Transport

Transport Statement

At Continu Plus Academy, the school day begins at the point of pick-up. When our drivers and escorts collect pupils from across the Wyre Forest area each morning, this marks the official start of their educational experience with us.

As part of the CPA ethos and commitment to a high-quality education for all, we provide transport to and from school/alternative provision as standard and at no cost to pupils/parents/carers. Due to the nature of the vulnerable pupils that we teach, past issues on non-attendance and a wide catchment area, the CPA believes that transport overcomes barriers to learning in a very direct way and enables attendance.

Our staff are especially trained to work with disengaged learners—to listen and to respond immediately to the wide variety of life issues that are communicated at the beginning and end of a school day. This pastoral work during transport time is not incidental; it is a fundamental part of how we support our pupils.

Why Transport Matters at CPA

For many of our pupils, the journey to and from school provides:

A safe, consistent relationship with trusted adults who know them well
Early identification of concerns before pupils even arrive at school
Immediate pastoral support when issues arise
A bridge between home and school that helps pupils’ transition into the school day
Removal of barriers to attendance that have historically affected our pupils

The consistency of seeing the same driver and escort, day after day, builds trust with pupils who may be disengaged from traditional education. Often, pupils will share concerns during transport that they wouldn't raise elsewhere.

Our Transport Provision

At present the CPA owns five minibuses with 17 seats, a land rover and 3 school cars. We have 8 staff members who are qualified to drive them. Pupils who are educated on site are transported to and from school by school minibuses if they live outside of a mile perimeter of the CPA. Each bus is staffed by a driver and an escort. Escorts are Learning Coaches who have 2 sessions a week to escort pupils.

Operating Times: Minibus transport leaves the CPA at 7: 30am/2.50pm and all staff timetabled should be present at these times, ready in the foyer.

Transport as a Privilege

Free transport is a privilege and not a right for our pupils. Abuse of this privilege will result in a pupil’s disapplication from it.

Transport can be withdrawn if behaviour is dangerous or inappropriate on our buses. If pupils break the CPA code of conduct, parents/carers will be informed and will be expected to provide transport.

The CPA has full rights to withdraw transport on a temporary or permanent basis. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

This approach ensures that transport remains a safe, positive environment for all pupils and staff.

Our Duty of Care

The CPA has a duty of care which exists for all pupils we teach and transport. This duty of care extends throughout the entire journey, from the moment pupils are collected to when they are safely returned home. Our transport protocols are designed to ensure:

Safeguarding is paramount at all times
Safety is maintained through clear procedures and expectations
Pastoral support is available when pupils need it
Communication flows between transport staff, school staff, and families

Staffing and Training

Driver Requirements: Designated drivers should pick up a driver’s folder (record of use) from the main school office, red or blue to correlate with the coloured stripe on the appropriate bus. The folder has student contact details, updated as necessary by designated admin staff (SR), mileage, first aid log, certificate of motor insurance, a safety checklist for daily/weekly/monthly completion and a user guide. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

All drivers must:

Be qualified to drive minibuses
Complete DBS checks (recorded on the Single Central Record)
Understand their safeguarding responsibilities
Be trained to work with disengaged learners
Follow daily safety checklists

Escort Requirements: Escorts are Learning Coaches who have 2 sessions a week to escort pupils.

Escorts should always sit in the back of the minibus with pupils. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

All escorts must:

Be specially trained to work with disengaged learners
Have advanced listening and communication skills
Be able to respond immediately and appropriately to disclosures or concerns
Complete safeguarding training
Understand behaviour management and de-escalation techniques

Professional Expectations: If a staff member undertakes minibus training at the school's expense there will be a professional expectation that they transport pupils when necessary.

Route Planning and Daily Operations

Pupil routes for onsite provision are updated daily and stored in the drawer unit behind student reception. The tray is labelled "Transport". These should be collected by drivers prior to setting off on their route. Drivers should check the list daily as changes are regularly made. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

Any changes should be made at the start of the day or by altering the transport sheet on the evening before. Any changes to the sheet should be initialled. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

SLT should inform drivers/transport co-ordinator of any exclusion as soon as possible. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

This system ensures that:

Routes are efficient and up-to-date
All staff have accurate information
Changes are communicated clearly
Pupils are collected and dropped off safely

Behaviour Expectations on Transport

We maintain high expectations for behaviour during transport, recognising that this is part of the school day:

Behaviour Checklist:

Pupils should wear seatbelts at all times
Pupils should remain seated
Pupils should not shout or spit out of windows
Pupils should not hang out of windows
Pupils should not bring the school into disrepute by their behaviour
Music should be at an appropriate volume
The driver/escort will designate where pupils are to sit
No smoking, eating or drinking on the bus
All pupils should follow staff instruction
No litter The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

These expectations are communicated clearly to pupils and are enforced consistently by transport staff.

Travel Passes

We use a travel pass system to help pupils understand their transport arrangements and responsibilities. Our travel passes include:

Pupil name
Form
Date
Visual reminders of behaviour expectations

These passes help pupils take ownership of their transport privilege and serve as a visual reminder of expectations.

Safeguarding During Transport

The CPA ensures that:

DBS checks are in place for drivers/supervisors (unless public transport is being used)
Risk assessments have been completed for transport and travel
Any necessary permits have been obtained
Parental/carer permission has been obtained (and for any subsequent changes of plan)
Permission of the school and parent/carer has been obtained (and for any subsequent changes of plan)
Clear arrangements are in place for supervising students: getting on the bus, while on the bus, getting off the bus and during the journey where applicable
Appropriate contact numbers have been left with the CPA, the parent/carer, the provider, the student
Students been informed not to accept lifts home from employees of the provider (other than by the designated travel arrangements)
Staff should not transport pupils alone. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

Critical Safeguarding Principle: Staff should not transport pupils alone. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

This is why each minibus has both a driver and an escort—ensuring appropriate supervision and safeguarding at all times.

Travel Insurance: Staff transporting students in their cars must be sure that they carry appropriate car insurance for such journeys. Staff should not transport pupils alone. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

Communication with Families

In the event that students will arrive home later/earlier than on a normal school day, parents/carers must be informed of the time of return by the admin hub. The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…

We maintain regular communication with families about:

Pick-up and drop-off times and locations
Any changes to transport arrangements
Behaviour expectations and any concerns
The educational value of transport time

The Role of the Transport Coordinator

Transport is organised under the direction of the Transport co-ordinator The ContinU Plus Academy transport proto…, who ensures:

Routes are planned efficiently
Staff are appropriately deployed
Safety checks are completed
Communication flows between transport staff and school staff
Any issues are addressed promptly
Records are maintained accurately

Morning and Afternoon Protocols

Morning Pick-Up: When pupils are collected in the morning, transport staff:

Greet each pupil warmly and observe their presentation and demeanour
Listen actively to anything pupils or parents/carers share
Note any concerns or important information
Create a calm, positive start to the school day
Communicate urgent concerns to school staff before arrival
Provide handover information to relevant staff upon arrival at school

Afternoon Drop-Off: At the end of the school day, transport staff:

Receive briefing from school staff about the day
Engage pupils in conversation during the journey home
Continue to listen and respond to any concerns
Ensure safe handover to parents/carers
Communicate any necessary information to families
Report any new concerns to school for follow-up

Why This Approach Works

By recognising that the school day begins at pick-up, we:

✓ Maximise pastoral support time with pupils who need it most

✓ Identify concerns early before they escalate

✓ Build trusting relationships through consistent, positive interactions

✓ Remove barriers to attendance that have historically affected our pupils

✓ Create continuity between home and school

✓ Demonstrate our commitment to knowing and supporting every pupil

Our transport provision is not simply about logistics—it is a fundamental part of our educational offer and our commitment to supporting disengaged learners.