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 346kb) .
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.
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.