The maximum travelling time to or from schools that is considered reasonable by the council is 45 minutes for children of primary school age and 75 minutes by young people attending secondary school.
There are two grounds on which children would usually qualify for home to school transport. Please read our home to school transport policy for full details.
Criteria 1 - distance
To be eligible for free home to school transport on distance grounds, you must live over the statutory distance from your child’s nearest qualifying school. The statutory distances, which are measured by the shortest available safe walking route, are:
- for children aged between 4 and 7 years old - two or more miles from the nearest qualifying school, provided the child attends school all day
- for children aged between 8 and 16 years old (or up to and including Y11) - three or more miles from the nearest qualifying school
If a child lives within the statutory walking distance to their nearest qualifying school, but the route is not safe (even when accompanied), the council will provide free transport.
Criteria 2 - distance and low income
To qualify for free school transport on distance and low income grounds, you must meet the following criteria.
Children aged between 8 and 11 years old must:
- receive free school meals or have parents who receive the maximum level of Working Tax Credit
- attend the nearest qualifying school
- live between two and six miles from that school
Children aged between 11 and 16 years old (Y7 to Y11) must:
- receive free school meals or have parents who receive the maximum level of working Tax Credit
- attend one of their three nearest qualifying schools
- live between two and six miles from that school
Special educational needs, disability or mobility difficulties
If a child’s special educational needs, disability or mobility problems mean that they could not be reasonably expected to walk to school then the council will assess each child on an individual basis to identify the most appropriate transport option.
Adult Bus Pass
An adult bus pass may be provided for an adult to accompany a child under 8 years old.
Children living in temporary accommodation
For families placed in temporary accommodation, home to school transport is only applicable where full duty to re-house is confirmed and it is established that the housing placement is anticipated to be for less than one school term. Families who are anticipated to be placed in temporary accommodation for more than one school term should make an application for a more local school place.
Please be aware that the Education Access team is unable to progress an application for home to school transport until this information has been verified by the housing team. If you wish to check the status of your housing application ahead of making a home to school transport application please email homeless.enquiries@milton-keynes.gov.uk or call 01908 253481.
Post 16 Students
Milton Keynes Council does not provide universal free home to school travel (HTST) for post 16 students who live in Milton Keynes and attend sixth form, sixth form colleges and colleges of further education. There are however some circumstances where support with travel will be provided. Please see our post 16 policy for more information.
Code of conduct
We expect all children and young people and their parents or carers to adhere to the relevant code of conduct to ensure that everyone has a pleasant and safe experience: