Assistance for Pupils and Parents

• Assistance with Travel
• Assistance with the cost of uniforms
• Assistance with the cost of school meals

Assistance with Travel

Sustainable Modes of Travel Strategy - Promoting Sustainable School Travel

Tameside has an overall vision for sustainable travel that is outlined in it's Sustainable Modes of Travel Strategy - Promoting Sustainable School Travel.

The strategy encourages sustainable travel choices on the journey to and from school which will help in fostering a long term change in the travel habits of children, parents, teachers and hopefully the wider community, so that they are more likely to take up walking, cycling and public transport.

The strategy’s overall aim is to reduce car use for travel to school, improve safety and security on the school journey, improve the health of school children by encouraging use of active modes, and to contribute to the improvement of the local environment through reduced emissions.

The strategy also contains information on a host of associated initiatives including School Travel Plans, current school bus services, information on pedestrian and cycle training and most importantly an Action Plan setting out a series of initiatives to take forward the plan over the longer period.

A full copy of the Sustainable Modes of Travel strategy can be found online.

Bus pass applications

It is the responsibility of the parent(s)/carer(s) of a pupil to see that he/she attends school. However, the council may provide assistance with transport to school for some pupils who live within the Tameside area.

The following groups of primary pupils are eligible for a zero fare bus/train pass or cycle allowance:

Group 1

Pupils whose nearest qualifying school is outside ‘walking distance’. ‘Walking distance’ is more than:

• two miles for children of school age but under the age of 8
• three miles for children or young people aged 8-16

Group 2

Pupils from low income families at primary school travelling to:

• one of the nearest three qualifying schools where they live more than two miles but less than six miles from that school
• the nearest school preferred by reason of a parent’s faith or belief, where the school is more than two miles but less than 15 miles from the child’s home

To check if your child will be eligible for a zero fare bus pass, please telephone 0161 342 4068/3214.

Notes

• The criteria for zero fare bus passes changed in 2008. Having other children in the family qualifying for a pass does not guarantee that new applications will be successful.
• Low income is defined as pupils who are eligible for a school clothing grant.
• The distance between home and school is measured by the nearest available walking route by an officer of the council using the School Admissions software.
• The law defines a qualifying school as a school which is suitable for the child, taking account of their faith or belief (or the faith or belief of their parents) and that has places available.
• A cycle allowance of £30 per year is payable instead of a bus pass if requested.
• The criteria will be rigorously applied, regardless of conditions for previous applicants.
• Pupils not resident in Tameside will need to check with their home authority to see if they are eligible for a zero fare bus pass.

Assistance with the cost of uniforms

A clothing grant is assistance toward the cost of school clothing and footwear. Parents who are eligible are families with children of compulsory school age who are in receipt of Income Support , Income Based Job Seekers , Guaranteed Element of State Pension Allowance  or Child Tax Credit  only, with an income less than £16,040. You will need to provide evidence of benefit entitlement.

Families who are in receipt of Working Tax Credit  with an income less than £16,040 should qualify for a School Clothing Grant, provided you have a copy of the Tax Award Notice as issued by the Inland Revenue .

Self-employed persons should provide either an accountant’s letter stating the recent figures submitted to the Inland Revenue or, if you prepare your own accounts, a letter from the tax office .

To apply for assistance with uniform costs, complete a School Uniform Assistance Application Form online, ring the council call centre on 0161 342 8355 or call in to one of the council’s customer service offices.

Assistance with the cost of school meals

Free school meals are offered to children of families who are in receipt of Income Support , Income Based Job Seekers Allowance  or Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit .

They are also offered to children of families who are in receipt of Child Tax Credit  only, but who are not entitled to Working Tax Credit , and whose annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue ) does not exceed £16,040.

If you are in receipt of Child Tax Credit, you will need to attend one of the council’s Customer Service Centres and present your Child Tax Credit award notice.

To apply for free school meals you can complete a School Meals Assistance Online Application Form, telephone the council’s call centre on 0161 342
8355 or call in to one of the council’s customer services offices.