Travel Assistance Code of Conduct
This form is for completion by parents and carers who wish to apply for assistance with Post 16 travel. If you believe you may qualify for travel assistance for your child from the Local Authority (LA), please complete all the sections on this form.
Please note: For the majority of students, transport needs will be met by the provision of free transport by Transport for London (TfL). Please visit for further details, including how to apply for an oyster card.
Travel assistance can cover a range of options, including Council arranged transport, Independent Travel Training, Personal Transport Budgets, travel cards and mileage reimbursement. Where assistance is agreed the Local Authority will decide which option to offer and will focus on options that encourage and support the independence of young people as they move into adulthood. Learning to be more independent is an important part of a student’s development.
A student may get travel assistance if:
They attend the nearest available School or College where the course of study chosen by the student is available. The London Borough of Bexley will not provide assistance to students who choose not to attend the nearest School or College offering a suitable course.
The distance to the School or College attended is over 3 miles from the student’s home. The distance will be measured by the shortest possible walking route using public highways and lit footpaths, using the London Borough of Bexley GIS system. The distance is measured from the gate of the student’s home to the nearest gate of the School or College.
They are attending a maintained School or publicly funded College of further education, and who expect to achieve a recognised qualification.
Their families or carers are in receipt of one of the support payments detailed in Section 6 (evidence will be required.
Support for Learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities
There is an expectation that parents/carers should be practicing independent travel with their young person during the summer holiday in preparation for the beginning of College. However, we recognise that for students with severe and complex learning difficulties/disability this is not possible and additional assistance with travel will be required.
Applications will be considered from 16+ year old students against the following criteria:
-The learner has Special Educational Needs or has a disability that prevents the learner travelling independently to School/College and for journeys under 3 miles it would be impracticable or dangerous to accompany the learner on their journey.
-The learner is on a course of further education at a School, College or training provider.
-Support will be provided only to the nearest available School or College where the course of study chosen by the student is available. The London Borough of Bexley will not provide assistance to students who choose not to attend the nearest School or College offering a suitable course.
-The course is deemed to be suitable and will provide an educational benefit to the learner – as assessed by the Transitions Panel.
Please refer to the Post 16 travel policy before completing the application form, this can be found on
Please allow up to 28 days for the application to be processed. If additional information is required to support your application then it could take longer for a decision to be made.
Please return the form to:
Bexley Integrated Transport Unit
London Borough of Bexley
Civic Offices
2 Watling Street,
Bexleyheath,
Kent
DA6 7AT
Or alternatively email your application to:
Financial Support
The 16-19 Bursary Fund
The Department for Education (DfE) has made funding available to educational institutions to support the most financially disadvantaged 16 to 19 year olds and those young people who most need help with the costs of staying in education, including the cost of travel assistance.
Discretionary awards made by institutions
Educational institutions are also allocated funding from which they can make discretionary awards to young people. Discretionary awards are made for any students who are facing genuine financial barriers to participating. Individual institutions determine eligibility criteria and the frequency and conditions of payments.
More detailed information on the 16-19 Bursary Fund can be found on the Department for Education website:
To find out if you qualify, and how to make an application for the Bursary Fund please contact your College/Sixth Form student support team.
Section One – Personal Details
Name of Student
Student D.O.B
Name of Parent/Carer
Parent/Carer D.O.B
Home Address
Contact Number (s)
Email Address
Estimate walking distance from home to college in miles
Please describe how your child currently travels to/from School or College
Please confirm if you have applied for financial support as detailed above: YES / NO
If YES, what was the result of this application?
Section Two – Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Does your child have a statement of Special Educational Need (SEN) or Education Health Care plan?
YES / NO (Please circle as appropriate)
If YES, please provide details
Section Three – School/College and Course details
School/College Name
School/College Address
Contact Person and Number
Email Address
Start date at School/College
Course Title including Governing Body (e.g.) NVQ
Course hours (please state next to each day the times your lesson starts and finishes – for the days you do not attend please put N/A.)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Duration of Course
Please confirm if this is the nearest college providing this course?
YES / NO (Please circle as appropriate)
If NO, please advise why this is the chosen college
Is this the student’s first application for home to college transport? YES / NO
N.B. A new application must be made for each year of study.
Section Four – Attendance
Have you attended any college in the past? If so, please give details of the courses below:
College:
Course:
Level:
Dates from: To:
Progression:
Students who are returning to College for further study must be making educational progress in order to qualify for continued support with travel. We therefore need the following information from course tutors.
Please explain how the student is making education progress, either with reference to their academic achievements or life skills.
What are the student’s long term aims and how long would they be expected to remain at College?
Name of tutor
Signature
College
Section Five – Independent Travel
Please confirm if your child is able to travel independently via public transport?
YES / NO (Please circle as appropriate)
If NO, please advise why
The London Borough of Bexley expects and encourages most learners aged 16+ to travel independently on public transport because of the beneficial effects this can have on the young person’s development. However, we recognise that in some circumstances, additional assistance with travel will be required.
If the London Borough of Bexley deems it necessary, an independent travel assessor will perform a practical assessment on the learner to determine their ability to travel independently.
For more information on this scheme please visit:
Please indicate if you agree to your child being assessed?
YES / NO (Please circle as appropriate)
Section Six – Other Travel
Are you in receipt of Disability Living Allowance? / YES: / NO:
Care? / YES: / NO:
Mobility? / YES: / NO:
At what rate? / LOWER / / MIDDLE / / HIGH
Does your family have a car? / YES: / NO:
Does your family have a mobility vehicle? / YES: / NO:
Can the family car/mobility vehicle be used to transport the
student to/from College in return for mileage payments
(if no please provide reason why below) / YES: / NO:
Has the student received transport assistance before? (If YES, please provide details below e.g. individual, shared etc. / YES: / NO:
Section Seven – Declaration
By completing and signing this form you are declaring that the information is to your best knowledge correct at the time it was completed. You are also agreeing that the information provided can be shared with London Borough of Bexley contractors to ensure safe and appropriate travel assistance is provided. If any of the circumstances change, I agree to notify the Council immediately.
I understand that my child’s application will be judged strictly in accordance with the London Borough of Bexley College Transport Policy.
I understand that if my child qualifies for transport arranged by the London Borough of Bexley, it is expected that all learners attending the same School/College will be taken in together at the beginning of the day and will return together in the evening. This may mean that students will need to attend earlier than their course starts and return later than when it finishes.
I understand that the Special Educational Needs Team may need to verify the evidence I have provided and therefore I give consent to contact being made with the author of my supporting documents and other professionals who know my child.
I have also read and agreed to the travel assistance code of conduct.
Please tick box to confirm, applications will not be processed unless this box has been ticked.
Signed Date
Name (printed)
Please return completed forms to the address below:
Bexley Integrated Transport Unit
Civic Offices
2 Watling Street
Bexleyheath
Kent
DA6 7AT
Telephone: 020 3045 4431 / 3048
Email:
Travel Assistance Code of conduct
We know that most young people behave well on school transport, but occasionally
the behaviour of a few can make the journey unpleasant for everyone, and can
sometimes endanger others. We have a code of conduct because we want everyone to stay safe and travel in comfort. To make sure this happens we need all young people and their parents/carers to agree to abide by this code of conduct. If your child is very young or has special educational needs we ask that parents explain as fully as possible to their child the need to behave appropriately on school transport and sign the application form to indicate they have done so.
Parents must take responsibility for the behaviour of their child and we ask for your support to help ensure that your child behaves appropriately whilst travelling. If your child is responsible for an incident that occurs on the transport it will be investigated, this will involve you, the SEN team and the school concerned with the aim of resolving the issue and restoring the provision. If it is a minor issue you will be contacted by the transport team to discuss the matter and agree a way to resolve the issue. If it is serious enough to have caused a risk to Health and Safety of your child, other children or the driver/escort, your child will be automatically suspended from transport, whilst the investigation is carried out and you will be responsible for your child’s transport to and from school.
We have a duty of care for our staff, your child and other passengers traveling on the vehicle. By enforcing this code we aim to provide a safe and secure environment for all involved. By signing the Transport application form you are agreeing to meet the requirements set out in this document.
The following is a list of the types of behaviour that is deemed unacceptable: this list is not exhaustive. Failure to meet these standards will result in suspension from transport for a period of time. If the behaviour continues or is of a serious nature it could result in permanent exclusion. This will result in you being responsible for getting your child to and from school.
- Physical violence towards staff and other passengers.
- Not remaining seated and wearing the appropriate seat belt.
- Distracting the driver
- Bringing weapons, knives, drugs, alcohol onto the vehicle.
- Exiting the vehicle at any point during the journey that is not the agreed drop off point.
- Failing to follow the requests or instructions of the escort or driver.
- Smoking is prohibited on all vehicles
- No Eating and drinking
- Shouting, Swearing and shouting
- Behaviour that causes distress to other passengers
- Malicious damage to the vehicle
Further to this we also expect parents / carers to have your child ready for collection at the specified time. Our Transport providers have been instructed to wait no more than 3 minutes for your child. If your child misses the transport, you are responsible for ensuring that your child goes to school.
If your child is unwell or is sent home at any other time than the regular time you must make your own arrangements for their transport home.
Please make sure someone is at home to receive the child, if no one is at home and we cannot contact you, the child will be taken to Social Services and it will be your responsibility to collect your child from them.
To be a good passenger:
- Treat the bus driver and your fellow passengers with respect.
- Do as the driver asks.
- Stay in your seat and keep your seat belt on.
- Look after your possessions and the bus.
- Take any litter home with you.
- Keep noise to a reasonable level.
- If you see someone behaving badly or bullying others always report it to the driver or your school.
- Don’t distract the driver except in an emergency.
- Don’t carry real or replica weapons.
- Don’t throw things.
- Don’t eat, drink or smoke (smoking is against the law for everyone on buses, taxis and trains).
- Don’t use bad language.
- Don’t damage the vehicle - if you do your parents or carers will have to pay for the damage.