School Transport Behaviour Protocol

• Where a pupil’s / student’s behaviour is unacceptable, they may be suspended / withdrawn from home to school transport, but this will be a matter of last resort.
• If they are suspended / withdrawn from home to school transport, it remains the parent's or carer's responsibility to ensure their child gets to school.
• Health and safety is taken extremely seriously and must not be compromised.
• Any response will take into account any special educational needs and disabilities the pupil/student may have that impact on their presenting behaviour. Where this is the case, the Council will work with parents/carers and the pupil/student with SEND (where they have capacity) to identify alternative solutions to safely transport them to their school/educational setting.
• Schools, parents / carers and pupils / students will be made aware of this Behaviour Protocol, which is published and available on our school transport policy webpage
• Transport operators reserve the right to report any incidents to the relevant authorities, and / or seek financial compensation from the parent / carer for any damage to any vehicle by the pupil / student. Payment does not give immediate right to start travelling on the transport again.

Behaviour which is likely to significantly offend or endanger others, including, but not limited to:

• Damage to the vehicle by the pupil / student
• Actions which may constitute a health and safety risk to themselves or others.
• Eating, drinking, smoking or vaping onboard vehicles.
• Assaults on others
• Verbal, written or online abuse of other people including but not limited to swearing, taunting, racist, sexist, transphobic or homophobic comments, threatening behaviour
• Incitement of others to engage in misbehaviour
• Making repeated malicious false allegations of mistreatment requiring investigation
• Serious misuse of a bus pass, including allowing others to use their travel pass.
• Failure to comply with the reasonable instructions of the driver, passenger assistant, Council officer, or authorised member of school / establishment staff.