School Bus Transport

The Ministry of Education provides school transport assistance to help parents overcome barriers to education and meet their responsibility to get their children to school.

The eligibility criteria for school bus transport is very strict, please read the eligibility criteria carefully to ensure your child is eligible.  The eligibility criteria changes between primary school and high school, and is based on distance from school, so your child who was eligible for a school bus at primary school may not be eligible for school bus transport at high school.  Eligibility applies from the first day of attendance.  A student who is not eligible upon enrolment, will not be assigned to a school bus.

Eligibility

Students must meet all three eligibility criteria in order to access school transport assistance.  Having met the Ministry’s eligibility criteria, students are eligible for one school bus route only, that which directly services the student’s residential address.  Students are not able to swap between school bus routes based on convenience or to travel to alternative locations to their home address.

Criteria 1

The school must be the closest state or state integrated school the student can enrol at.

Criteria 2

Students in years 9-13 must live at least 4.8 kilometres from the school, over the shortest public road or pedestrian route from home roadside gate to the school’s front gate. Please note: the distance criteria is further for years 9-13.  Some students who were eligible for school transport at primary school will not be eligible for school transport at high school.  Please check if your student will be eligible, as the criteria applies from their first day as a Year 9.

Criteria 3

There must be no suitable public transport options.

“Suitable” public transport must travel within:

• 2.4 kilometres of the roadside gate of the student’s home, and

• 2.4 kilometres of the closest appropriate school.

The student:

• won't have to be picked up before 7am

• can get to school before it starts

• can be picked up no later than 1 hour after school finishes

• won't have to change buses more than once on a journey.

Travel on School Buses

In addition to the school transport guidelines agreed to at the time of enrolment (copy below), the following should be noted:

• Students travelling on school buses are under the authority of Kaipara College.

• At all times, students are required to follow, without question, the directions of the bus driver.

• The school and the business operating the service have the right to remove travel on school buses from any student who misbehaves or puts themselves or others in danger through unsafe behaviour.

• If Kaipara College decides on removing a student from the school buses then it will be the family’s responsibility to transport the student to and from school.

• The student will also NOT be permitted to board any chartered buses for the period set. This includes exclusion from school trips due to inappropriate or unsafe behaviour.

All parents and caregivers are required to agree to the following school bus contract as part of their student's enrolment process.