A safe home to school journey

You may feel worried about your child travelling to and from school, particularly if your child has not travelled without you before.  Whatever form of transport assistance is provided, your child's safety and welfare will always be the first priority.

In particular, we will ensure that:

• drivers and escorts
  • have undergone police clearance for work with children
  • carry identity cards 
  • are aware of their duties, particularly in emergency situations 
  • are familiar with safety and emergency equipment and have a recognised first aid qualification
• licences and permits are obtained by us for all public services vehicles
• wherever possible, regular drivers will be used on most routes 
• you are informed in advance of changes in pick-up and drop off times/stops 
• seatbelts will be provided in all vehicles where this is a legal requirement, and in as many vehicles as possible in advance of a legal requirement to provide

Special seat and harness

If your child's Statement of Special Needs and transport assessment specifies that a special seat or harness is required for use in the vehicle, this will be provided by the Pupil Services Team.  If your child's needs change so that a seat or harness (or different seat or harness) are subsequently required, you should contact the Pupil Services Team in the first instance.  The address is listed below.

Escorts

An escort will be provided on your child's vehicle if it is felt that without an escort, there would be a risk to the health or safety of your child or other children on the vehicle.  It is the escort's role to support and befriend your child and act toward him/her, as would a caring and responsible parent.

If, you are concerned that your child may find travelling without you upsetting, it may on some occasions be possible for you to travel with your child for the first few journeys until he or she gets to know the driver and the journey.  You should contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this page if this applies to you.

Behaviour on the vehicle

For reasons of health and safety, your child must wear a seatbelt when supplied.  They must not:

• smoke on school transport 
• drop litter inside the vehicle 
• play music or musical instruments 
• eat or drink on the vehicle, unless because of medical needs
• stand up in the vehicle whilst it is moving 
• misbehave or use inappropriate language towards fellow passengers

If your child were to misbehave persistently on the school vehicle, or act in such a way that it is no longer safe to transport him/her, then we reserve the right to withdraw the transport provision - either on a temporary or permanent basis.  If your child's transport were to be withdrawn, it would be your responsibility to transport your child to and from school.  You would have the right to appeal against an exclusion from transport. 

Please note that in the unlikely event of withdrawal of transport, this would not excuse your child from attending school.  The legal responsibility for ensuring a child's attendance at school rests with the parent(s).

If the vehicle breaks down on the journey

If the vehicle breaks down, it is the driver's responsibility to summon assistance.  The escort will ensure that your child waits in the vehicle until a replacement vehicle arrives - unless by doing so, he or she would be at risk of physical injury.

Where a break down will result in your child being very late home, every effort will be made to give you warning of this by telephone.

How you can help us

Parents can play an important role in ensuring the smooth running of your child's transport arrangement by:

• making sure that your child is ready for the vehicle at home five minutes before the pick-up time. The transport can wait no more than five minutes after the scheduled pick up time as this would delay the journey for other passengers
• ensuring that visits to the toilet have been completed shortly before the  vehicle arrives
• always being at the drop off point to meet your child at the end of the school day. It is essential that, if you are not able to be at home or at the arranged stop to meet your child, you make alternative arrangements for a responsible adult known to the child to meet them instead.  The transport cannot wait for longer than five minutes at each dropping-off point, as other families may become anxious if the vehicle does not meet its planned schedule
• telephoning the vehicle contractor and us, as soon as possible if your child is sick or unable to attend school for any reason
• ensuring that your child understands the standard of behaviour that is expected of him/her whilst travelling to and from school
• advising the escort if there may be a particular difficulty with your child on a specific day, and of any particular issues or circumstances which you feel will affect his/her behaviour or reactions on the journey
• ensuring that your child is made aware of the need to listen and to obey instructions given by the escort on the journey

Contact us

For more information about transport for school contact us using our online contact form or by using the contact details below:

e-mail: hometoschooltravel@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Telephone: 01902 554139, 01902 554202, 01902 554154, 01902 551219
Fax: 01902 550323
Minicom: 01902 555554

Write or visit:

Wolverhampton City Council
Pupil and Student Services Team
Children and Young People Services
Civic Centre
St.Peter's Square
Wolverhampton
WV1 1RR

Location map of Pupil and Student Services.