Change to two tier system in Central Bedfordshire could reduce school transport costs

Every day, Central Bedfordshire Council transports about 6,500 children to and from school across the county on nearly 750 routes.

Criticism was directed at the local authority’s desire to switch from transporting children from their home to the ‘nearest school’ only, rather than a catchment school. Its executive responded by agreeing only four of five proposed home to school transport changes.

CBC said afterwards it listened to feedback from 500 people, including representatives from several schools, adding “the current school travel provision is over and above what it’s obliged to provide by law”.

Harlington-based Pyramid Schools Trust chief executive officer Steve Kelly said he left a CBC children’s services scrutiny committee meeting in July “with the understanding there’d be no planned changes for the 2025/26 academic year”.

Thinking the home to nearest school idea was “rejected outright”, he told the executive of his “surprise it’s presented in this form, with no exemptions and no phasing”, warning: “There were clear deficiencies and flaws with that policy.

“Somewhat unbelievably the proposal is for in-year transfers during the current academic year, which seems bizarre because there’s no time to prepare for that.

“It would be bad for children, families and schools, Educational outcomes would suffer. For our schools trust, around 300 pupils would be lost to us at a net loss in revenue of about £2m a year. It would have a devastating impact.

“I’d challenge the alleged savings. In villages, such as Silsoe, you’ll be sending children to at least three middle schools, instead of one. That’ll be repeated across the local authority.

“There are far more pressing issues linked to education, including SEND transport and the school system reorganisation. The three- to two-tier debate doesn’t seem to have moved on and it’s a scandal.”

Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion thought the proposal “would be shelved” after the scrutiny meeting, acknowledging there was a subsequent change of portfolio holder.

Conservative Cranfield and Marston Moretaine councillor Sue Clark explained: “More than half of all secondary school pupils in Cranfield would be affected by this, 195 altogether.

“And more than half of children in the Cranfield and Marston cluster would have a different secondary school. Would that be Wixams, Redbourne or Fulbrook? We’ve no idea. None of that information is provided.

“It doesn’t mention Marston Vale School in Stewartby and Wootton Lower in Bedford borough, but part of the Cranfield cluster. Were they consulted? It makes no sense at all, particularly with the three- to two-tier progressing for this cluster.”

Independent Biggleswade West councillor Hayley Whitaker suggested: “If this policy is tied into the three- to two-tier schooling transition, that would keep everyone happy and be in line with government policy.”

Council leader and Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny acknowledged CBC staff “worked hard to create this policy”, saying: “As an administration, we’ve tasked our officers to produce ways of saving public money and reduce the cost of local government."