Dorset Council is working hard on planning how to get nearly 8000 pupils back to school when term starts in September.
The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is making an already complex situation more difficult. Routes change from year to year to ensure that all children, who are entitled to free school transport, can get there safely. These routes often mix children from different schools.
This year, in order to limit the interaction between pupils at different schools, each closed school service will only pick up children for one school, instead of several.
There will be no social distancing on closed school routes although we are advising operators introduce a range of measures to improve safety on the bus, such as good ventilation, improved cleaning regimes, no face to face seating and orderly pick up and drop off regimes.
Face coverings for children age 11 and above are highly recommended but will not be compulsory. We will also be recommending that pupils sit in the same seat each day, wherever possible. More information about these will be given to parents and schools.
Children using public transport to get to school will be subject to social distancing on transport and must wear a face covering, unless they are under 11 or medically exempt from doing so.
In preparation for these arrangements the council have already asked parents whether their children will be using school transport or if they will transport them themselves, to inform the organisation of the routes.
Parents will be advised that if their child has:
- A high temperature
- A new continuous cough
- A loss or change to, their sense of smell or taste
They should not travel to school and seek medical advice.
Some children who pay for their transport (eg age 16 and above), will have to wait until seats have been allocated to those who are entitled first.
There is also encouragement, for those who can, to walk, cycle or scoot to school. The council has bid for £700,000 from The Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund Tranche 2 to help people to choose to use bikes or walking for daily journeys. They will gain the benefits of being more physically active and if short car trips can be avoided, it will reduce pollution and congestion.
Parents should park considerately when they drop-off and pick up. If possible, park away from the school gate and walk the last few hundred metres, to avoid congestion and avoid creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians.
Could you explain how this adheres to the advice issued schools minister Nick Gibb on the 8th of August that pupils should sit in their year bubbles and children over 11 should wear masks on school buses
Hi Oliver – We are following the guidance within the parameters of working in a rural county. We are working with schools and bus operators to put in the measures needed.
Hello, we have applied for transport for both of our children a few weeks ago, since moving to Charminster, but have heard nothing. Can you please let me know when we will receive any information?
Thank you.
Hi John – We will be sending letters out this week and passes are being sent out too. If you haven’t received anything by Wednesday then email dt@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Our only catchment school is 15 miles away.
The school bus you refer to as ‘closed’ is full and carries students aged between 13 and 19 years old – all over 11, some adults.
My 14y daughter is on that bus for a total of 3hours each day.
Your choice to say there will be no social distancing and no compulsory masks is a huge risk to my family household who have severe asthma.
You have a duty to keep my child safe and to provide transport to the catchment school.
I will now be forced to leave work in order to drive 60 miles each day to deliver and collect my daughter for school which will have a hugely negative impact on our family life as well as the environment.
School are keeping them in yeargroup bubbles (which are already huge) and yet you think that mixing them with other year groups, including adults with no compulsory masks and no social distancing is adequate and does not go against what the government are suggesting?
This setup makes it no more ‘closed’ than a public bus yet at least on a public bus there would be compulsory masks and some social distancing (there is not a public bus between our home and the 15 mile away catchment school).
What on earth are you thinking???!!!!! This is appalling!
Hi Crissi – We are working with school and bus operators within national guidelines to ensure the safety of children on school transport. We are a rural county with a finite number of buses so we have had to make sensible adjustments for Covid. The word ‘closed’ refers to the fact that this is a school only bus rather than public transport. Currently the Government are not insisting on face masks in an educational setting and we will amend any measures accordingly if this changes.
I am aware what ‘closed’ refers to.
You have not made any change on our specific bus as it was already a closed, 1 school only bus but is full. It is used by teens and adults travelling to the same school but from different year groups. You have made no mention of placing them in year group bubbles. Irrelevant of you saying you are following the guidelines that state masks don’t have to be worn, you have a duty of care to these pupils – they are on that bus for almost 15 hours each week, you are not telling them to social distance and therefore where they cannot, it is appropriate for masks to be worn like in any other place where you have to be in close proximity to people from outside your household.
On routes that the buses are full, will you put two buses on the route to enable the children to maintain some distance? If so, have you considered that the buses do not both need to follow the entire route. Shorter routes support the health of the children as they will not be in a confined space for so long. As mentioned above, my child also on the bus for 90 minutes a day, to get to our catchment school, she is 12 and has ASD, so sensory issues. Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Nicky – duplicate buses will be used if needed and yes we have worked on the routes so that children are not on the bus longer than the national guidelines.
Hello,
We received your transport update letter today. We live in Charmouth and our son goes to Woodroffe in Lyme Regis. Can you explain to me how the provisions that you outline above will be managed on a route that is provided by First and is, particularly at this time of the year, full of tourists. Will you be instructing First to provide a “Woodroffe School only” service on this route, or are you expecting our children to mix, in close proximity, with travellers from all round the UK and further afield. If it is the latter, I would consider that you are not meeting your basic health and safety obligations to our children – your website states at bullet point 5 “make sure our routes are not open to the public”.
Link – https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/education-and-training/school-transport/updates-and-disruptions/covid-19-school-transport-updates.aspx
Please advise accordingly.
With Best wishes
Hi Nick – We are changing the bus services to accommodate covid restrictions. Bus services that carry school children and the public are changing due to Covid restrictions. Most of the services that serve Woodroffe, Beaminster and Colfox schools will no longer be carrying the public. Currently on public transport all passengers have to socially distance, which causes problems with capacity. By closing these routes, we keep the passengers in the same school social bubble, which allows us to increase capacity on the bus and ensure all the pupils can get to school. The routes affected are A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B4, B5 (from Crewkerne. Service open between Bridport – Crewkerne), C1 and C2. I hope this helps.
Hello – my children get the X8 to The Blandford School , will the same arrangements as outlined above for Lyme Regis be in place for this route too? ie will there be a separate bus for school children and are they guaranteed a seat on it? One of my children is starting 6th form will she be able to use a separate school bus if one is supplied or will she have to risk the service bus?
Thanks
Hi Sarah – sorry for the delay in replying. You may already have the answer to your question but routes that carry both school children and the public may have duplicate buses to ensure social distancing, which may or may not be just for school children. Your sixth former will not have access to the school only bus and you will need to pay for their bus pass.