Transport
Important - Notice of Intent for 2024-2025
For many years, St Bede’s has scheduled coaches to transport students directly to school, which has been funded by parents and carers. This enabled students to travel from a very wide catchment area to study at St Bede’s Inter-Church School.
As St Bede’s has become oversubscribed, fewer students have been admitted from beyond the city of Cambridge and the number of coaches to St Bede’s has consequently reduced. With fewer students travelling by coach, the cost per journey has increased, compounded by the rise in fuel prices.
From September 2024, we expect fewer students to use the school coaches and therefore intend to make further changes to existing bus routes to minimise journey costs. Further details of the transport routes for 2024-2025 will be published on the St Bede’s website from January 2024 and may include the use of transport hubs.
Transport Information for Academic Year 2023 - 24
We are proud to offer a school bus service which acts as a convenient and safe method of transport for students travelling to and from St Bede's on a daily basis. Reviewed on an annual basis as our school demographic changes, we currently offer 4, separate bus routes.
The buses leave school in the afternoon at 3.30pm and the route will effectively work in reverse. It is difficult to estimate return times as the traffic is so variable but the length of times between stops should be similar.
School Transport Charge
The cost of operating the transport system is covered by parent/carer payments. Alongside the increase in the cost of fuel, passenger numbers have decreased once again this year resulting in reducing the number of coaches from 5 to 4. As this is calculated on a whole school basis, it is not possible to make any reductions for Y11 students given their final day at school is officially some 3 weeks earlier than the rest of the school. Also, strike days are classed as a normal day as the drivers still have to be paid.
The transport charge for 2023/24 will be £1464 per year per student. This can be paid as follows:
- £1464 per annum per student
- £488 per term per student
- £164 payable in July 23 followed by 8 monthly instalments of £162.50
Payment on Wisepay will now count as an application and will trigger the printing of bus passes which will be issued to students on their first day of term. Bus stops will be allocated according to the closest stop on the list to student addresses, but if you would like an alternative that is also on the list please email: transport@stbedes.cambs.sch.uk
The above costs are per student. Bus passes are issued on a termly basis if sufficient payment has been received. Bus pass checks are made every half term. Students are required to present their bus pass every morning and evening to the bus driver.
We regret that it is only possible to commit to a whole academic year for the transport system.
Temporary Bus Passes 2023/24
Temporary bus passes for alternative routes can be issued subject to availability. There will be no further cost for students who have paid to use the Transport System. For students who do not use the Transport System, please use the Wisepay system to pay for a pass and this will be issued ready for collection in Reception.
Payments
The preferred method of payment is Wisepay where you can choose to pay Monthly / Termly / Annual
If you prefer to pay by Standing Order please contact transport@stbedes.cambs.sch.uk for school bank details and payment dates. Please note, however, standing orders need to be set up directly between the customer and the bank.
Some secondary school children may qualify for help with transport costs under 'Extended Secondary Rights for Low Income Families'. To do so, your child must meet the following criteria:
- be entitled to free school meals or be from a family receiving the maximum level of Working Families Tax Credit (with no reduction due to income)
- be attending secondary school at one of their 3 nearest schools between 2 and 6 miles from their home address or their nearest denominational school (on grounds of religion or belief) between 2 and 15 miles from their home address
Please click the following to be taken to the County Council’s website for further information and an application form: Cambridge County Council Support with School Transport
Please click below for who to contact regarding school transport in the case of emergency:
