Travel help to alternative provision

Check who qualifies for travel help – including children with SEND, low-income families, and those attending alternative provision.

Children attending alternative provision may be able to get help with travel. This depends on their circumstances and the type of provision. This page explains who might qualify and how to apply.

If the school arranges AP

If your child’s school arranges alternative provision (AP), the school must also arrange and pay for travel. This includes college link placements and when your child attends more than one school.

If Surrey County Council arranges AP

If we arrange AP under Section 19 of the Education Act, and your child:

• is not on roll at a school, or
• has an education, health and care plan (EHCP) naming a mainstream school, but the council agrees they cannot attend and is looking for a specialist school

then your child may get travel help to the AP setting. This follows Surrey’s home to school travel help policy.

Travel help means support from us to get your child to school or another setting. Your child must meet the eligibility criteria. If they do, the council usually offers a personal travel budget to help you with travel. In rare cases, the council offers a taxi or minibus.

Children under 5 or over 16 with an education, health and care plan (EHC plan)

We look at travel help for children under 5 or over 16 on a case-by-case basis. You can find more guidance on Who gets help with school travel.

Education other than at school (EOTAS)

If the council agrees your child will get EOTAS or AP, the EHC plan will not name the setting in section I. You must talk to the council about how your child will get to the setting. You are responsible for arranging travel.

The council may offer an independent travel allowance, but this is not automatic. We look at each case individually. If you think your child needs travel help, you must send a formal request to the School Travel and Assessment Team.

How to ask for travel help

We look at each request individually. You can find out more on Who gets help with school travel.

Or Contact us about school travel.

Part-time timetables

We only provide travel help at the start and end of the normal school or college day. We do not provide transport for part-time hours. Schools and parents should think about this when planning a part-time timetable.

If you want more flexible travel, you can ask for a travel allowance. If the school and family agree a formal part-time plan, we may consider travel help based on your child’s needs.

If your child already gets transport, the school must talk to the Transport Team before changing the timetable. This helps us check how changes affect the transport provider.

Dual or multiple placements

Dual or multiple placements mean your child goes to more than one school or has a college link placement. This may need extra travel help, like transport at different times of the day.

The school must arrange and pay for this transport. If your child is on roll at one school but visits another, the main school must pay for travel. This also applies to pupil referral units.