T P

Thurston Partnership
Working together for an outstanding future for all our children 4 May 2012 Dear Parents and Carers Home to School Transport Consultation Suffolk County Council has launched a consultation on home to school transport in areas of the county that will be affected by the establishment of free schools. This does not yet affect the Thurston Partnership area, but the proposal for a free school in Ixworth means that the outcome of this consultation could have a serious effect on your choice of secondary school. If the proposed free school opens and you live nearer to it than to Thurston, it is possible that your child will no longer be entitled to free transport to Thurston Community College. Equally, if you live nearer to Thurston than to Ixworth, your child will not get a free bus to the proposed free school. At present, the cost of a termly travel pass is 160 per child. This adds up to 2400 per child for secondary education until the age of 16. Children who live within three miles of either secondary school will not be entitled to any transport at all. This includes many children living in several villages including Bardwell and Stanton where there is no safe walking route to Ixworth. We are also worried about the potential impact on sixth formers who use the school buses provided for younger pupils to get to Thurston. The proposal for the free school in Ixworth does not include sixth form provision, which will only be available at Thurston Community College. If the school bus services are withdrawn from villages closer to Ixworth than to Thurston, sixth form students living there will have to find their own transport to the College. We urge you to make your views known to the County Council about the possible implications of any proposed transport policy changes that may set a precedent for future arrangements in our area. These changes may ultimately restrict your ability to choose the most suitable secondary school for your child. Please contact your local councillor: Joanna Spicer joanna.spicer@suffolk.gov.uk and your MP: Matthew Hancock matthew.hancock.mp@parliament.uk to make your views known. You can read the consultations on the Suffolk County Council website: http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/decision-making/consultations/home-to-schoolconsultation/ . Yours sincerely, On behalf of The Thurston Partnership

Badwell Ash CEVA Primary School Bardwell CEVC Primary School Barnham CEVC Primary School Barningham CEVC Primary School Cockfield CEVC Primary School Elmswell Community Primary School Great Barton CEVC Primary School Honington CEVC Primary School Hopton CEVC Primary School Ixworth CEVC Primary School Norton CEVC Primary School Rattlesden CEVC Primary School Rougham VC Primary School Stanton Community Primary School Thurston Community College Thurston CEVC Primary School Walsham Le Willows CEVC Primary School Woolpit Community Primary School

Working together for an outstanding future for all our children