BOROUGH OF POOLE
LEARNING OVERVIEW GROUP
ON 2 SEPTEMBER 2003 AT 1900 HOURS
COMMITTEE SUITE, CIVIC CENTRE, POOLE
REPORT OF HEAD OF PUPIL AND PARENT SUPPORT
ON FUNDAMENTAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT FUNCTION
1. /

INTRODUCTION

1.1 / The Borough of Poole, as a unitary authority, is a Passenger Transport Authority, an Education and Social Services Authority and also has powers to provide support for community and other voluntary sector transport. Since April 2000, the Borough has had the power to create pooled budgets with health agencies in respect of transport.
2. /

DECISIONS REQUIRED

2.1 / For Members to read and accept the information provided on those action points which have been completed.
2.2 / For Members to make a recommendation to Cabinet to consult schools and other interested parties on the proposal that the automatic right to transport to grammar and denominational schools be removed and that a ‘hardship fund’ be established to provide support for those families with a genuine need. The released funds to be delegated to school budgets.
2.3 / For Members to note the progress which has been made in establishing a formal collaborative partnership focussing on effective transport provision for 16+ students.
3. /

BACKGROUND

3.1 / Poole is a low funded education authority, ranked 142nd of 150 LEAs in funding available per pupil. Transportation costs are disproportionately high for a small urban authority. Therefore the redirection of funds from discretionary transport budgets to school budgets should be considered as a possible outcome of the transport review. The report explores options to reduce spending in two budgets, transport to grammar schools (£278,540) and transport to denominational schools (£143,388).
3.2 / As part of its 5-year Best Value Review plan, the Council commissioned The TAS Partnership Limited to undertake a fundamental reappraisal of all aspects of the Borough’s Education and Social Services transport provision, including policies, co-ordination, management, procurement and delivery.
3.3 / The review found that, generally, the provision of passenger transport services in Poole is well managed and a large part of the approach in Poole meets ‘best practice’ with regard to Audit Commission recommendations. Although cost increases are being experienced, these are in line with national averages and the unit costs in Poole appear representative of national figures.
3.4 / Specific areas for development were highlighted in the report, with detailed action plans for completion by the relevant Service Unit ie Pupil and Parent Support, Transportation Services (Passenger Transport) or Social Services.
3.5 / This report refers specifically to those action points directly allocated to Pupil and Parent Support, or those allocated to other Service Units which may have an impact on Pupil and Parent Support.
4. /

Transport to Grammar Schools

4.1 / The TAS report recommended a review of policy on free transport to grammar schools as there are perceived inequalities which have also been commented on by OFSTED. For example, a pupil gaining a place at a grammar school will very likely be entitled to free transport, but a pupil who is unsuccessful in gaining a place and is then unable to obtain a place at their catchment area school will not be offered transport to an alternative school.
4.2 / For pupils living in the Borough of Poole, free transport is provided to either Poole or Parkstone Grammar School if they live more than three miles away (by shortest available walking route).
4.3 / A small group of pupils receive free transport to the Bournemouth grammar schools because they are closer than the Poole equivalents, but still more than three miles away.
4.4 / Pupils who live in the catchment area for Bearwood Primary School may also receive free transport to the Bournemouth grammar schools because Bearwood is traditionally a feeder school for the Bournemouth secondary system. Pupils leave Bearwood at the end of Year 6 and to attend a Poole secondary school (from the beginning of Year 8) would therefore have to complete a year at a Poole middle school first.
4.5 / For the academic year 2002-2003 approximate expenditure on grammar school transport is as follows:
Parkstone Grammar School: £141,388
Poole Grammar School: £120,504
Bournemouth School for Boys: £5,117
Bournemouth School for Girls: £11,531
Total: £278,540
4.6 / Option 1:
Continue to provide transport to support attendance at grammar schools – costs are currently as indicated above but are likely to rise annually at or above the level of inflation.
Option 2:
View attendance at grammar schools as a matter of parental preference and remove any entitlement to free transport – saving of £278,540.
Option 3:
Continue to provide transport only in cases where the grammar school is the nearest appropriate school.
Example 1: A pupil lives in the catchment area for Corfe Hills School, which is 3.5 miles away. He obtains a place at Poole Grammar School, which is 3.2 miles away. Transport would be provided.
Example 2: A pupil lives in the catchment area for Rossmore Community College, which is 1.2 miles away. She obtains a place at Parkstone Grammar School, which is 3.1 miles away. Transport would not be provided.
This could represent considerable potential savings, although these would be time-consuming to calculate. It could be argued that this approach is unfairly biased towards those pupils whose designated schools have large catchment areas.
Option 4:
Continue to provide transport only for those pupils who live more than three miles away and whose parents are in receipt of means-tested benefits. Based on a national average of 12% of the population being in receipt of benefits, this represents a potential saving of £245,115.
Option 5:
Continue to provide transport for all pupils who live more than three miles away but request a financial contribution from all except those who are in receipt of means tested benefits.
With 425 pupils currently receiving free transport to grammar schools, assuming an annual contribution of £114 (the current charge for concessionary transport) and allowing for 12% of families to be in receipt of benefits, this represents a potential income of £42,636.
Option 6:
Remove any automatic entitlement to free transport and establish a ‘hardship fund’ to allow the provision of support for those with a genuine need. The criteria for support to be provided would need to be considered very carefully, but could include:
·  being in receipt of means-tested benefits;
·  being in receipt of a low income generally;
·  an unexpected and unplanned incident which has caused severe financial difficulties;
·  having a child come to live with them unexpectedly and at short notice.
Option 7:
Continue to provide transport to grammar schools, but limit it to those schools located within the Borough of Poole. This represents a potential saving of £16,648. However, the legislation and guidance relating to school transport refers to ‘nearest suitable school’, so there may be difficulties associated with refusing to provide transport to a school outside the Borough of Poole which is actually closer to the child’s home than the nearest Poole equivalent. The legal ramifications of this are currently being investigated by Legal Services.
4.7 / Any significant change in policy would require full consultation with those likely to be affected and a phased introduction. Those currently in receipt of support would ‘age out’ rather than have the benefit removed.
5. /

Transport to Denominational Schools

5.1 / TAS have suggested that policy on transport to denominational schools be reviewed, even though it may only make a marginal difference to costs.
5.2 / Any authority is required to give consideration to a parent’s wish for their child “to be provided with education at a school or institution in which the religious education provided is that of the religion or denomination to which his parent adheres.” (Education Act 1996)
5.3 / This does not constitute a specific legal requirement to provide transport to denominational schools – several local education authorities have withdrawn their transport provision to denominational schools.
5.4 / Provision of transport to denominational schools has historically been considered part of a reciprocal arrangement with local diocesan authorities, who contribute financially to the upkeep and running of denominational schools.
5.5 / Pupils living in the Borough of Poole receive free transport to St Edward’s School if they live more than three miles away (by shortest available walking route) and can provide appropriate evidence of their denominational status.
5.6 / Some pupils receive free transport to St Peter’s School, because it is nearer than St Edward’s, but still more than three miles away.
5.7 / Pupils who live in the catchment area for Bearwood Primary School, but have opted for a denominational education, may also receive free transport to St Peter’s School because Bearwood is traditionally a feeder school for the Bournemouth secondary system and therefore has the same transfer age. Pupils leave Bearwood at the end of Year 6 and to attend St Edward’s (from the beginning of Year 8) would therefore have to complete a year at a Poole middle school first.
5.8 / Some pupils may be eligible for free transport to a denominational primary school outside the Borough of Poole. For example, St Catherine’s Primary, Colehill, is closer than the Poole equivalent, but still meets the minimum distance for transport to be provided. This can then create a problem with the Borough being ‘locked in’ to providing transport when the pupil transfers to secondary school – the pupil invariably has to attend St Peter’s due to differences in the age of transfer outlined in 4.7. As a result the Borough meets the daily cost of transport to Southbourne.
5.9 / For the academic year 2002-2003, approximate expenditure on denominational transport is as follows:
St Aldhelm’s Combined School: £3,213
St Catherine’s Primary School: £13,007
St Edward’s School: £43,878
St Joseph’s Combined School: £3,403
St Mary’s Combined School: £63,784
St Peter’s School: £16,103
Total: £143,388
5.10 / Option 1:
Continue to provide transport to support attendance at denominational schools – costs are currently as indicated above but are likely to rise annually at or above the cost of inflation.
Option 2:
View attendance at denominational schools as a matter of parental preference and remove any entitlement to free transport – saving of £143,388.
Option 3:
Continue to provide transport only in cases where the denominational schools is the nearest appropriate school.
Example 1: A pupil lives in the catchment area for Corfe Hills School, which is 3.4 miles away. He obtains a place at St Edward’s School, which is 3.2 miles away. Transport would be provided.
Example 2: A pupil lives in the catchment area for Carter Community School, which is 1.5 miles away. She obtains a place at St Edward’s School, which is 3.3 miles away. Transport would not be provided.
This could represent a considerable potential saving, although this would be time-consuming to calculate. It could be argued that this approach is unfairly biased towards those pupils whose designated schools have large catchment areas.
Option 4:
Continue to provide transport only for those pupils who live more than three miles away and whose parents are in receipt of means-tested benefits. Based on a national average of 12% of the population being in receipt of benefits, this represents a potential saving of £126,181.
Option 5:
Continue to provide transport for all pupils who live more than three miles away but request a financial contribution from all except those who are in receipt of means-tested benefits.
With 256 pupils currently receiving free transport to denominational schools, assuming an annual contribution of £114 (the current charge for concessionary transport) and allowing for 12% of families to be in receipt of benefits, this represents a potential income of £25,681.
Option 6:
Remove any automatic entitlement to free transport and establish a ‘hardship fund’ to allow the provision of support for those with a genuine need. The criteria for support to be provided would need to be considered very carefully, but could include:
·  being in receipt of means-tested benefits;
·  being in receipt of a low income generally;
·  an unexpected and unplanned incident which has caused severe financial difficulties;
·  having a child come to live with them unexpectedly and at short notice.
Option 7:
Continue to provide transport to denominational schools, but limit it to those schools located within the Borough of Poole. This represents a potential saving of £29,110. However, the legislation and guidance relating to school transport refers to ‘nearest suitable school’, so there may be difficulties associated with refusing to provide transport to a school outside the Borough of Poole which is actually closer to the child’s home than the nearest Poole equivalent. The legal ramifications of this are currently being investigated by Legal Services.
6. /

Transport Arrangements for Post-16 Students

6.1 / There is no specific duty in legislation for LEAs to provide free transport for students above statutory school age.
6.2 / Nonetheless, the revised Education Act 2002 gives LEAs a co-ordinating role in developing policies with key partners to provide effective and efficient transport arrangements for post-16 students. The Act requires every LEA to produce a policy statement for publication on the Connexions website setting out the provision of, or support for, transport for students aged 16-19. Provision is made for the Secretary of State to direct a LEA to make arrangements for transport that are not in the statement.