Home to school travel grants

Home to school travel grants are payments by local authorities of the cost of travel for compulsory school-age pupils travelling from home to school. It is the legal responsibility of the parents/guardians to ensure that children attend school, however local education authorities have a legal duty to provide the costs of transport in certain circumstances.

In most cases, pupils will be able to travel from home to school at no cost to them or their parents, due to Transport for London's free bus and tram travel scheme:

• Pupils aged 5-10 can travel for free on London buses and trams with a Photocard obtainable from newsagents or stations.
• Pupils aged 11-14 require an Oyster Photocard to travel for free if they look older than 14 or if they use the tram at Wimbledon or they want to buy child-rate Travelcards and to use pay as they go on the Tube and the DLR.
• Pupils aged 14-15 must have a valid Child, 14-15 or 11-15 Oyster photocard to get free travel on buses and trams and some child-rate travel on the Tube and the DLR.
• Pupils who will reach age 16 during the school year can travel for free as long as they have a valid Oyster Photocard.

For those pupils who need to travel by train and/or London Underground, read the Richmond upon Thames Home to school travel policy(pdf, 35KB).

To apply for a grant, please download the Home to school travel grants application(pdf, 153KB).