Before you begin...
You will need to provide evidence of Targeted Free School Meals.
There is an option within the application form to upload digital copies of this evidence, so please have these ready before you apply. Without this evidence, we will not be able to consider this as a factor in your application.
Contact benefitsfsm@oldham.gov.uk to obtain evidence.
Eligibility for free school travel
We issue free school travel passes, to enable those pupils who meet the eligibility criteria, to travel to and from school on public transport for free.
There are a number of qualifying regulations that must be met before free school travel passes can be issued.
Please check the walking distance from home to school, using an online tool such as Google Maps, to ensure you know the walking distance.
Seven years old and younger
To be eligible, a child must live more than 2 miles walking distance from their nearest suitable school. The school must be the nearest that could have offered a place at the time of application.
Eight years old or older
To be eligible, a child must live more than 3 miles walking distance from their nearest suitable school. The school must be the nearest that could have offered a place at the time of application.
Low-income families
Children only fall into this criteria if they are entitled to Targeted Free School Meals.
Children aged 8 to 10 from low-income families are eligible where they live more than 2 miles from their nearest suitable school.
Children aged 11 or over from low-income families are eligible where:
- they live more than 2 miles from one of their three nearest suitable schools, or
- they attend the nearest suitable school based on a parent’s religion or belief, between 2 and 15 miles from home.
You will need to provide evidence of Targeted Free School Meals.
There is an option within the application form to upload digital copies of this evidence, so please have these ready before you apply. Without this evidence, we will not be able to consider this as a factor in your application.
Contact benefitsfsm@oldham.gov.uk to obtain evidence.
If a pupil attends a school further away due to parental choice (for example, because of preference, performance or a sibling attending), and a nearer suitable school was available, parents/carers will be responsible for any travel costs.
If you do not meet the Low-Income Criteria faith will not be a factor in your application decision for Free School Travel.
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