Kindergarten

Kindergarten Student Policy

Last Updated Nov 20, 2008 04:51 AM

Purpose

To define the transport entitlement of students enrolled in mainstream schools in the kindergarten year.



Background
Students enrolled in the kindergarten year are eligible for transport assistance. In 2001, the Department of Education extended class contact for kindergarten students from two half days (or one full day) per week to four half days (or two full days). From 2001, children have been offered places in kindergarten if they turn four years and six months in that year.


Safety and welfare are critical in considering the bus transport of these young students, particularly those who are not sufficiently self-reliant or physically mature. Requests to travel on bus services, which require individual approval, will be considered subject to parents acknowledging specific conditions of travel. Some parents may prefer to receive a conveyance allowance to offset the cost of driving the kindergarten student to school.

With regard to public bus services, students may travel without being required to establish their eligibility. That is, in usual circumstances and provided the student pays the correct fare, the student's age would not be questioned. It is therefore the responsibility of the parent/carer to determine whether the student should use this form of transport.

Policy
To be eligible for transport assistance in a non-public transport area, a kindergarten student must satisfy the following criteria:

1. be a child or young person enrolled in an educational program at a school in the pre-compulsory education period as defined in the School Education Act 1999; AND

2. reside a distance of more than 4.5 km (by the shortest practical road route) from the nearest appropriate school (government, or private school by religion or ethos) as measured from the nearest gate of the student's normal place of residence; AND

3. use the transport assistance provided to and from school on a regular basis (at least one full day or two half days per week).

Business Rules
Services requiring individual approval to travel (contract school bus and inter-town services)


1. Kindergarten students enrolled in mainstream schools and eligible for transport assistance will be entitled to receive transport assistance. However, it is acknowledged that in the majority of cases the transport option preferred by parents may be a conveyance allowance.


2. Eligible kindergarten students may be considered for transport on contract school buses and inter-town public bus services (which operate with student lists) if the parent signs a Bus Transport for Kindergarten Students - Parent Declaration form, acknowledging the following conditions of travel:

i. The student is capable of travelling as a bus passenger without assistance.
ii. The student is able to get on and off the bus without assistance.
iii. The student is capable of changing buses in the course of a journey, if required, without assistance.
iv. The student must be fully toilet trained such that toilet needs will not pose any problems during bus travel.
v. The student must be capable of getting from the bus drop off location at the school to the classroom in a safe manner.
vi. A responsible person must accompany the student to the bus stop from which the student commences the journey to school and remain with the student until the student boards the bus.
vii. A responsible person must be at the bus stop at which the student ends the journey from school to meet and collect the student.

3. When deciding whether to apply for bus transport, parents must take account of the following factors:

i. The duration and comfort of the journey and the toilet needs of the student.
ii. The capacity of the student to get on and off the bus unassisted and to sit without falling from the seat, particularly if prone to falling asleep.
iii. The safety of the set down point at the school (for example, whether the bus stops near to a busy school car park or major road, and any arrangements for a member of school staff to meet and accompany students to the classrooms).
iv. The safety aspect of changing buses en route (for example, the requirement to cross a busy road in order to change buses).
v. The availability of a responsible person to accompany the student at the bus pick up and set down points.


4. The assessment of a student's ability to travel on a bus service in line with the conditions of travel is continual. In cases where any party has a concern regarding the ability of the student to travel safely on a bus, the school, contractor and parent shall consult over the student's suitability for bus travel. In any event it is recommended that as a matter of course the above parties take the opportunity to review the student's suitability to travel following the first two weeks of school bus travel.


5. Bus transport may be withdrawn if:


i. Any of the conditions of travel are not complied with.
ii. The student continually disrupts other bus passengers or the bus driver.
iii. The student fails to comply with any reasonable directions of the bus driver.
iv. Any other circumstances exist which make it unsafe or impractical for the student to travel on the bus.

6. The entitlement of an eligible student to receive bus transport and/or conveyance allowance is documented in the attached table Transport Assistance Framework for Students Attending Kindergarten.


7. The Department for Planning and Infrastructure may withdraw the right to bus travel (after liaising with the school bus co-ordinator) if the student is compromising his/her safety or the safety of others on the bus or if the responsible person fails to meet the bus.


8. Bus modifications including booster seats or other forms of postural support to assist in transporting students will only be made available for students with disabilities (complete a Postural Support Request form).


Priority of access to school buses


1. Kindergarten students are to be treated as eligible students excepting that they will not be granted spurs, nor will the bus route be extended.


2. Should a kindergarten student require a seat then:


i. existing complimentary students will be required to give up their seats for kindergarten students; and
ii. once a kindergarten student has been allocated a seat on a bus, they should not be removed to allow other students access, even if it means that an eligible student who would be expected to travel for five days a week is refused travel (but offered a conveyance allowance) for the days the kindergarten student attends school.

Services not requiring individual approval to travel (public bus services)


For bus services that do not operate with student lists (ie students are not individually approved for transport assistance), it is the responsibility of the parent/carer to determine whether the student should travel by bus. Transport assistance for these students takes the form of a concession fare on public bus services.

Procedure


Services requiring individual approval to travel

1. The parent completes an Application for Transport Assistance form and, if bus transport is required, a Bus Transport for Kindergarten Students - Parent Declaration form and gives them to their school bus co-ordinator.

2. The school bus co-ordinator or school bus advisory committee, where appropriate, assesses the application and makes a recommendation to the Department for Planning and Infrastructure.

3. In cases where any party has a concern regarding the ability of the student to travel safely on a bus, the school, contractor and parent are to consult over the student's suitability for bus travel.

4. Where necessary, the Department encourages the three parties to discuss the case and reach an agreement and if the parties cannot agree, the Department mediates a decision.

5. Upon receipt of the Application for Transport Assistance, the Transport Liaison Officer assesses the application and recommendation to confirm the student's eligibility and entitlement for transport assistance.

6. (a) If the student is eligible for transport assistance and a bus is requested, the Transport Liaison Officer assesses the application form and parent declaration form and, if appropriate, arranges bus transport.
(b) If the student is eligible for transport assistance and a bus is not requested, the Transport Liaison Officer assesses the application form and, if appropriate, approves a conveyance allowance.

See also Kindergarten 520 1 - 7