Transport
How will my child get to school?
You may wish to consider how you will get your child to school each day. If you apply for and are offered a place at Parkside, most students from Crook and the surrounding areas will usually qualify for free transport provided by the Local Authority (LA). A transport S20 form is included in the new starters information pack where there are also several other different forms that you need to sign and return to the school. In addition to this, students from Bishop Auckland, Toronto, Hunwick, Oakenshaw, Tow Law and Brandon and the surrounding areas will receive a letter and free transport contract directly from the school as these areas do not qualify for free transport from the Local Authority but transport is provided free of charge by the school. We ask all students and their parents who have free transport provided by the school to sign a free transport contract. This needs signing by yourself and your child and then needs returning to the school.
Whether your child is having transport provided by the Local Authority or the school please return all relevant forms in good time to the school.
If your child qualifies for free transport from the Local Authority, their bus pass will be issued by post to your home address usually during the summer holidays. It will include what bus they have been allocated to and the route with pick up times. If you have any queries or questions regarding Local Authority transport the LA’s School Transport Team can be contacted on 03000 264444 or by e-mail on schooltransportteam@durham.gov.uk. You can also find more information on the LA’s Home to Secondary School Transport by following this link to their website.
For students who receive free transport from the school. The letter you receive will explain the route with pick up times. Your child’s bus pass will be issued in the first few days of them attending the school in September. Your child will be able to access the bus from their first day without the pass as the bus drivers are aware passes are not issued before they arrive at the school.
Behaviour on School Buses
Transport to and from school is provided and regulated by the Local Authority. We expect high standards of behaviour on school contract buses and public transport used by our pupils to ensure the safety of all passengers.
Please Note: If your child gets a Garnetts bus to school and the bus does not turn up due to it breaking down or for bad weather etc., your child should remain at the bus stop as another Garnetts bus will be coming to pick them up as soon as possible.
Should your child decide to leave the stop and go home, then it is the parents’ responsibility to make sure that they still get to school.
After School Bus
Please find the latest bus routes for our after school buses which leave at 4.05pm.
