N.B. Please note, the deadline for this consultation was extended to 29 March 2024.
Brighter Futures for Children is seeking families’ views on proposed changes to its school transport policy. The consultation is open until Sunday 17 March 2024 and is related to the following proposals:
- That free transport entitlement for pupils attending Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge School is removed
- That travel assistance entitlement for eligible pupils is clarified and means an offer of a bus pass or school bus at a pickup point, with an expectation for active travel as part of a child’s healthy development
- That the policy clarifies the exceptional circumstances required to access any exceptional additional support in addition to travel assistance
- That the policy clarifies that parents are liable for costs incurred by Brighter Futures for Children on behalf of Reading Borough Council if children did not access travel assistance provided
- That the policy clarifies that students are not entitled to travel assistance post-16 except in appropriately-evidenced, exceptional circumstances.
Brian Grady, Director of Education at BFfC, said: “We are seeing increased pressures on transport budgets across the country, and local school place options have changed since the introduction of the free transportation to Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge school.
“It is important to us that the views of children and young people, alongside their families and carers who may be affected by the proposals, are carefully considered before any decision is made.”
A copy of the proposed new policy and a summary of changes can be found on the BFfC website, along with a short series of consultation questions and the current school transport policy. Please send responses to this consultation to School.Transport@brighterfuturesforchildren.org by midnight on 17 March 2024.