Apply for school transport

If you're not entitled to travel assistance, it's your responsibility to ensure your child arrives at school in a safe and appropriate manner.

We run a concessionary scheme where spare seats on an existing school bus can be sold once all the entitled pupils have been allocated their seats. These are sold on a first come first served basis, and once a vehicle is full, it will not be able to accommodate further concessions.

Concessions are sold on a per-term basis and need to be applied for each term. Having a concession in one term does not automatically guarantee a pass for the following term. Concessions are for statutory-aged students (5 to 16) only. Students attending sixth form must apply using the P16 application.

Please note: Changes to government regulations on school transport could mean that we are unable to source vehicles which comply with the passenger vehicle accessibility requirements and therefore concessionary travel may not be available.

Prices

Full Council decided in February that there will be a change in fees for those who pay for home to school travel from 1 September 2024.

Those who apply and pay for their space during the summer application round, will pay the current fee of £267 per term or £801 for the academic year and if you remain on transport for the full academic year and pay each instalment before the start of the next term; you will continue to be charged at that rate.

For those who apply after 1 September, you will be charged at the new fee of £434 per term or £1,300 for the academic year. This equates to approximately £6.60 a day and will allow the change in fees to roll out gradually giving parents the time and space to plan for the change in fee; and to consider alternative transport options.

Read the minutes from Full Council (PDF)

Don't pay until we've offered you a seat. Once we've offered you a seat, you need to pay within 5 working days. If we don't receive your payment in time, your seat may be offered to someone else.

When and how to apply

Applications should not be made earlier than two weeks before the start of a term for travel in that term. Applications made outside of this time will not be considered.

Please be aware that concessionary travel is not a guaranteed form of transport. Passes are not issued until after the start of term and alternative arrangements need to be in place before a pass arrives. Concessionary spaces can be withdrawn at any time with a minimum of two weeks’ notice.

Apply for concessionary school transport

School-provided transport or public bus services may be an alternative option in certain cases; please see below.

School-provided transport

Some schools provide their own transport for pupils who are not entitled to transport through our policy, in which case contact them directly to see what provisions are available.

Public transport

Alternatively, you can check what public service routes are available by using the Travel Line South West website (don't worry; it covers our area). This provides information on bus and train routes which may be of use to you.

Some bus services operate to and from schools at the beginning and end of the school day. Please contact the relevant service operator for details of times and fares, as these may change.

We're working to improve public transport access to other schools in the future.

Grant Palmer, serving Stratton Upper School and Samuel Whitbread Academy

Grant Palmer service 200 operates from Clophill to Samuel Whitbread Academy.

Grant Palmer service 74 operates from Northill, Ickwell and Upper Caldecote to Stratton Upper School.

72 Grant Palmer and 73 Grant Palmer operates from Moggerhanger and Potton to Sandy Secondary School. From 28 May 2024 this service will also serve Gamlingay, Wrestlingworth, Potton and Dunton to Stratton Upper School..

Stagecoach, serving Stratton Upper School, Sandy Secondary School and Samuel Whitbread Academy

Stagecoach service 9C operates from Arlesey to Samuel Whitbread Academy. Visit Stagecoach's website for more information.

Centrebus, serving Etonbury Academy and Manshead Upper School

Centrebus services 96 and 96A operate from Arlesey and Stotfold to Etonbury Academy.

Arriva, serving Etonbury Academy

Arriva service 97 operates from Stotfold and Fairfield to Etonbury Academy.

Herbert's Travel, serving Stratton Upper School

Herbert’s Travel 189 operates from Gamlingay, Wrestlingworth, Potton and Dunton to Stratton Upper School. This service will cease 28 May 2024.