National Audit Office report on home to school transport: CCN responds

Today the National Audit Office has published a new report analysing the growing expenditure by councils on home to school transport.

The report backs up many of the findings from previous County Councils Network research, which finds that much of the additional expenditure in school transport services are driven by transport for special educational needs and disabilities pupils. The NAO finds the number of young people being assessed as having SEND is having 'significant implications' on local authorities.

The organisation has said that SEND reforms, delayed until next year, must address school transport costs.

Below, the CCN responds to the NAO report.

Cllr Bill Revans, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“The current SEND system is broken, and does not work for young people, families and councils alike, with some children travelling dozens of miles each day and costs are spiralling for councils in county areas. Those councils in county areas are now spending more on school transport than they are on Sure Start centres, youth services, and family services combined. This is unsustainable.

“Last week’s delay to the long-awaited schools white paper was massively disappointing but it is vital the government now uses this period to set out genuine root and branch reform to the system. A key element of this should be enabling greater inclusion in mainstream schools so they can better cater for more SEND pupils’ needs, allowing them to be taught locally and reducing the reliance on specialist placements whilst cutting transport costs for local authorities.”