Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport Service - Soft Market Testing

The SEN Transport Team provides the current provision for Home to School Transport. The service currently transports approximately 800 pupils with either special educational needs, disabilities or because of their mobility issues, they cannot be expected to walk to school. This results in approximately 200 routes per day.

The service operates over 190 school days as determined by the School Holidays Calendar, published by Oldham Family Information Service considering other occasional days determined by individual schools governing bodies. All pupils with SEN are provided with free travel assistance, in accordance with the Council’s current Home to School Transport Policy (March 2018), IPSEA Legal guidance and the Education Act 1996.

The provision of transport is determined by the needs of the individual pupil. Those with severe and complex health, physical or educational needs can be transported by either individual taxis or adapted vehicles. Children or young people with less severe needs ordinarily travel via a multi-passenger minibus.

SEN Transport Policy aims are to ensure that all pupils who are eligible to access transport, will receive the appropriate provision which meets the identified needs of each individual child or young person. When assigning the appropriate provision to be provided, the Transport Moderation panel consistently applies the following principles:

• The aim of the service is to support parents, not absolve them of their responsibility to ensure their child attends school on time with regular attendance.
• The SEN Transport team ensures all arrangements put in place shall be cost-effective, so the Authority receives value for money.
• Wherever possible, the provision provided will look to build and promote independence, to help prepare children and young people for later life.
• The health, safety and well-being of the children and young people will remain paramount.