We would like to hear your views on proposed changes to our home to school transport policy and post 16 transport policy statement (2025).

We are consulting on proposed changes to our home to school transport policy (for compulsory age pupils), and our post 16 transport policy statement (for pupils in post 16 education). These documents set out the statutory (legal) responsibilities that we have to help with transport to school or another education setting for children and young people living in Oxfordshire.

Consultation focus

This consultation is seeking views on:

• Review area 1: Updates to the format and language used in our home to school transport policy and our post 16 transport policy statement to improve customer understanding, awareness and overall experience.
• Review area 2: Specific updates to the use and application of direct travel payments in our home to school transport policy to ensure the language is more user friendly and consistent with current government guidelines.
• Review area 3: Specific updates to our home to school transport policy and our post 16 transport policy statement for travel arrangements to Alternative Education Provision settings to meet current government guidelines and to reflect Oxfordshire’s current Alternative Education Provision arrangements.
• Review area 4: Proposals to ask for a financial contribution for post 16 pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for travel to post 16 settings.

As well as consulting on the proposed changes as mentioned above, we are also exploring views on the following discretionary elements of both policies where proposals for change have not been developed:

• Review area 5: Discretionary travel at split village locations
• Review area 6: Spare seat scheme

Please read the supporting documentation before answering the questions.

We understand that some children and young people’s needs will mean they will always require travel assistance. Regardless of any future decisions made, we will continue to meet our statutory requirements in relation to school transport.

Join an online information sharing event

We are also holding some online information sharing events where you can find out more about our home to school transport policy and post 16 transport policy statement and the changes we are proposing. You can also ask questions to help you better understand the information we are sharing. You can click to sign up here to attend an event.

Why your views are important

We have a legal requirement to seek the views of parents, children and young people and others who may be affected by any proposed changes to these policies.

The views you share will be reviewed and analysed to inform changes to the policies and how travel support is delivered. They will also help the us to understand different perspectives on existing discretionary arrangements that we have yet to develop proposals for.

Next steps

On 29 April 2025, the council’s Cabinet will meet to consider and decide about changes to the home to school transport policy (for compulsory age pupils), and the post 16 transport policy statement (for pupils in post 16 education).