Travel to school and transport

Transport for London (TfL) offers free travel on London buses to all children under the age of 18 who are in full time education.

It offers other free or discounted travel including:

• Children aged 5-10 - free travel on all TfL services with a Zip Oyster photocard.
• Children aged 11-15 - free London bus travel and discounted tube fares with a Zip Oyster photocard.
• Children aged 16-17 (18 on 31 Aug and in full time education) - free London bus travel and discounted tube fares with a Zip Oyster photocard.

The TfL website has free and discounted travel information and details of how to apply.

Other assistance

We must make sure all young people have access to affordable transport to school, and that a lack of funding is not stopping them participating in full time education.

Most children will be able to travel from home to school using free transport.

In some cases we can help with travel costs by offering a home to school travel grant. This is for children in difficult circumstances or if they are facing high costs getting to and from school.

Home to school travel grants are payments for the cost of travel getting from home to school.

We will not usually make payments where pupils can use free travel offered by Transport for London (TfL).

We provide assistance with travel expenses for pupils and students who must travel an unreasonable distance to school or college because of a lack of local provision.

Each application is given careful consideration based on the needs of the pupil.

Grant payments are made once each term to cover travel costs for that term. In total, you will receive three payments per year.

How to apply

To be able to apply:

• applicants must be living in the London Borough of Brent
• the pupil should normally attend a ‘maintained’ school (a locally managed or foundation school).

To apply, please email school.admissions@brent.gov.uk to request an application form. Ensure you have taken the time to read our School Transport Policy.

Contact our Pupil and Parent Services team if you have any questions or if you wish to complain about an unsuccessful application.

Our policy is that under Section 509 (1) of the Education Act 1996 free transport will be granted to pupils aged 5 to 16 if they go to their nearest suitable school and live at least:

• 2 miles walking distance from the school if aged 5 to 7
• 3 miles walking distance from the school if aged 8 or older

Read our full School Transport Policy.

Different grants apply to 16-19 year olds.

Read our transport policy statement for students aged 16-19 

Distances between home and school are measured along the shortest possible safe walking route, using an accurate method. If you disagree with the outcome of an assessment, please contact the Admissions Team on 020 8937 3110.

The term 'suitable school' has a legal meaning in the 1996 Education Act and for the purpose of our travel policy all state schools in Brent are considered suitable.

Applications for assistance with travel must be made annually.

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Different considerations apply to pupils who have an Educational Health and Care (EHC) plan.

If your child has a plan, then please refer to the section of the plan entitled 'non-educational provision', which will state if your child is able to receive assistance with transport.

View more information about home to school travel for pupils with SEND.

Excluded pupils

If your child has been excluded from school and placed, by the authority, in the council's pupil referral unit, or other mainstream provision, you will be entitled to receive assistance with his or her travelling expenses if the walking distance between home and unit/school is:

• 2 miles walking distance from the school if aged 5 to 7
• 3 miles walking distance from the school if aged 8 or older

Change of details

If your home address changes, or your child moves school, you should notify us immediately by contacting the Pupil and Parent Services team.

Our Safer Routes to School (SRtS) programme raises travel awareness in children and encourages them to travel to school safely by sustainable means such as cycling or walking. It includes a network of school crossing patrols.

Cycle training for school children

As part of this programme we have a couple of cycle training options for schools.

Find out more about the safer routes to school programme

School safer roads campaign

Our School Safer Roads Campaign highlights the illegal and dangerous driving practices that put Brent school children's lives at risk every day.

Get more information about this safer roads campaign

School Streets

Schools Streets aim to reduce congestion and pollution, as well as making it easier to implement social distancing measures. In discouraging car use, we hope to encourage more people to walk and cycle as part of their daily routine.

The scheme works by closing the road outside of a school to vehicles at pick up and drop off times. This makes the route safer for pupils, promotes walking and cycling, and cuts the number of polluting cars contributing to local air pollution. It also helps the school community with social distancing as more pupils return to school.

Find out more about School Streets

School travel plans

A School Travel Plan is a document produced by a school that promotes sustainable and safe ways of travelling to and from school.

Find out more about school travel plans