School travel application deadlines
How we deal with late school travel applications and our extended processing time.
Our deadlines for home to school travel applications ensure that travel assistance can be appropriately assessed and suitable arrangements are in place for children and young people to attend their named educational settings.
| School type | Application deadline |
| Mainstream – Secondary | 30 June |
| Mainstream – Primary | 31 May |
| Mainstream – Post 16 | 31 May |
| SEND (all schools) | 30 June |
| Post-16 Colleges (SEND only) | 30 June |
Dealing with late applications
If an application is received after the application deadline date, it will be considered a late application.
For late applications, we cannot guarantee that travel assistance will be in place for the start of the new school year. Where possible, you should consider making alternative travel arrangements up to the October half term.
Application processing time
We are committed to setting up travel assistance within 15 working days for applications received during the academic year. For applications received between Easter and October half term this may extend to 20 working days.
Hearing about applications
During August, we will share confirmed travel assistance arrangements for September.
Travel journey times
We follow the Department for Education’s travel to school for children of compulsory school age guidance on journey times for home to school travel. The journeys for:
- A child of primary school age should be 45 minutes each way
- A child of secondary school age should be 75 minutes each way
These journey times are a guide, and circumstances, such as distance and traffic, may result in travel durations falling outside of these timeframes.