Students using school transport should wear face coverings.

Updated advice and guidance for parents/carers in relation to home to school transport

A small proportion of East Riding children and young people rely on home-to-school and college transport, provided by the council, to get to their school or college.

East Riding schools, academies and Post-16 providers are working hard to ensure that all pupils and staff are as safe as possible once on-site. The council is also committed to ensuring that children and young people stay as safe as possible on the journey to and from their place of learning, to minimise the risk of coronavirus transferring across schools, settings and households and contribute to keeping the ‘R’ rate as low as possible.

It may not always be possible to adhere to the 2-metre social distancing rule on transport and the Government has now advised that face coverings should be worn whilst travelling. The most up-to-date guidance, Coronavirus (COVID–19): safer travel guidance for passengers, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers

This guidance advises: Face coverings. You should wear a face covering while travelling.

A face covering should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably. It is important to use face coverings properly and wash your hands before putting them on and after taking it off.

How to wear and make a face covering

Some people may not be able to wear a face covering, for example young children, people with breathing difficulties and people whose disabilities makes it difficult for them to wear
a face covering. You should be prepared to remove your face covering if asked to do so by police officers and police staff for the purposes of identification.

A face covering is not the same as the surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of personal protective equipment (PPE). These should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace, such as health and care workers and those in industrial settings, like those exposed to dust hazards.

The evidence suggests that wearing a face covering does not protect you, but it may protect others if you are infected but have not yet developed symptoms.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has been continually assessing the risk of using home-to-school transport in order to keep children and young people as safe as possible during this very difficult time.

Until further notice, where possible, there will be no more than 50% occupancy on transport provided by the council for children and young people eligible to access home-to-transport services.

Where parents feel that for whatever reason the transport provided by the council is not suitable for their child or young person the council appreciates that parents have the choice to fulfil this duty themselves. Unfortunately, the council is not in a position to consider or offer alternatives.

Parents and carers should be aware of the following principles:
– Pupils should not travel if they are presenting with symptoms, they must isolate for seven days
– Pupils should not travel if a member of their household is presenting with symptoms, they must isolate for 14 days
– Pupils who are clinically extremely vulnerable should not be attending school and therefore should not be travelling
– Parents should, where possible, bring their children to school themselves. They could consider walking, cycling (where safe to do so) or driving
– Parents should talk to their children about personal space and try to ensure their child understands there should be no physical contact with others in the transport
– Children and young people 11 years of age and over travelling to school on a bus or coach (not a minibus) must wear a face covering, unless they have breathing difficulties or a disability that makes it difficult for them to do – this is no longer a personal preference.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-on-face-coverings-coming-in-onmonday-will-help-keep-passengers-safe
– If there are other circumstances that parents feel should be taken into account please contact transportation services (details provided below). Parents may also find the below link useful:
How to wear and make a face covering
– No child or young person will be left at the roadside, however where a child or young person 11 years and over does not wear a face covering on buses or coaches, this will be followed up and support and advice offered
– Council staff and drivers on transport and school staff will not be responsible for the safe use of face coverings
– Parents should make sure their child knows how to put on and take off their face covering safely
– Parents should ensure their children know to listen to the driver and any passenger assistants in relation to boarding, seating and alighting vehicles
– Children should not ordinarily eat or drink on transport, this is particularly important at this time (to reduce hand-to-face contact)
– Parents should talk to their children about safe queuing at bus stops etc. (where this is applicable)
– Parents should ensure children wash their hands and face before leaving the house to use the transport
– Parents are advised that contractors who provide transport will be using smiley faces and crosses on their vehicles to illustrate where children and young people should and should not sit (this is to ensure risks are minimised whilst on transport)
– Schools will encourage children and young people to wash their hands, remove their face covering and place it into their bag on arrival at school, they will also remind children to wash their hands and put their masks on before accessing transport at the end of the school day
– Parents should ensure their children are adequately dressed for the journey as vehicles may be more ventilated than usual (windows open to ensure air circulation)
– Parents and children are encouraged to use the Buswise system to report any issues on transport:
East Riding of Yorkshire Council (external council website)
– Schools will be understanding if pupils arrive late to school due to you bringing them to school. This could be due to you dropping off other children at other educational establishments. Where this is the case the pupil will be marked as ‘late’ in the attendance register and not ‘late after the register has closed’. This will not prejudice the pupil or school in relation to attendance recording.

If you have any questions in relation to home-to-school or college transport you should contact

Transportation Services:
Email: transport.requests@eastriding.gov.uk
Tel: (01482) 395444.

Released June 13, 2020

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