Parents ‘unaware’ council had stopped free school transport

In February last year Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet voted unanimously to scrap free transport for schoolchildren if their parents choose not to send them to their nearest school.

But parent Rob Lee, whose 10-year-old son Jack applied to John Mason from Abbey Woods Academy in September, said neither Oxfordshire County Council nor the school told him pupils in Berinsfield were now ineligible for a free bus.

Former John Mason pupil Mr Lee, who has lived in Berinsfield his whole life, said he will now have to pay £600 a year and has been backed by 25 parents at Abbey Woods school also missing out on free transport.

The 30-year-old added: “We do not know where we are going to get the money from and I am really worried because if we cannot find the money there is no other way of getting them to school.”

Spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council Owen Morton said the decision, coming into force in September 2015, was made to “reduce the amount the council spends on home-to-school transport” and that the public were informed at a series of meetings across Oxfordshire.

Mr Morton said: “A series of public meetings was carried out across Oxfordshire.

“The council has arranged to meet with local parents to explain the home-to-school transport policy and how it applies to their children, and will respond to any questions that the parents might have.”

Headteacher of John Mason school, Ms Di Mashiter, said they made parents aware that there could be changes when parents came to visit, but did not know the full details.

She said: “As a school We made representation to the county council concerned that the proposed changes could have a detrimental effect on students coming to John Mason School.

“We were disappointed when the council changed its policy, but are awaiting the details from the council on its impact for those students joining us in September.”