Think about school transport before applying for a school place
Parents and carers are advised to consider school transport when applying for a school place.
Pupils who are given permission to attend a school other than the school serving the catchment area where they live are required to make their own transport arrangements and to meet the cost involved.
See our school transport policy
Transport arrangements
The local authority has recognised a specific geographical area for each school, known as the catchment area.
School catchment areas inform admission procedures and school transport policies. However, living in a particular catchment area does not guarantee a place at the school for that area. Official maps showing the catchment area boundaries can be seen at the Learning Service or in the school.
Pupils normally go to the school in the catchment area where they live and where the local authority will have made provision with regard to accommodation, staffing and other resources including school transport.
When applying for a secondary school place, parents should be aware that it is the home address that is relevant to the secondary school catchment area, rather than which primary school their child went to.
This affects whether school transport will be free or fee-paying to pupils.