​Highland Council to introduce updated school transport policy.

Members of The Highland Council’s Education, Children and Adult Services Committee have approved a new ‘Home-to-school transport policy’.

The policy introduces a number of changes:

• Introduces transport entitlement in circumstances where a pupil may reside at more than one address;
• Revises arrangements for safety assessment and provision of transport based on walking routes to schools;
• Clarifies roles and responsibilities and introduces a new Code of Conduct for pupils;
• Revises policy and charging basis in relation to privilege (concessionary) places;
• Clarifies a number of existing policies and procedures.

Cllr Dew Millar Chair of the Council’s Education, Children and Adult Services Committee welcomed the outcomes of the school transport policy review, he said: “This new policy will provide clarity for the council as school transport provider and also for parents and guardians whose children are directly affected by it.

He added: “I would like to thank Millburn Academy’s staff and pupils for the grass roots work that they have done on testing and reviewing a code of conduct which will be rolled out to all schools.”

Further work is being undertaken to introduce defined travel entitlement areas for Gaelic Medium and denominational education the outcomes of which will be reported back to the Education, Children and Adult Services Committee in due course.

The ‘Home-to-school transport policy’ approved by Members can be viewed on the Council’s website.