Responsibilities for parents/carers and pupils

Transport arrangements

The Transport Hub team will only arrange your travel to school once the Admissions and Transport team have agreed it. After this, you will usually get a travel pass for the bus, train, or a special school bus hired by East Sussex County Council.

You will receive an email asking you to upload a photo for your free travel pass. You need a photo pass for both public and school buses and trains. If you are using public buses, you will get a Freedom Pass. This lets you use most public buses in the County during the week and at weekends while school is on. Check if there are any rules about when you can use your pass and how much it costs if you lose it and need a new one.

Behaviour

Pupils must behave sensibly on school transport, public buses, and trains. Bad behaviour and vandalism are taken very seriously by the County Council, schools, the Police, and transport companies. There may be cameras on the vehicles, and if someone behaves badly, adults might check the videos and take action.

If a pupil behaves badly, they might lose certain privileges at school, get a detention, or even be excluded, depending on what happened. Bus or train companies can refuse to let a pupil on if they are causing trouble or putting others in danger. If a pupil damages the vehicle, their family might have to pay for the repair.

The County Council can stop pupils from using school transport if needed. If a pupil keeps misbehaving or makes it unsafe on the bus or train, they will lose their place and will not be allowed to travel. If your child is banned from school transport, you must make your own arrangements to get them to and from school.

Bullying

Bullying is never allowed on any school transport, at any time. If your child is being bullied while travelling to or from school, tell the school and the Transport Hub straight away. You can find more help and advice on our website: Bullying | East Sussex County Council

Bad weather

If there is bad weather overnight, check the East Sussex County Council website and your school’s website in the morning. If your school is closed, do not send your child to the bus stop. If the school is open, the bus or train might be late, so make sure your child knows what to do if their transport does not turn up.

Sometimes your school might have to close early. The school will try its best to make sure there is transport for you. Make sure your child knows what you want them to do if this happens. You can sign up for alerts about school closures at eastsussex.gov.uk/alerts.

Missing the bus

Please make sure your child gets to the bus, train or taxi on time. If they miss it, you will need to find another way for them to get to or from school. Your child should know how and where to contact you if they need help. If your child does any activities before or after school, you must arrange their transport for these times.

Emergencies

If there is an emergency, your child should do what the driver says and work with the other passengers to stay safe. Make sure you have the phone number for the bus or taxi company in case you need to contact them. Your child should also know how to get in touch with you or another adult if needed.

Moving house

If you move to a new house, you need to tell us:

We might not be able to arrange new transport straight away if you tell us at short notice. If this happens, you will have to make sure your child gets to school.

Lost travel pass

Your child must have their travel pass with them to use school transport. If they do not have their pass, they might not be allowed on the bus. If your child loses their pass, you will need to get a new one and pay for it. You can find out how to do this on the East Sussex County Council website: Get a replacement travel pass | East Sussex County Council