Home to school transport

Your child could get free transport to school if they attend their nearest suitable school, inside or outside Hertfordshire, where the distance from home to school is:

• more than 2 miles from home for children aged under 8
• more than 3 miles from home for children aged 8 and over.

The "nearest suitable school" is identified by considering whether your child could have been offered a place at the school, regardless of whether you applied for it. Faith schools are included in this process where we can allocate children to that school.

Distance is measured using a network of roads, cycleways and footpaths which can be accessed throughout the year.   

Your child might be able to get free home to school transport if your family has a low income. That's if your child is entitled to free school meals or you get the maximum level of Working Tax Credit.

Children aged between 8 and 11 and living more than 2 miles from their nearest suitable school may be able to get home to school transport. The 2 mile limit will be measured along the nearest available route of pavements and roads.

Children in Year 7 to Year 11 (compulsory secondary school age) who are eligible will get free transport either to:

• 1 of the 3 nearest schools within 6 miles of the child’s home. This is where the child lives between 2–6 miles from that school, or
• the nearest school preference based on the family's religion or belief. The school must be the nearest school to the home address having regard to the relevant religion or belief, and be within 2–15 miles of the home address.

We review eligibility based on low income each year.

Your child will be eligible if they attend their nearest suitable school which is:

• less than 2 miles from home for children aged under 8

• less than 3 miles from home for children aged 8 and over

but where it is considered unsafe for them, accompanied as necessary, to walk the route with reasonable safety.

Your child will remain eligible for as long as the route remains unsafe.

If your child is 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.

Otherwise, we consider transport on a case by case basis in line with the home to school transport policy (PDF 310kb) Opening a new window.

If you're a parent or carer with a disability which stops you taking your child to school, we'll look at your child's individual needs and the Equality Act 2010. Where eligible, we'll help the child to attend a school within:

• 2 miles from home for children aged under 8

• 3 miles from home for children aged 8 and over.

Email schooltransport@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

• To request transport for all mainstream schools or colleges – email transfer.admissions@hertfordshire.gov.uk. 
• To request transport for all mainstream schools with a recent in-year application – email inyear@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

When we consider the nearest suitable school for transport purposes, we include schools in neighbouring authorities.

So if you live near the boundary, you might find that your nearest school is outside of Hertfordshire.

Some of the areas affected are:

• Bovingdon
• Breachwood Green
• Brent Pelham
• Carpenders Park
• Cockernhoe
• Eastwick
• Flaunden
• Furneux Pelham
• Gilston
• Hexton
• Kings Walden
• Lilley
• Long Marston
• Maple Cross
• Markyate
• Mill End
• Northwood
• Offley
• Pepperstock
• Puttenham
• South Oxhey
• Stocking Pelham
• Whitwell
• Wilstone.