FOi Request - Pupil School Transport

Request 101004014271

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I would like to request the following information relating to home-to-school transport provided by your organisation to young people in your local authority.

For academic years 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 (to date), please provide:

1. The total number of pupils receiving free home-to-school transport.

2. A breakdown of those pupils by:
a) Primary school pupils.
b) Secondary school pupils.
c) Pupils with Additional Support Needs.
d) Pupils receiving transport on medical grounds.
e) Pupils receiving transport because there is no safe walking route.
f) Pupils attending specialist provisions or specialist placements.

3. The number of pupils attending schools outwith their catchment area who receive free school transport, broken down by:
a) Primary.
b) Secondary.
c) Additional Support Needs placements.
d) Medical grounds.

4. The number of applications for free school transport received each year.

5. The number of applications approved and refused each year.

6. For refused applications, please provide the reason for refusal where recorded, including but not limited to:
a) Distance criteria not met.
b) Out-of-catchment school attendance.
c) Availability of a closer suitable school.
d) Budgetary or policy grounds.
e) Other reasons.

7. The total annual expenditure on home-to-school transport for each year.

8. The number of complaints, reviews, appeals or challenges relating to school transport decisions received in each year and the outcome of those complaints where they’ve been recorded.

9. Any current policy, guidance, criteria, assessment framework or decision-making documents used when determining whether transport is provided for pupils attending a school outside their catchment area.