School Travel Support – March 2024 Update

In December 2023 we told you we were supporting over 1500 children each day with school travel support and that number is now 1620 and this is 80 more children per day than the same time last year.  So far this academic year the team have received 307 applications for transport support.  Each application is reviewed by the panel individually to firstly agree if the child is entitled or not and if they are, to consider which transport option could be suitable for their needs.  The December update included information about eligibility criteria and this can be found here.

In January we attended a Parent and Carer Q&A session produced in partnership with PACA MK, which gave families an opportunity to meet the team and ask specific questions around transport arrangements.  The session was beneficial for those who attended and families gave some ideas for situations when agreeing and managing pick up/drop off times for those on shared vehicles where one party is really late/really early.  A fact sheet is currently being devised and will be shared with families and providers for September 2024 transport to detail our expectations in this types of situations to give those involved more information and confidence to follow the process.   

Spotlight On – September 2024 Transport

In January the team restarted our annual project to plan for September transport and have a project group of colleagues from across Children’s Services to share data and relevant information to arrange transport for September 2024. There is lots of work to do between now and then so the group is hard at work currently identifying who needs/might need transport in September to then review applications and create draft transport plans to share with families and schools for further comments and advice.

Group A - What does this mean for families who are new to transport or moving schools? Depending on your current transport arrangement, there could be different processes to follow.  These are listed below –

Brand new to any transport support from Milton Keynes City Council, think you meet the eligibility criteria and a public bus pass is suitable – Bus Pass application form

Brand new to any transport support from Milton Keynes City Council, think you meet the eligibility criteria and a public bus pass is unsuitable – Alternative/SEN application form

Currently receiving transport, other than a bus pass, and am moving to another school (which is your nearest qualifying school) – Alternative/SEN application form

Group B - What does this mean for families who are not moving schools? We do not expect or request for all families to re-apply for transport every year but we will need to periodically check in with families to ensure the support you receive is still suitable. This is usually 2 or 3 years for most children.  Please refer to your original offer letter as that will include a review date or contact the team if you are unsure. 

If it is the time for us to complete our review, we have created a ‘renewal agreement’ and this is a very short Microsoft Form that takes under 5 minutes to complete.  This form is emailed to families and completion of the document is our way of having confirmation from each family that the form of transport you are currently receiving is suitable.  Please check email folders for these forms and complete them in a timely manner so we can arrange our transport efficiently.  If you think the email address we have on file has since changed or you need support completing the form, please contact the team on sts@milton-keynes.gov.uk.  We will also be following up via telephone, post and contact via others such as SEN caseworkers or schools to ensure we have all the response.  If the transport option currently offered is not appropriate, you will need to complete a new Alternative/SEN application form.

For both Group A and B, if any families have not completed the appropriate form for their needs then we cannot guarantee transport will be in place for September, even for those currently receiving transport so please complete the forms or contact the team for further advice. 

What else is coming up?

Following a number of focus sessions in schools, we are currently reviewing our options for independent travel to schools that includes training for public buses, ‘buddy’ schemes on MK Connect and a brand new Bike Scheme.  The team have been busy investigating some of the approaches other Local Authorities have used successfully for similar schemes and we hope to provide more details very soon.  We always appreciate receiving feedback that can support our families and we would like to say a big thank you to colleagues from SEND and Youth Participation for arranging the sessions and more importantly to all the students that contributed!