The statutory walking distance is dependent on the child’s age. For children aged between 5 and 8 the statutory walking distance is 2 miles. For children over 8 and up to 16 the statutory walking distance is 3 miles. The distance is measured by the nearest available safe route on foot. If there’s no safe route, children aged 5 to 16 must be given free transport as long as they are attending a suitable school that is nearest to where they live. This is the case regardless of how far away the school is. This can be a very significant point for families with special needs children whose school may be a long way away.
You may still be able to get some help towards the cost of travel to school, if you child is not eligible for free transport. This will vary based on your local authority - you will need to check with the Local Authority directly. For example you may get help towards your child’s transport if you are a low income household, or if you have recently moved house and changing schools would disrupt your child’s education - such as if they are in the middle of GCSEs.
Students that are in full time further education and under the age of 19, can apply for a free bus or rail pass for their travel to and from college. They must live more than 3 miles from the closest campus offering their chosen course. Students that travel by car can also apply for help towards fuel costs.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) is when a child has learning difficulties or a disability that makes learning harder for them, compared to other children of a similar age. Not all children with disabilities have SEN; SEN is specifically about the extent to which the child is able to engage in education services. Someone with SEN may have difficulty with:
- reading and writing
- ability to understand things
- behaviour
- ability to socialise
- concentration
- sensitivity to external stimuli e.g. noise
No, a school cannot refuse a child because they have SEN or a disability, if your child would have otherwise qualified for a place under the school’s admissions criteria. The School Admissions Code of Practice states that all young people and children with SEN must be treated fairly. The only grounds on which a mainstream school can refuse a child with SEN is where their needs or disabilities would interfere with the education of other children. If a school is named in Section 1 of a child’s EHCP, the school has a duty to admit that child.
Schools are provided with additional funding for children with SEN to help meet their needs, which is known as their delegated budget. This roughly equates to up to £6,000 from their school per academic year.
All mainstream schools are required to have a SENco (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) by law. In order to be a SENco in a mainstream school you must be qualified as a teacher and achieve a National award in Special Educational Needs Coordination within 3 years of taking up the SENco post. There is no requirement to have a SENco in a special school, however they may choose to employ someone to carry out the work a SENco would do.
Starting with the most recent, here is a list of relevant legislation and guidance with links to the legislation online which you may find useful.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020
Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 – information re Education Health and Care (EHC) assessments
If you have suffered pressure sores as a result of medical negligence, whether you were a patient in a private hospital or NHS hospital, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the distress you have suffered.
Pressure sores can occur as a result of hospital negligence, if you are in hospital recovering from an illness or surgery the hospital should carry out a risk assessment. This allows the correct monitoring and preventative measures to be put in place.
We understand your situation and our expert team are here to help
