Qualifying Distances

Qualifying distances for Scholars Passes

If your child goes to a school more than the ‘qualifying distance’ from your home, measured by the shortest available walking route, the Education Transport Service (ETS) may be able to provide your child with a free scholars pass to enable them to use bus and train services to attend school.

You will, however, have to pay if your child goes to a school more than the qualifying distance from your home because that is the school you want, even though your child could have gone to a school within that distance.

Distances

At the date of publication the qualifying distances measured by the shortest available walking routes are:

For pupils up to 8 years of age: 1 mile
For pupils between 8 and 11 years of age: 1.5 miles
For pupils over 11 years of age: 3 miles

These distances are subject to review by Birmingham Education Authority.

Low Income Families (Year Groups 7 to 11 only)

From September 2008 children from low income families (children who are in receipt of free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of the maximum of working tax credit) may be eligible for free transport assistance to one of their three nearest ‘qualifying’ schools where they live more than 2 miles but less than 6 miles from that school and to the nearest school preferred by reason of a parent’s religion or belief up to a maximum of 15 miles. Evidence of eligibility is required.

‘Qualifying’ schools are those schools maintained by a Local Authority, including Pupil Referral Units and Academies.

Further advice can be obtained from this web or you can contact the Education Transport Service.

Moving House

You need to tell the ETS immediately if you move house, because your application needs to be reassessed.

If you move house whilst your child is in the final year of primary school (Year 6) or in Years 10 or 11 at secondary school, and the school is beyond the ‘Qualifying Distance’ and your child already has a free travel pass, the ETS can consider continuing to help your child to attend the same school.

Children in other school years can be considered for assistance if, at the time of moving house, it was not possible to obtain a place at a nearer school within the ‘qualifying distance’.

Further information can be obtained from the Education Transport Service - details on our Contacts page.