Case study: School transport services

Assignment	Consultancy to review value for money in the provision of Home to School Transport Services for Pupils with Special Educational Needs.
Client Issue	The Capita SCS report for the DFES of 2004 identified that there was a wide variation in costs, quality, policies and procedures between different Local Authorities across England. It also identified good practice that exists, and how this can be used by Las to improve efficiency and quality of services provided. The 2004 study also showed that costs tended to be much higher in London boroughs, and other factors, such as difficulties in making suitable SEN placements for all pupils, were impacting on the cost and quality of home-to-school transport. The contract with ALG was to work with four schools across London with complex transport arrangements, to produce options for London boroughs which would assist them in improving their services. The issues studied included the length of journeys for pupils, opportunities for increasing the use of independent travel support, the range of options for procurement, including the use of in-house and contracted transport, and ways in which boroughs can work together to improve services.
Project details	The work involved analysing all the cost information relating to London boroughs, and benchmarking them against the national picture. The policies and practices of a range of boroughs were studied, and a group of four schools chosen for specific study. The study of schools involved interviews with headteachers and other relevant senior staff, as well as questionnaires, and discussion with groups of pupils and school councils. Findings were presented to a project group throughout. This consisted of representatives from ALG, DfES, London SEN partnership, London boroughs. A final report was produced which presented a range of options which would increase quality and efficiency in the provision of this service by boroughs. This included options to improve the length of journeys of pupils, develop independent life skills, reduce costs for boroughs, enable boroughs to work together to improve co-ordination of services. The project took forward the innovations of the 2004 national project by involving individual schools, and using the views of pupils. Some of the schools studied themselves have innovative approaches to assisting pupils in independent travel and these provided excellent examples for how this can be supported in LAs. Similarly, innovative good practice in the best LAs for this function was described. The project also presented innovative options for boroughs to provide joint services.
Outcomes	The Project Objectives related to the options described above for improving quality and efficiency in the provision of home-to-school transport services in London boroughs. ALG is now able to continue to work with London boroughs, using the options for improvement described in the final project report.
Lessons learned	The options for home-to-school transport were constrained by the provision available for pupils with SEN and the options for placement that are available to boroughs. This therefore provides an important link with work on placements being carried out by DfES. There is wide variation in good practice in schools and boroughs, and there is a need to ensure that the best is shared and supported. Useful work with pupils in special schools, which brings a different perspective to types of transport used, options for independent travel and ideal maximum journey lengths.