Anyone know about transport?

[fiorelli]

Wondering if anyone can help me out.

 

Basically, L boards at a school a 40 min (on a good run) drive away. LEA chose this school, said it was the nearest one to meet his needs.

 

Transport is provided for L, on a Monday to school and a Friday home from school. LA refuse to do any more than this. - e.g. if resi is closed for some reason, like at the beginning of term, the school was open, but resi was closed for staff training, and again was closed for safety reasons as they had a problem with the fire doors. Or if a child has to come home to attend a medical appointment, LA refuse to provide transport to get resi pupils to and from school. We are told that it is down to us to get our child to school in these instances, and if we can't then the child will be marked down as 'authorised absense'. (L has had 3 days like this so far this school year). The last time it happened, we were told by LA that the only way transport would be provided would be if the school paid for it.

 

I was wondering if anyone knew whether the above is legal. Also, if a child has a medical appointment that simply cannot be made for out of school hours, can/should transport be provided to get them to/from school - esp. in the case of a boarder?

 

Thanks xx

[Kazzen161]

In the case of medical appointments, then I would guess it is down to the parents (but as my son had to register with a Doctor where the school/college was, the school took him to appointments mostly).

 

I can't understand why the resi bit would be closed if the school is open, as it is bound to cause problems. I guess the LA would argue that they pay for the resi provision and it should be open when the school is, so if the resi bit is shut then the school should pay. Why do the school and resi bit not have the same INSET days? Surely it would not be practical for some children to go home every night if the resi bit is shut when the school is open (eg: if they lived a long way away) - what do they do?

 

Is it an LEA school or an independent one?

[fiorelli]

In the case of medical appointments, then I would guess it is down to the parents (but as my son had to register with a Doctor where the school/college was, the school took him to appointments mostly).

 

I can't understand why the resi bit would be closed if the school is open, as it is bound to cause problems. I guess the LA would argue that they pay for the resi provision and it should be open when the school is, so if the resi bit is shut then the school should pay. Why do the school and resi bit not have the same INSET days? Surely it would not be practical for some children to go home every night if the resi bit is shut when the school is open (eg: if they lived a long way away) - what do they do?

 

Is it an LEA school or an independent one?

 

Kazzen, it is an LEA school.

 

the medical appointments are for CAMHS, hospital appointments for paed, hearing etc. which for obvious reasons can only be booked for when the clinics are held. (what prompted my question, is that I find ourselves in a position whereby L has to miss a days schooling a week over the course of 4 weeks because of different appointments for different people - I have to go and pick him up the evening before the appointment, and drive him back after his appointment. The last one, he ended up only having an hours worth of school, but as I have 2 other children at school, there is absolutely no way I could get him there for 9.00am the next day)

 

As for school and resi inset days, this is the first time that resi had different ones to the school. The other ones, as I said, have been when resi has had to close for health and safety reasons - once because of the issue with the fire doors and another time because they were having all the bathrooms refitted over a half term, but had to close early in order to clear everything.

[Kazzen161]

The med ones, I think you may just have to do your best, as you are.

 

The other closures, where it is the resi parts choice to close the school - I would say transport should be provided - whether paid by LA or school is up to them to argue about (as it is a LA school) - though the usual taxi may not be available at short notice anyway.

 

The school does not sound very well organised. I am sure that the LEA would not be happy if one of the independent resi schools kept shutting. Several of the pupils at T's resi school came from the other end of the country, so there would be no way they could have come in daily if the resi part was shut.

 

I would call the LA and ask them for a copy of their transport policy and see what it says about this.