Transport

 

To/From School: You as a parent/carer will be expected to arrange transport for your child to and from school in accordance with their personalised timetable. In some circumstances a bus pass may be available to your child paid for by Lancashire County Council (free of charge to you) and you will be advised about eligibility at your admissions meeting. Please ask about popular bus routes already in use by pupils at our school. Otherwise you can visit websites for Stagecoach Bus and Preston Bus to find out which services suit your needs.

Travelling by Bus

As a pupil of Larches High School, your child may be eligible for a bus pass. This would enable your child to catch a bus near to your home and travel a reasonable time to and from School.

If Eligible,

• Your child will be given a yearly bus pass that gives them access to buses for the whole of the school year. The first bus pass each academic year will be free of charge, if your child is eligible. If your child loses or intentionally damages their bus pass, you are responsible for paying a replacement fee:
• A bus pass will be issued to your child, within the first two weeks of your child starting at Larches High School. Your child will be given:
  • Bus Pass
  • Copy of their current timetable

Your child is responsible for looking after the bus pass issued to them, keeping it safe and in good condition. Damaged passes, may mean refusal to travel by the bus company.

Your child should not swap bus passes or give their pass to any other child to use.

Your child should see a member of staff if their pass is damaged, lost or stolen. See replacement fee*

Your child’s behaviour should be appropriate for travelling on public transport and the Bus Code of Behaviour terms detailed below apply to public transport.

BUS TRAVEL CODE OF CONDUCT Don’t swear, use loud voices or verbally abuse any other passenger or the bus driver. Don’t use physical violence, be threatening or intimidating to any other passenger or the bus driver. Don’t play loud music, have loud inappropriate telephone calls whilst on the bus. Inappropriate behaviour, misuse of transport or reports from the bus companies detailing any behaviour, as above, will result in the bus pass being taken off your child. In this instance, you will then be responsible for the cost of transporting your child to and from school.

*Bus Pass replacement charge – £20.00 cash is directly payable to the School Office (Reduced to £15 for those in receipt of Free School Meals)It can take 7-10 days for a replacement bus pass to arrive in the school office. Until the replacement pass arrives, you will also be responsible for all bus fares into and from school.

Travelling by LCC Taxi

If you have a contracted taxi service supplied by Lancashire County Council you are expected to comply with the terms of use stated in the Pupil Admission Pack that you and your child will be asked to read, sign and return to school. These terms are set out below for your information and reference:

• Transport will be to and from venues stipulated by the Headteacher and cannot be changed without prior agreement being sought and agreed.
• Please do not attempt to make any changes to your child’s taxi service. Taxi companies cannot take instructions directly from parent(s)/carer(s) or children.
• Any alterations to transport arrangements are to be notified by the parent to the school as early as possible for any agreed amendments to be made.
• Where a pupil’s behaviour is causing such a concern that they need to be removed from the provision, parents will be contacted in the first instance to collect their child and arrangements made for the journey home.
• In circumstances where a parent is required to take a pupil for a medical appointment transport will not be provided.

Where transport has been provided in the form of a taxi, the arrangements will be reviewed after six weeks for each individual pupil. In addition if:

1. The average attendance of the pupil during a six week period is less than 60%, assistance with the transport will be withdrawn.
2. The taxi is provided on three consecutive days and the pupil does not use the taxi then the transport assistance will be withdrawn, unless the Headteacher requests that the taxi continue.

TAXI TRAVEL CODE OF CONDUCT Be ready before the taxi is due and ensure that you are able to see/hear the taxi has arrived Ensure the taxi driver is able to establish that you are aware they have arrived. Always wear a seat belt. Pupils travelling alone, sit in the back of the taxi. Do not distract the driver. No smoking, vaping, eating or drinking in the taxi. Listen to and follow instructions so everyone keeps safe. Use only the taxi provided for you. Do not ask the taxi driver to transport anybody else. Do not ask the taxi driver to transport anywhere other than the agreed route. Use taxi/transport respectfully – be polite – verbal abuse, offensive language or inappropriate comments will not be tolerated. Transport will be withdrawn if Codes of Conduct are not followed and a risk assessment conducted. This may cause delays to reinstatement of a service.  You will be responsible for transporting your child during this time. Every attempt is made by the school and the Pupil Access Team for the transport service to run as smoothly as possible but on occasion delays or errors can occur and we would appreciate your patience and understanding in these instances.

Travelling with Our Staff

It may, on occasion, be necessary for a member of staff from Larches High School to transport your child in either Lancashire County Council transport, such as a minibus or in a member of staff’s own car. Reasons for this may be, for example:

• Lessons at another site, college or work experience placement.
• Outdoor activities, swimming, PE etc.
• Interagency meeting eg SEN review.
• Medical at a Health Centre for Looked After Children.
• Pupils having to be taken home by Larches High School Staff

If your child’s behaviour is causing such concern that they have to be excluded from the site that they are attending you will be contacted and asked to collect them.  It is appreciated that you may not have a car or you may not be able to collect them for other reasons. In this case Larches High School staff may take your child home in their own car or in a taxi.

Conditions under which your child would be transported Larches High School’s Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPV – max 8 seater) or a staff’s own vehicle driven by a member of staff with the Head Teacher’s permission. All Larches High School staff using their own cars have the correct insurance which has been checked by the Headteacher and a record placed in the member of staff’s file. Lancashire County Council Minibuses are only driven by staff who have passed a special test with Lancashire County Council called MIDAS – Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme. Private hire vehicles meet all of the requirements of Lancashire County Council. Your child is only taken home if arrangements have been made over the phone with yourself or with another adult that you have indicated on the Pupil Admission Pack.