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SEND home to school transport

Free home to school transport is available to some children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to help them get to their nearest suitable school which is named on their EHCP.  In some cases, transport is provided by us, but many families use the Personal Travel Budgets which give them more control and flexibility with managing transport to or from school.

Is my child eligible for home to school transport

Find out more about eligibility requirements for home to school transport.

How is home to school transport provided?

Find out more about the different options for home to school transport, including Personal Travel Budgets.

How do I contact the SEND transport team?

Find out how to contact the SEND transport team, either to request an assessment or if you have a question about your child's home to school transport.

When do I need to reapply for transport?

Find out when you need to reapply for your child's home to school transport.

Moving to a new house

Information about what to do if you are moving to a new house.

SEN Transport for students aged 16-25

Information about SEN transport options for young people aged 16 - 25.

Is my child eligible for home to school transport?

If your child is of statutory school age and attending their nearest suitable school as named on their EHCP, and the distance from home to school is over the statutory walking distance, they will be eligible for free home to school transport support.  

Statutory walking distance

Under 8 year olds – more than 2 miles (3,218 metres) from home.

Over 8 year olds – more than 3 miles (4,827metres) from home.


If your child is attending their nearest suitable school, but their home to school distance is less than the statutory walking distance, they won't be entitled under the "distance" section of the home to school transport policy (PDF 310kb) .

However, they may be entitled to free home to school transport based on their individual needs. In these cases, we'll ask you to provide additional information and supporting evidence from a doctor or a professional explaining why your child is unable to walk the statutory walking distance to school, accompanied as necessary by a suitable adult.

If your child is not attending their nearest suitable school, or is attending a school named as parental preference in their EHCP, they won't be entitled to school transport. It will be the parent or carer's responsibility to get their child to and from school.


You can find more information in this SEN Transport guidance for parents (PDF 376kb).

There are other reasons why your child might be eligible for Home to School Transport, such as distance or low income. Find out more about eligibility for transport. 

How is Home to School transport provided?

Personal Travel Budgets

A Personal Travel Budget (PTB) is a transport option available to parents or carers of children/young people with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), who are eligible for travel support. It is funding to help you arrange your own transport to school/college and allows you to make flexible travel arrangements rather than travelling in a vehicle provided by the council.

Learn more about the benefits of Personal Travel Budgets and how to apply

Transport provided by us

In some cases, we (Hertfordshire County Council) will provide transport to children who are eligible for home to school transport.  This transport would be provided from your child or young person’s permanent home address to their school/college.

This transport is provided for eligible students at the normal start and end times of the school or college day, and is not provided to accommodate breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, school trips, transition timetables or visits, or specific college course timetables.

Find out more about transport for eligible children.

How do I contact the SEND transport team?

If you have a query about your young person’s eligibility for transport or the Personal Travel Budget (PTB) please contact the team by emailing  schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk  The team will respond within ten working days. If your query is urgent please call 0300 123 4043

How to contact us for assessment
If you would like to enquire about home to school transport options, please email schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk. A transport assessment will be completed, and the SEN Transport team will then write to you with the outcome of the assessment and include details of the options available to you. This may include an application form.

Please note a transport application is not available without an initial assessment.

When do I need to reapply for transport?

If your child is aged 5-16 (Reception to Year 11), and receiving home to school transport, you will have been notified of the eligibility end date.  Please make a note of this date as this is the date you need to contact us. 

If your young person is attending or starting Post 16 education, you need to reapply each year in April.  The SEN Transport team will write to you at this point but if you do not hear from them please contact them via email to schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Moving to a new house

If you are moving to another local authority and your child or young person receives free transport because of their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), you must inform your current local authority of the date you are moving. The transfer of the EHCP does not happen automatically; your current local authority will transfer the EHCP either on the day of your move, or within 15 working days of the new local authority becoming aware of your move.

Your new local authority then has 6 weeks to tell you that the EHCP has been transferred and when they will be reviewing the plan.

If you are moving out of Hertfordshire, let the SEND team know the date you are moving and where you are moving to.  As soon as you have a moving date, contact your new local authority to request transport for your child or young person.

If you are moving into Hertfordshire, tell your current SEND Team in advance your new address and the date you expect to complete the move. Contact the SEN transport team via email to schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk for information about transport support.

If you are moving within Hertfordshire and receive free transport, let the SEND Team know your new address so they can update your records. You will also need to let the SEN transport team know so that we can reassess your transport based on your new circumstances. Please give as much notice as possible as we may need to change your young person's transport.

SEND transport team:

0300 123 4043

schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Hertfordshire SEND team:

North Herts and Stevenage SEND Team Covering: Hitchin, Baldock, Letchworth, Royston,Stevenage 

northhertsstevenage.senteam@hertfordshire.gov.uk

East Herts, Broxbourne and Welwyn Hatfield SEND Team Covering: Hertford, Ware, Watton, Cheshunt, Bishop’s Stortford, Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Buntingford, Welwyn Hatfield

easthertsbroxbourne.senteam@hertfordshire.gov.uk

St Albans and Dacorum SEND Team Covering: Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Tring, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Kings Langley

stadsendteam@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Watford, Three Rivers & Hertsmere SEND Team Covering: Bushey, Radlett, Watford, Three Rivers, Hertsmere 

watfordthreerivers.senteam@hertfordshire.gov.uk

SEN transport for students 16-25

There is no statutory entitlement to travel support for 16 - 18 year olds attending school or college. However, we offer support to young people who meet the following criteria:

  • they are unable to travel independently, and
  • the school/ college they attend is the nearest suitable setting named on the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

To apply, fill in our 16+ school transport application form.

If your young person is under 18 years old and has any medical needs, we'll send your application to the Health team to ensure that the transport provision meets their medical needs. This process can take up to 8 weeks.

If your young person is over 18 years old and has medical requirements when travelling on transport, please send us a medical protocol from a medical professional who is familiar with their needs. Transport will not be provided without the relevant medical protocol.

Email schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you have any questions - we'll get back to you within 10 working days.

You can find further information in our 16 - 18 Transport Policy 2023 - 24 (PDF 270kb) Opening a new window or our 19 - 25 Transport Policy 2023 - 24 (PDF 178kb) Opening a new window.

Scale of charges Sep 2023 - Jul 2024

Financial Contributions – for those who received transport support under the Post 16 policy in the 2022/23 academic year is below.

The financial contribution for young people accessing transport support under the 16- 18 policy for the first time in the academic year 2023/24, will be charged at a flat rate of £1554 per student, regardless of the distance travelled.

The contribution will be proportional depending upon the number of days a week a young person travels.

The financial contribution for young people continuing on post-16 transport for the academic year 2023/24, will continue to be calculated based upon the distance travelled with a maximum payable of £1554 per year per student and is detailed in the table below;

  

Maps matrix
 MilesNumber of college daysAnnual costCost per term 2022/231st instalment2nd instalment

0 - 2.99

2

£390

£130

£65

£65

 

3

£582

£194

£97

£97

 

4

£780

£260

£130

£130

 

5

£972

£324

£162

£162

3 - 4.99

2

£516

£172

£86

£86

 

3

£780

£260

£130

£130

 

4

£1038

£346

£173

£173

 

5

£1296

£432

£216

£216

5 - 6.99

2

£594

£198

£99

£99

 

3

£894

£298

£149

£149

 

4

£1188

 £396

£198

£198

 

5

£1488

£496

£248

£248

7 and over

2

£684

£228

£114

£114

 

3

£1026

£342

£171

£171

 

4

£1368

£456

£228

£228

 

5

£1554

£518

£259

£259
9

 

Travel training

Travel training is help for students with learning disabilities or difficulties to gain the skills and confidence to travel independently. It's available across the further education colleges in Hertfordshire.

Read more about travel training in Hertfordshire

Page was last updated on: 15/08/2023 11:39:48

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