Government Let Down: Are We Doing Enough to Get Kids to School?
Currently, one in six secondary pupils are regularly absent in Wales, and similar trends have been occurring across the rest of the UK. Rising absenteeism has been a rising issue over the past four years and it’s particularly affecting children from poorer backgrounds. One leading factor is thought to be the transportation costs of getting to school.
Figures show that, for 10 years between 2008 to 2019, secondary attendance was between 91% to 94%. Figures disappeared during lockdown, but once schools fully reopened, there was a notable drop off to 87.5% attendance. Parallel to this, the number of adults out of work increased by over 700,000, compared to pre-lockdown years. This, in conjunction with a range of other factors, may be influencing parents’ ability to drive their children to school.
However, transportation issues are not going completely unnoticed. The UK Government's Free School Transport program is playing a big role in helping many children get to school. Without it, absenteeism would be even higher.
It’s worth noting, that currently, more than 1.6 million children in the UK have special educational needs and disabilities, which is known as ‘SEND’. This is up 101,000 from 2023 and accounts for 18.4% of all students, up from 17.3% the year prior.
This has caused a big increase in the need for specialised transport, with county councils now experiencing a doubling in costs. BBC data found that the average council in England is transporting 1,300 SEND students—a 43% rise since 2018/19, as well as a per-pupil jump in average cost from £6,280 to £8,299 per year.
The cost of providing free transport has affected rural councils more than anyone. However, the rising number of children using the service only highlights its importance, as it proves to be the only viable way for many children to get to school.
Access to education for all is something the UK government will never back down on. But with rising costs and struggling public transport, private-sector collaboration is being leaned on to solve these problems, and innovative solutions are thriving…
Current State of School Travel in England
The current state of school travel in England is varied, with different modes of transport depending on factors like age, distance, and location. According to the 2023 National Travel Survey, walking is the most common way children aged 5–16 get to school for short distances. For trips under a mile, 80% of children aged 5–10 and 89% of those aged 11–16 walk.
Cycling saw a slight, but brief rise, while walking has remained fairly constant over the years. Car use has risen consistently since 2007, which is a concern regarding costs because of the higher price of fuel and car insurance.
With bus use decreasing and car use rising, traffic has become worse around schools during certain hours, creating a longer commute. While walking is often seen as a good thing, it can sometimes be an indication of policy failure. The Rhondda Cynon Taf council recently reduced its eligibility criteria for free transport to school (it was children living over 2+ miles away, now, it’s only those living 3+ miles away). As a result, children are now expected to walk vast distances, which poses concerns about over-exhaustion.
Urban and Rural Differences
For longer distances, motorised transport has become more common. As per the 2023 National Travel Survey, for journeys between 2 and 5 miles, 50% of children aged 11–16 travel by car, and 35% use buses. When the distance is over 5 miles, car use decreases to 30%, while 47% rely on buses. This is likely because, at a certain distance, parents don’t have the time to take their children.
It highlights that children living further away are more likely to depend on public transport. However, as shown below, public transport satisfaction is declining. In the absence of buses, the Free Transport Scheme (see below) is used for many rural children.
Buses
As seen earlier, bus services are depended upon more for children who live over 5 miles from school. But, how has the perception of public buses changed over time?
Besides a slight uptick during lockdown (at this point, overall bus use decreased, so satisfaction likely increased due to being less busy and potentially more on time), bus satisfaction has slightly declined since 2016. The amount of very dissatisfied responses has almost doubled.
A big part of this dissatisfaction, and a big part of the rise in free school travel, is because bus routes are being axed. In the Southwest, over half of bus routes have been cut since 2010, and this figure is even higher for some councils in the Midlands.
Cost is also an issue because bus fares have been rising in the UK. It depends heavily on the bus company and local area, but many have child prices that are tied to adult fares (i.e. half the adult price, like Metrobus), meaning they’re not inflation-protected. A single trip on a primary school MyBus is £1, with weekly tickets being £8.
Statutory Requirements and Government Guidance
So far, it’s clear that absenteeism is rising and public transport is struggling. It is no surprise then that government schemes are being relied upon, particularly when the number of children with learning difficulties is rising.
The UK government has set clear rules and guidance for local authorities regarding home-to-school transport, which was outlined in the Education Act 1996. Local authorities are legally required to provide free school transport for "eligible children", which includes those of compulsory school age attending their nearest suitable school who meet certain conditions.
Eligibility for free school travel is based on factors like distance, special educational needs, disabilities, mobility issues, and safety concerns. The statutory walking distances are generally key to determining who qualifies.
Eligibility includes:
Children under 8 if they live more than 2 miles from their nearest suitable school
Those aged 8 and older who live more than 3 miles from their nearest suitable school
They can’t walk to school safely, even if accompanied by a guardian
They cannot walk there because of their special educational needs or disabilities or a mobility problem
If there is no safe walking route
What is a Suitable School?
A suitable school is one that offers education that matches a child's age, ability, interests, and any special learning needs they might have.
If a child has an Education, Health, and Care plan, the school listed in the plan is typically seen as the closest suitable school for travel purposes.
What to do if your Child is Eligible?
Check the local authority's website to review the school travel policy and learn how to apply.
If your child qualifies for free school travel, your local authority will arrange appropriate transport. This could include giving the child a free public transport pass or organising a school bus or taxi. If possible, they might expect the child to walk to a nearby pick-up point.
Collaboration Between Schools and Local Authorities
Recent updates to the guidance have placed a lot of stress on the collaboration between local authorities and schools. Schools are encouraged to support the transport system by promoting good behaviour, sharing information about students' needs and factoring in travel when making schedule changes.
The guidance also highlights the need for clear, accessible school travel policies. Local authorities are required to offer fair and transparent processes for parents to appeal decisions related to their child's school transport.
For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the guidance is more detailed. Local authorities must assess each child's specific needs when deciding on eligibility and the most appropriate transport options. This can involve providing specialised transport or travel assistance, especially for children attending residential schools.
Local authorities have discretionary powers to offer travel assistance—even to children who are not legally entitled. For example, there is no legal requirement to provide special travel arrangements for children under 5. However, Surrey County Council, being just one example, states it can use its discretionary powers to organise transport when extenuating circumstances are presented.
Private Hire Companies Stepping Up to Meet Transportation Needs
School transportation has changed a lot, and private hire Drivers are becoming just as common as minibuses for council-funded transport. This shift brings both new opportunities and challenges for taxi companies working with local councils.
To keep students safe, local councils have put strict rules in place. For example, in Cambridgeshire, companies must follow high standards that include enhanced background checks for Drivers and harsher penalties for certain convictions. A Driver with a drink driving offence in Cambridgeshire, for example, faces a 10-year ban, which is much tougher than the usual three-year rule in the taxi industry.
This is helping create a high standard of service for children in need. Operators like Zippe Transport ensure that training is to a very high standard. While extra vetting requirements may not be legally imposed, such operators have to win government contracts by providing a strong case for their safe Drivers and higher standards of service.
The demand for specialised transport, especially for children with special needs (SEND), has risen by 12% in London boroughs. Over the past few years, Transport for London raised taxi licence fees, which forced some companies to close and has posed some issues.
Routes that used to be shared between schools and boroughs were stopped to reduce infection during the pandemic, and this created more individual journeys. While this did raise costs, it also allowed for more personalised services.
Zippe Transport’s Home-2-School Service
As mentioned in the introduction, it has been the collaboration with the private sector that has helped keep up with the growing demands of free school transport. But who are the companies behind these services?
Zippe Transport is one example of an operator serving children in the Southwest of England. Founded in 2017, the private hire taxi company soon noticed the rising number of SEND children and axed public transport options.
Serving areas like Somerset, Bath and Bristol Zippe has focused on school transportation contracts. The company follows strict guidelines that match national standards for child transport. In fact, it goes above and beyond. All Drivers must, of course, have valid licences and pass the usual background checks, but they also need to be trained to understand their duty of care. They’re ready to handle behavioural issues that may come up during the journey, such as distress.
This reiterates the high standards that contracted private ire companies have compared to typical ridesharing apps. Zippe's services run under Local Education Authority (LEA) contracts, which require meeting specific transport and passenger needs. This includes helping students get on and off safely, ensuring the proper use of safety equipment, and sticking to set pick-up and drop-off times.
Zippe places a strong emphasis on safety through thorough Driver training and has become a model example of how private companies can win public contracts to deliver a high-quality service.
Final Word
School transportation in the UK is a complex issue. It’s an especially delicate topic with rising absenteeism among students.
It’s clear that reliable transport is key to making sure that students can access education. Just an extra mile can drastically change the numbers, moving students from cars to buses, and causing various bottlenecks and problems down the line - not to mention the high cost.
The government's free school transport program is not just massively important, it’s massive in terms of numbers. Serving many of the 1.6 million children with special educational needs, along with many that simply live in inaccessible rural places, more children than ever are being taken to school for free. While costs are rising, personalised and quality transport is, too.
As satisfaction with public buses drops and more children are being classified as SEND each year, new solutions are being developed. Private companies, like Zippe Transport, are stepping in to offer safer and more reliable services tailored to specific needs.
To continue solving these transport challenges, ongoing cooperation between local councils, schools, and private providers will be needed so all children have equal access to education—no matter their location or circumstances.
