We encourage pupils to live a healthy lifestyle, by walking, cycling, or scooting to school when they can.
We provide transport assistance to pupils that are enrolled in their catchment school, and meet the following criteria:
- primary school pupils who live more than one mile away
- secondary school pupils who live more than two miles away
Only pupils who are attending their catchment school can qualify for a travel pass.
View our catchment checker for more information.
For pupils outwith the catchment area and under the mileage entitlement, we can give you advice on how to apply for a National Entitlement Card for free bus travel across Scotland.
Living in the catchment area
We can only provide help with school transport if your child is attending their catchment school.
You can check if they will receive help by using the maps. They display catchment boundaries for each primary and secondary school.
If your child is entitled to travel on a school bus, they will be allocated a bus and issued with a travel pass during the summer break. Schools will complete a Mainstream Transport Request form on your behalf.
They must show their travel pass to the driver when they board the school bus. This is evidence that their journey has already been paid for.
They will be given priority over other pupils who don't have travel passes and are travelling on the same bus.
They must also use the bus they have been allocated (as shown on their travel pass) to ensure the school buses are evenly loaded. Any child that chooses to use a different bus will have to present a valid National Entitlement Card or pay the fare. They could be refused if the bus is full.
Lost or damaged travel passes should be reported to your school office.
Bus service and timetable information can be found on your school website or by visiting Travel Fife.
Our Home to School Transport Policy can provide you with further information.
Safe walking routes to school
We're responsible for making sure there are safe walking routes available for pupils living less than the agreed entitlement distances.
Our Walked Routes to Schools Assessment Policy can provide you with further information.
Living outside the catchment area
If your child does not qualify for transport assistance, they can access free bus travel by applying for a National Entitlement Card.
The Scottish Government's scheme allows children and young people, living in Scotland, to travel free on registered bus services, up until their 22nd birthday.
They can travel on any registered bus service. However, these buses are mainly provided for catchment school travel. Those using Council-issued, colour-coded, travel passes will be given priority over other pupils on school buses.
Appealing our decision
If you are unhappy with a decision that has been made regarding eligibility/entitlement of travel assistance, this should be brought to the attention of your child's school.
Your school will pass any queries or complaints relating to the operation of the transport service to the Roads and Transportation Service.
Our complaints procedure allows you to make an official complaint if you're unhappy with the response you've been given. This will be escalated to the appropriate service for action.
