School and college transport guidance for operators      September 2020

This guidance follows the DfE’s guidance, which has been developed in line with advice from Public Health England (PHE) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Implementing the measures in this guidance will reduce the risk to all staff and children.

Drivers are not expected to police instances where pupils are not following these new rules for transport. However, they should report any issues to you or us so that we can take appropriate action.

Transport provided just for school children and college students (dedicated transport)

 Social distancing guidelines will not apply to dedicated school transport. This is because students will not be sharing with members of the general public and will mostly if not always be with the same group of students each day. In addition, PHE advice has said that the overall risk to children and young people from coronavirus (COVID-19) is very low.

 Face coverings are not a legal requirement but we have asked all students aged 11 and over (high school age and above) to wear a face covering, and for all younger children to wear one if they are able to do so safely.

Some young people may have an exemption and may show an exemption card to the driver – this should not be challenged, even if they do not have a card to show. Also, whilst some children with special needs will be able to wear a face covering, most will not.

If a young person of any age presents themself for travel and they are not wearing a face covering, the driver should allow them to travel but ask for their name and report it to you/us so that we can take it up with the school and family, as we would with a behaviour incident.

 Seating arrangements: Wherever possible, you should help students to sit in their year group bubble, or class bubble for younger children.

For larger vehicles, whilst it won’t be an exact science, you could for example, put signs up on the windows to show where different year groups should sit. It is not expected that drivers should enforce this, but we should do everything we can to assist. Schools can help to reinforce this too on the afternoon journey. 

 Transport shared with different schools: As with year group bubbles, it is important that you put measures in place to separate children from different schools wherever possible. So, for example, you could have one half of the bus for one school, and the other half for a second school. Signage or driver instruction will be needed for this but once again, it is not expected that drivers enforce, just advise. If you can, leave a row of seats or some space between each school.

 Consistency: This is key for minimising contact with different individuals and so we have asked children to sit in the same seat each day where possible. This is particularly important if they are using rear-facing seats. Transport staff should also be consistent on each route where possible.

 Bus passes: Drivers should ensure students validate their pass on the ticket machine on each journey so that we know who has travelled and can trace individuals easily if necessary.

Public transport services

 Normal social distancing for public transport applies, and students have been informed.

But where a significant majority of the route is for school children from the same school, then these children can sit together without social distancing in a specific area of the bus and the guidance above regarding seating arrangements applies, where possible.

An area of the bus should be designated for members of the public where normal social distancing will of course apply.

 Face coverings: We have told students that these are a legal requirement on public transport for those aged 11 and over, and we have asked all younger children to wear one if they are able to do so safely.

Drivers should take their normal course of action but of course be mindful that some young people may have an exemption and may show an exemption card to the driver – this should not be challenged, even if they do not have a card to show.

 Key transport corridors: We have agreed relief vehicles on some of the busiest public transport routes that carry school children and students. If you become aware of an issue on a route then please let us know so we can see what we can do.

 If the bus gets full: If you get to a stop that has students waiting and your bus is full, please can you put something in place so that the driver can alert you asap so that you can then contact us immediately and we can decide what we can do to help get those young people to school or college.

All transport services

The following is a system of control measures that can help to minimise the spread of Coronavirus. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, it is mandatory to implement measures that are reasonably practicable and effective at reducing the risk. This means we must consider the extent to which measures are reasonably practicable and, where they are, to take these measures.

 Minimising contact with individuals who are unwell: We have advised parents that their child should not travel if they, or a member of their household, has symptoms of Coronavirus. 

Likewise, a driver or passenger assistant should not work if they, or a member of their household, has symptoms. If they develop symptoms whilst at work, they must go home and get a test.

You should not ask to take a child’s temperature before they board the vehicle.

 Clean hands thoroughly more often than usual: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an easy virus to kill when it is on skin. This can be done with soap and running water or hand sanitiser – washing hands for at least 20 seconds is advised.

We have asked students to carry hand sanitiser with them and to use it before boarding the vehicle. If you can also have hand sanitiser available on the vehicle, this would be very helpful.

Drivers and passenger assistants should use alcohol hand rub or sanitiser at intervals throughout the journey and should always do so after performing tasks such as helping a child into the vehicle or handling a child’s belongings.

 Ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach: This approach is very important and will be reinforced with students at school. If you can make a covered waste bin or plastic bag available on board your vehicle then that would be very helpful.

 Ventilation: It is very important to maximise the ventilation of fresh air (from outside the vehicle) on transport, particularly through opening windows and ceiling vents, where possible.

 Cleaning: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is easy to kill on surfaces. Normal cleaning products will do this - specialist cleaning products are not needed. Cleaning of high-touch areas like grab rails and door handles should be undertaken after every trip where possible, and an enhanced clean should be carried out at the end of each day.

Additional information for transport children with special needs

We recognise that transporting children and young people with SEND may require close contact. Where this is the case, other measures in the system of controls should be put in place to reduce risk, for example staff may want to wash or sanitise their hands more frequently.

 Face coverings for children: Some children and young people with SEND will not be able to use a face covering properly and should not be expected to do so as this may increase the risk of transmission. Some children may be distressed by wearing a face covering, or by others wearing them. Others may become distressed if they and other people do not wear them. The key is talking to the family and understanding the children you are transporting.

 Face coverings for staff: We do not expect drivers to wear face coverings unless they are escorting children to and from the vehicle or helping them on and off the vehicle, however they can do so if they wish. Passenger assistants should wear a face covering at all times whilst in contact with the children, unless it has been identified as causing distress to a child and agreed with Passenger Transport.

 PPE is not normally needed on home to school transport. By PPE we mean equipment such as fluid-resistant surgical face masks, disposable gloves, disposable plastic aprons and eye protection such as a face visor or goggles. However, where this has been identified as necessary through an individual risk assessment, then it should be provided.

Response to any infection

 All staff and families are expected to engage with the NHS Test and Trace process.

 If anyone starts to display any symptom of Coronavirus then they should book a test https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test and follow government guidance on self-isolation until the result is back. Staff should also inform you as their employer and you should inform us. If the result is positive, then we need to be informed immediately.

 If a member of staff has someone in their household who develops symptoms, then they should also follow government guidance on self-isolation.

 Drivers, passenger assistants and families should be willing to provide details of anyone they have been in close contact with if they test positive for Coronavirus or if they are asked to by Test and Trace.

 If a child on your transport falls ill and is a suspected case, then there is no need for staff to self-isolate unless they themself develop symptoms, they are advised to by the Test and Trace service, or they are advised to by us or school, e.g. if the child has tested positive. Staff could also get a test straight away but be aware that there is an incubation period for the virus.

 If we become aware of a positive test for Coronavirus involving a child on your transport, then we will contact you immediately and advise what you and your staff should do.