Commenting on new data from the DfE on local authority funded home to school transport (HTST), Rob Williams, senior policy advisor at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Every child, including those with special educational needs (SEND), deserves access to a suitable education, regardless of where they live, their family’s financial situation, or whether they have their own transport.

“For many, transport provided by the local authority plays a crucial role in ensuring this, helping children to attend school regularly and develop their independence.

“However, transport does represent a significant cost to the local authority, with costs rising at a time of already incredibly tight budgets, and a growing number of councils are reducing transport provision. When children simply cannot get to school this threatens to deepen existing disadvantage gaps.

“This is just one part of a broader, worrying mismatch that has emerged over the last decade between the needs of children, especially those with SEND, and the resources available to ensure they get the provision they deserve.

“The government has laid out its plans to tackle some of the issues with SEND education in its white paper – the problem of transport and its costs must be part of what is looked at.”