ views do not count as a ‘belief’ under the Education and Inspections Act
rules.

Sorry Magwich, it's been like that for years in Warwickshire. Shottery was our closest grammar school but we've never been eligible for a free bus pass. The only exception may have been for those in the pupil premium category.

I believe there was an exception for some faith schools such as Trinity until relatively recently, but even that was withdrawn.