Free Home to School Transport

Applying for free transport between home and school for West Berkshire residents.

On this page:

Before you apply

Your child may be eligible for free home to school transport to your nearest school if the distance criteria is met. You can check your nearest school online using our School Catchment Checker. Your nearest school might be in another local authority. School transport is not provided to the catchment school unless it is the nearest and distance criteria are met. When making a school application, applicants should apply for their closest school as a first preference if school transport is required.

The Department for Education have published a blog post on free school travel, aimed at parents: Free school transport explained: From who's eligible to how it works - The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk).

Please read our Home to School Transport Policy 2024-25 [413KB] for more information.

Please also read:

the How is your child getting to school leaflet [1MB]
the behaviour code for parents and schools [503KB]
pupils should read the behaviour code [398KB] as they'll be expected to follow this when using our transport

Do I need to reapply?

If you already receive free home to school transport, there's no need to re-apply each year - bus passes are renewed automatically.

However, if you move house, or change schools, you will need to put in a new application.

Transport for students aged 16 or over

Students aged 16 or over (as of 1 September of the academic year) will need to pay a contribution towards transport assistance. Post-16 students can apply for transport assistance through our Farepayer Scheme or the Post-16 SEN Contribution Scheme.

Fare payer school bus pass

If your child doesn't meet the eligibility criteria, you can pay for a seat on a school bus through our Farepayer Scheme.

Apply for free school transport

Parents can apply for home to school transport once they have been offered and accepted a school place.

For pupils starting year 7 at secondary school at the beginning of the academic year (September), applications can be submitted for transport from 1 March when they have accepted the offer of a school place.

Please note: we can't process an application for transport to a school unless a school place has been allocated and the address is where you and the child are currently living.

Please fill out and submit the relevant online application form:

Apply for free transport to a mainstream school in West Berkshire

Apply for free transport to a mainstream school outside of West Berkshire

Apply for free transport to a resourced or special needs school

We don't provide transport for pupils who live outside of West Berkshire - please contact the local authority where you live for more information.

If you have questions or problems, please contact the Pupil Transport Officer.

After you apply

Please allow at least 15 working days for a decision to be made after we receive your completed application. Please note that it may take longer to process your application during peak periods.

You can appeal a decision about a home to school transport application if your child does not qualify for travel assistance or you do not agree with the proposed arrangement.