Appeals and complaints

What is the difference between an appeal and a complaint?  

Complaints arise when you are unhappy about something, for example, you may feel you have not been dealt with properly or in a professional manner, that information given to you was incorrect or that there has been an unacceptable delay.

In the first instance please contact the Community Transport Unit (CTU) via email at schooltransport@wokingham.gov.uk. If further to this your issue has not been resolved, please follow the Complaints Procedure.

Complaints procedure

Complaints about the provision of Travel Assistance will be investigated in accordance with the Council’s Complaints Policy.  

The complaints policy can be found on our complaints page. 

This does not apply to complaints about a refusal to grant transport, which will be dealt with through the Transport Appeals procedure below.

Appeals procedure

The law states that as a parent / carer, it is your responsibility to get your child to school. Only in a small number of cases does the Council have to provide help. Most Wokingham children are not eligible for free school transport. 

There is strict eligibility criteria set out in national law and the Council’s Home to School Travel Assistance Policy (PDF.) If you believe the transport policy has not been applied correctly, then you may ask for the decision to be reviewed. You must contact us in writing within 20 days of receiving your initial outcome.  

Stage 1 – Review of decision

You will need to clearly state the specific parts of our  Home to School Transport Assistance Policy (PDF) which you believe have not been applied correctly and include or attach any relevant information to support your case. 

The decision will be reviewed within 20 working days and you will receive a detailed written notification of the outcome of the review. 

Before submitting an appeal, please bear in mind the following: 

• If you have chosen a school for your child which is not the nearest school to where you live, it is your responsibility to consider how to get your child to that school 
• If you live within the statutory walking distance to school, it is your legal responsibility to make sure your child is accompanied on a journey where that is appropriate (e.g. because of their age or SEND needs). We are unable to consider your work or other personal commitments as a reason for you to be unable to accompany your child yourself. If it is assessed that your child can safely walk to school if accompanied, then you will not be eligible for home to school transport assistance
• If your appeal relates to a medical issue, you will need to provide documentary evidence of this alongside the appeal form when you submit it 
• If your child has a statement of special educational needs, you should discuss school transport with the special educational needs and disabled (SEND) children's team
• If you've chosen a school for your child which is not the nearest school to where you live, it's your responsibility to consider how to get your child to that school. The nearest suitable school for transport purposes means physically, the nearest qualifying school the pupil is eligible to attend where there is an available place that provides education appropriate to the age, ability and aptitude of the child, and any SEND that the child may have. This may include schools in neighboring Borough’s such as Reading, Bracknell and Hampshire for example.
• It is your legal responsibility to make sure your child is accompanied on a journey where that's appropriate - we are unable to consider your work commitments as a reason for you to be unable to accompany your child yourself
• If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs you should discuss school transport with the Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Disabled Children's Team
• The criteria for assistance with school transport for low income families is set nationally, so this will have been looked at already in your original transport application - we can't reconsider decisions on this basis as the rules are set by the government

How to make a Stage 1 Appeal

You should complete the appeal request form (PDF) and email it to: schooltransportappeals@wokingham.gov.uk

Stage 2 - Appeals Panel

If you remain unhappy with the decision made at Stage 1, you will have 20 working days from the receipt of the Council’s decision to make a request to escalate the matter to Stage 2 appeal.   

Within 40 working days of receipt of your request, an independent appeals panel will consider written and/or verbal representations from both the parent and officers involved in the case and will give a written notification of the outcome within 5 working days. 

No member of the appeal panel will have been involved in the original decision to decline Travel Assistance.   

It is outside of the School Transport Appeals Panel’s role to review the Policy itself. The Panel is also unable to consider school admission matters. If you decide to submit a Stage 2 Appeal, we ask that you clearly explain why you believe that the reasons for refusing your Stage One Appeal (provided within the Stage 1 Appeal Review outcome letter) do not comply with the Council’s Home to School Travel Assistance Policy. 

How to make a Stage 2 Appeal 

You can request a stage 2 appeal by emailing democratic.services@wokingham.gov.uk 

Not eligible for school transport?

If your child is not eligible for home to school transport, there are other ways to get to school. 

Travelling actively to school provides the perfect opportunity for children to learn about their local area, expand their social networks and feel independent. 

Modes of travel can include: 

• Walking
• Scooting
• Cycling
• Park and striding (parking at least a 5 minute walk from your final destination)
• Public transport

For more information on alternative travel options and to explore public transport services, please visit the My Journey website.