In order to assist parents in getting their child of school age to school safely and on time, the Education Authority has a policy of providing free transport to primary pupils who live one mile or more from their catchment primary school by the recognised shortest walking route. 

This policy is more generous than the law requires. This means that the provision of transport could be reviewed at any time. Parents who consider they are eligible should obtain an application form from the school or education office or visit the council website. These forms should be completed and returned before the end of February for those pupils beginning school in August to enable the appropriate arrangements to be made. Applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year but may be subject to delay whilst arrangements are made. 

Parents should note that no transport provision is made for home journeys for infants who may have a shorter day until September week end.  

Children not collected by parents are supervised until the end of the normal school day.  

Head of Education has discretion in special circumstances to grant permission for pupil’s to travel in transport provided by the authority where spare places are available and no additional costs are incurred. This is known as concessionary travel and parents are required to submit concessionary travel applications each year in the period June – July to ensure that consideration can be given to their request for concessionary transport for August. 

Parents should obtain an application form from the education office or www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk.  

Pick Up Points

Where free transport is provided it may be necessary for pupils to walk a certain distance to the vehicle pick-up points. Walking distance in total, including the distance from home to the pick-up point and from the drop-off point to the school in any one direction, will not exceed the authority’s limits (see above paragraph). It is the parents responsibility to ensure their child arrives at the pick-up point on time. It is also the parent’s responsibility to ensure the child behaves in a safe and acceptable manner while boarding, travelling and alighting from the vehicle. Misbehaviour could result in your child losing the right to free transport. 

Placing Request

The education authority does not provide transport for those pupils in receipt of a placing request other than in exceptional circumstances. 

In the case of early entry requests, if the child is offered a place in his/her catchment area school, transport will be provided in accordance with the council policy stated above.

Adverse Weather Conditions

Driver’s Responsibilities 

• In adverse weather conditions drivers MUST liaise with Head Teachers to ensure the safety of the children.
• In periods of snow and ice the driver must use his discretion to decide if a road is passable or not. He should endeavour to choose a route which gives the greatest number of children a reasonable chance of getting to school safely.
• At their own discretion drivers may abandon a morning journey and return all pupils already picked up to their homes and inform the relevant Head Teacher concerned. See bullet point below.*
• On homeward journeys pupils shall only be set down at their normal vehicle set down point. If there is a possibility that the vehicle will be unable to take the pupils to that point, contingency plans should be made with the Head Teacher.
• In the event that transport cannot continue due to blocked roads or any other obstruction, children will be instructed to stay in the vehicle until rescue can be organised.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport/East Dunbartonshire Council's Responsibilities 

• SPT will contact a Senior Officer within EDC to advise of difficulties with transport.
• Senior Officer will contact Head Teacher/s.
• Head Teachers to contact parents, where possible by text message, (at peak times there may be delays due to volume across local authorities).
• * In the event of journey being abandoned, Head Teachers will advise the driver of any change to normal home address.
• At the beginning of every session, the school should update the contact details for all parents/guardians for pupils accessing school transport. This will allow school office staff to inform parents/guardians immediately of changes due to adverse weather.
• If the inclement weather is continuous, the school will update their website on a daily basis. 

 Parental Responsibilities

• To ensure child/children are at designated pick up point (please note that in adverse weather this may differ from original point, Head Teacher will advise).
• If concerns regarding bus arrival, contact bus operator and/or school.
• Parents should ensure that they notify the school of any changes to their contact details.
• If they have not already done so, parents are advised to register for the text messaging alert system within their child’s school. 
• Where inclement weather is present and it is probable that the current pick up point is unlikely to be accessed, parents should take a common sense approach and their child/children should be taken or directed to the closest accessible pick up point within a reasonable distance.