School Transport information for schools, post-16 providers and ISS/PBS centres

Every year, Hampshire County Council transports 14,000 children and young people to school or college. This service costs the County Council in excess of £70 million per year.

When assessing a student’s eligibility for school transport assistance, we will apply the latest School Transport Policy. When reviewing a post-16 request for travel assistance, we will consider the Post-16 Transport Policy for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Schools and colleges are reminded to ensure the information they are giving out to parents/carers is consistent with the relevant policy.

For information on school or college transport assistance – including eligibility and how to apply – parents/carers should be directed to the Apply for School Transport page for children of compulsory school age, or the Post-16 Transport page for young people over 16 with SEND. Parents/carers can also view information on travel options for children and young people who do not meet the eligibility criteria.

You can also view information for existing school transport users.

You can report any concerns regarding the school transport service to the team by first selecting the School option on the online enquiry form.

Mainstream and SEN schools

Application process

Parents/carers are responsible for completing the online application form. Successful applicants are advised of their travel arrangements by the School Transport Team.

Change of personal circumstances

A new application will be needed when one of the following takes place:

a child moves to a new home address
a child moves to a new school, including moving from primary to secondary school
the school site location changes
when transport has been agreed for a set period of time

Schools must tell the School Transport team if a student leaves the school. Eligibility is reassessed each time a pupil’s circumstances change and there is no guarantee that school transport will continue.

Pupils’ behaviour

Pupils should behave appropriately when using school transport and follow the Behaviour Code of Conduct.

Public Transport Bus passes

Public transport bus passes are sent to the school for pupils to collect at the beginning of the school year.

School admin

Schools must inform the School Transport team and the operator of:

Inset days
end of term details (including early closures)
emergency closures.

There is no guarantee that transport can accommodate any changes to usual arrangements. Pupils must remain at school or parents/carers must make alternative arrangements.

You can find out more about School Transport arrangements – including pick-up and drop-off details – by visiting our information for existing school transport users.

Passenger Assistants

Post-16 providers

There is no automatic eligibility for Hampshire County Council funded school transport after the age of 16. You can find out more about Post-16 Transport on our Post-16 Transport webpage.

SEND early years providers

There is no automatic eligibility for travel assistance for non-compulsory age children attending an early years setting. For pupils attending a Specialist Early Years Placement, any request for transport assistance will be considered on a case by case basis.

Inclusion Support Service and Primary Behaviour Service Centres

The Inclusion Support Service (ISS) is part of the Children’s Services department in Hampshire County Council and the key aim of the ISS is to ensure that children have access to education.

• You can apply for transport for secondary aged pupils if they are permanently excluded from their mainstream school or medically unwell and unable to attend school full time.

• You can only apply for transport for primary aged pupils in very exceptional circumstances which should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Contact the School Transport team for further advice.

It can take up to 6 working days from receipt of an application form for transport to be set up, or up to 15 working days for an amendment to transport to be put in place.

You cannot apply for an exception to policy for a pupil on behalf of a parent/carer. The parent/carer must apply but be aware that there may be a charge to use the service.

Parents are responsible for travel to inclusion centres. When a child is not eligible for transport, the child’s ‘home’ school may assist with funding in exceptional cases.

Spend to Save School Minibus Scheme

The Spend to Save School Minibus Scheme provides leased minibuses and funding to Hampshire County Council schools, academies and post-16 providers with courses for SEN students. These provisions operate their own Home to School Transport service for students eligible for transport assistance.

School Crossing Patrols

School Crossing Patrols in Hampshire provide safer routes to and from school for thousands of children and parents every day.