A guide for parents and carers on admissions to Secondary School

SCHOOL TRANSPORTReading Borough Council recognises theimportance of encouraging sustainable travelto school to improve the safety <strong>and</strong> healthof our children, as well as reducing the levelsof traffic on the roads. As a result, we havepublished a Sustainable Modes of TravelStrategy outlining how we are promotingwalking, cycling <strong>and</strong> the use of publictransport to travel to <strong>and</strong> from school. Thisdocument is also supported by individualschool travel plans setting out how eachschool intends to encourage children totravel sustainably.The Sustainable Modes of Travel Strategycan be found on the following link:http://www.reading.gov.uk/sustainableschooltravelEligibility <strong>for</strong> free home to schooltransportIt is the Local Authority where a pupil orstudent lives - the ‘Home LA’ - that isresponsible <strong>for</strong> any financial help withtransport, <strong>and</strong> not the LA where they attendschool or college. This means we can onlyprovide free home to school transport toeligible Reading Borough Council residents.We cannot provide free home to schooltransport to pupils who attend a ReadingBorough Council school, but who liveoutside the Borough.For pupils aged 11-16 years, help withtransport will be considered where yourchild meets ONE of the following criteria:a) Children who are receiving FreeSchool Meals or whose <strong>parents</strong> arereceiving the maximum level ofworking tax credit will be entitled totransport assistance provided that thecriteria relating to distance <strong>and</strong>attendance at an appropriate schoolare fulfilled.Pupils must be attending one of theirthree nearest qualifying schools <strong>and</strong>live more than two miles but lessthan six miles from that school – orto the nearest school preferred byreason of a parent’s religion or beliefup to a maximum of 15 miles fromthe child’s home.Proof of entitlement will need to bemade be<strong>for</strong>e the start of eachacademic year.If benefit entitlement is withdrawn,transport assistance will continue tothe end of the academic year <strong>and</strong>any further entitlement will be basedon the general transport policy.Further details available from theTransport Officer.b) has been allocated a place at thedesignated area school, <strong>and</strong> thedesignated area school is further than3 miles safe walking distance from thepupil’s home; orc) has been allocated a place at thenearest maintained denominationalschool that is the same denominationas the parent(s) <strong>and</strong> the<strong>parents</strong>(s) can provide evidencefrom their religious leader to confirmthey are practising members of thisdenomination <strong>and</strong> the nearestdenominational school is more than 3miles safe walking distance, but lessthan 12 miles straight line distancefrom the pupil’s home; ord) Where the <strong>parents</strong>/<strong>carers</strong> have namedthe designated area school as one oftheir preferences but a place is notoffered because the school is full, RBCwill divert to the nearest availableschool with places. In theseIf you have any queries please contact the Admissions Team on 0118 937 2550 or email: admissions.team@reading.gov.ukApply online at www.reading.gov.uk/schooladmissions 66