Home to School Transport
The Local Authority has a statutory duty, and in appropriate circumstances discretionary powers to provide assistance with home to school travel, based on a pupil’s individual needs and circumstances.
Parent and Carers are responsible for ensuring that their children attend school regularly and on time. Most pupils in Sefton:
- Walk to school accompanied, if necessary, by a parent/carer; or
- Travel to school on public transport; or
- Are driven to school by parents.
Wherever possible the Local Authority (LA) expects parents to make similar arrangements for children attending school.
SEND Travel Support Application Deadline for September 2025
- If your child or young person already receives travel support and moving to a new school at the start of the new academic year, you must re-apply for travel assistance by 23 May 2025.
- The final date for all other applications (new and in year transfers) is 6 June 2025.
- Applications received between 6 June and 15 July will be processed in date order, but we do not guarantee travel arrangements will be in place for September 2025 and parent/carers should make alternative travel arrangements until support from the Local Authority has commenced.
- Applications received after 15 July 2025 will not be processed until the assessment panel reconvenes on 7 October 2024 and parent/carers must make alternative travel arrangements until support from the Local Authority has commenced.
Mainstream Travel Support (Travel Pass) Application Deadline September 2025
- The Travel Pass application deadline is 6th June 2025.
School age pupils are eligible for free home to school travel support if they:
- Are attending their nearest qualifying school and meet the eligible distance criteria relevant to their age group; or
- Are from a low-income family and are attending a qualifying school and meet the eligible distance criteria; or
- Attend their nearest qualifying school and unable to walk or access public transport because of their Special Educational Need Disability (SEND) or mobility.
Sefton Council does not provide financial support for post-16 student travel. Your further education or sixth form provider may offer travel subsidies. These are funded by the Education Funding Agency and can be used to support students in different ways, including paying for travel costs.
If you are interested in a travel subsidy, please contact your child's further education establishment or school directly.
We may provide travel support to post 16 students with Special Educational Needs and/or Disability who are unable to travel independently to the nearest most suitable setting. These are assessed on an individual basis using the Sefton Post 16 Transport Policy Statement and Statutory Guidance
Home to School Travel Support enables your child to get from home to school. The type of support is based on your child’s individual needs and with regard to the best use of the Council’s resources. This can include a travel pass, independent travel training, a personal travel budget or a place on commissioned transport.
Most children eligible for Travel Support will be issued with a travel pass, some children with Special Educational Needs Disability may require a more personalised travel solution.
A personal transport budget (PTB) is money to help you get your child to school. The money allows you to make flexible arrangements, monitor the quality of your child’s transport directly or work with other families to achieve the best possible travel arrangements your child and their friends. More information on Personal Travel Budgets please download our leaflet or contact the Travel Team.
If your child has Special Educational Needs and/or Disability use this form for an assessment of eligibility.
For all other students use this form to apply for a public transport Travel Pass
If you are refused a travel pass or travel support under the current policy, you will be offered the right of appeal against the decision. This will be included with any refusal letter you receive.
Home to School Travel Support
Telephone: 0151 934 3399
E-mail: Travel.Support@Sefton.gov.uk
3rd Floor, Magdalen House
30 Trinity Road
Bootle
L20 3NJ
Public Transport – Merseytravel
Telephone: 0151 330 1000
Website: www.merseytravel.gov.uk/
| Post 16 Policy Statement 24 25 |  (pdf 474KB) |
| Home To School Policy 24 25 | (pdf 1.02MB) |