Parents on the Shotley peninsula can now opt-in for Suffolk County Council funded school travel for 2020/2021

The process to opt-in for Suffolk County Council funded (SCC) school travel for the 2020/2021 school year opened today.

If peninsula parents have a child who is already receiving SCC funded school travel, they must opt-in by the 31 May 2020 to continue to receive it. 

Families of children starting secondary school in September 2020 will receive an e-mail by the end of March if they are eligible for SCC funded school travel.

If parents have a child starting primary school in September 2020, they should not opt-in until they receive the offer of a school place. If they are eligible for SCC funded school travel they will be contacted by 15 May. Once a parent has opted in their application will be processed within 20 days.

Councillor Mary Evans Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Skills said; "It is important that parents' opt-in for SCC funded school travel by the 31 May 2020 to ensure that transport is in place for the start of the new school year.

"I recognise that there were lessons to be learnt from last year's introduction of opting-in for home to school travel. As a result, improvements to simplify the system and enable automatic processing have been developed. This means applications will be handled more efficiently which will make the process simpler and easier for families to navigate."

Parents whose child is not eligible for SCC funded school travel but who wish to purchase a spare seat, may do so. The application for spare seats opens on 1 July 2020.

To opt-in or for more information on the SCC school travel policy please visit;  School Travel