Statutory guidance

Home-to-school travel

Local authorities’ responsibilities when making home-to-school travel arrangements for children of compulsory school age.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 18 July 2014
• Last updated: 26 May 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 26 May 2026

     Updated the guidance with new terminology around free school meals from 2026 to 2027 and removed references to Working Tax Credit. Clarified information about the School Travel Regulations 2007, DBS checks and the Bus Services Act 2025. Added links to Active Travel England's School Streets guidance and the DFT Connectivity Tool.

  2. 25 January 2024

     Updated the guidance to make minor clarifications. This includes updates about schools that arrange home-to-school travel for their pupils, children with education, health and care plans, and how local authorities should determine a child’s nearest school.

  3. 29 June 2023

     The statutory guidance has been updated to help local authorities perform their functions in relation to home to school travel for children of compulsory school age.

  4. 7 December 2016

     Extended the review date to 2017.

  5. 18 July 2014

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Travel to school for children of compulsory school age

PDF, 553 KB, 66 pages

Details

This statutory guidance applies to local authorities.

It may also be of interest to:

• schools
• parents and organisations that advise parents
• other organisations involved in home-to-school travel (for example, transport operators)

Statutory guidance sets out what local authorities must do to comply with the law. You should follow the guidance unless you have a very good reason not to.