Using school transport in Highland
12th August 2020
Pupils travelling by dedicated school transport.
‘Dedicated school transport' means transport which is only available to pupils. This includes most of our school transport contracts.
Physical distancing is not required between pupils on dedicated school transport. This is the same as the guidance within school buildings. However, where possible there should be distancing of 1m between pupils and adults e.g. where there are passenger assistants on board.
We do not require the use of face coverings on dedicated school transport, but pupils may wear face coverings if they wish to do so. The Council will support any pupil’s decision to wear a face covering.
Pupils travelling by public transport
Public transport buses are also used for school transport in many locations, where pupils and other passengers travel in the same vehicle. Occasionally, public ferry services also form part of the school transport.
On public transport, where possible physical distancing of 1m is required between all passengers. Where school transport zones are in use, physical distancing is not required between pupils, even though it is required between passengers in other seats.
Pupils are required to wear face coverings if using public transport (unless medically exempt) including school transport zones within public bus services. Face coverings must also be worn in enclosed areas on public ferry services but are not compulsory on open decks.
Your transport contractor should advise you if they are requiring the use of face coverings beyond the minimum requirement
Staying safe on transport
Hands should be washed or hand sanitiser used before travelling. It is parents’ responsibility to ensure that this is done. Most transport operators will not provide hand sanitiser on their vehicles but some may choose to do so; this will depend on their operating conditions and their own risk assessments. Hand sanitiser is available in schools and should be used before the homeward journey.
Please note that parents are responsible for providing face coverings. Pupils must store these safely while in school
Related Businesses
Related Articles
As intimated in Highland Council's budget plan, a new senior management structure is to be implemented following approval by Council 14th March. It reconfigures the senior management team into two layers, rather than three and brings Highland Council into line with other benchmarked authorities.
Today, Morrison Construction introduced some of their local apprentices who are working on the UK Governments' Levelling Up Funded refurbishment project at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness. All these apprentices have been recruited from the Highland area.
The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 19 - Inverness South on The Highland Council has been won by Duncan Cameron McDonald - Independent who was one of the eight candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters in the ward went to the poll yesterday (Thursday 11 April) and the by-election count was held this morning in The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness.
The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate. The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate.
Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation. The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme. Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
