Rhoose – Secondary Catchment School and School Transport

The revised catchment area for Cowbridge Comprehensive School to include the Rhoose area is operational from September 2021 and intended for the Year 7 entry and subsequent year 7 entries onwards.

Details regarding the change in catchment areas can be found in the School Admission Arangements report: 

The Equalities Impact Assessment (Appendix D to the report), clearly states that the proposed change would be published and apply for admission into schools during the academic year 2021/22.

• How will you achieve the proposed changes?

  The consultation period for the proposal started on 11 December 2019 and ended on 3 February 2020.

   

  A Consultation Report will be submitted to Cabinet on 22 March 2020.

   

  The Council has a statutory duty to consult on school admission arrangements annually and to determine the arrangements for 2020/21 following appropriate consultation by no later than 15 April 2020.

   

  These admission arrangements would then be published and applied for admission into schools during the academic year 2021/22.

   

• Who will deliver the proposal?

  Subject to the approval of this proposal, the Directorate of Learning & Skills will deliver this proposal via the application of the admission arrangements for entry into the academic year 2021/22.

   

• How will you know whether you have achieved the proposal’s purpose?

  This will be determined via the application of the agreed admission arrangements on and after 1 March 2021.

   

  It is anticipated that the change will result in a high number of successful applications for pupils whose parents have applied for a place in their local secondary school by the closing date.

   

Frequently asked questions

• I live in Rhoose and my child/children will be in Years 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 in September 2021 and attending Cowbridge Comprehensive School, are they entitled to free school transport?

   

  Response:  No

   

  School transport provision is provided in line with the previous catchment area with Rhoose serving Llantwit Major and Whitmore High Schools from September 2021.

   

  Free school transport from Rhoose to Cowbridge Comprehensive is not provided for existing pupils whose parents exercised parental preference and who were out of catchment for the school prior to September 2021.

   

• My child is in Year 7 and attending Llantwit Comprehensive from September 2021, as his brother/sister already do, are they entitled to free school transport?

   

  Response:  No

   

  Those pupils in Year 7 who live in Rhoose  no longer receive free school transport to Llantwit Comprehensive or Whitmore High. School transport does not consider siblings.  Ttransport will remain in place for Years 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 from Rhoose to Llantwit Comp or Whitmore High.

   

  Parents who have opted to send their child Llantwit Comprehensive have the option to purchase a spare seat (if available) on the contracted school bus at a cost of £300 per annum.

   

• I want to purchase a bus pass on service S16 (Rhoose to Cowbridge Comprensive) for my child who is in Year 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 who is attending Cowbridge Comprehensive but I have been told there is no spare capacity. Will the Council make seats available by putting on an additional vehicle?

   

  Response:  No

   

  The Council took the decision to withdraw funding for fare paying school transport from September 2020 and is unable to provide funding for a bus service that caters for pupils who do not qualify for free school transport.

   

  In addition, a private service that runs from the Rhoose area to Cowbridge Comprehensive (CC1) is in already operation. It is a commercial service run by Caring Coaches.

   

  The Council does not have a statutory duty to sell spare seats on its contracted school transport services. However, it does so at its discretion and on a first come first served basis. Spare seats are currently charged at £300 per annum (a much reduced rate from the actual cost per head for providing school transport). Once all available seats are allocated parents/carers are informed and if unsuccessful in purchasing a seat they must make their own travel arrangements. Passes are sold on the proviso that at short notice it may be taken back (if a space on the bus is required for a pupil who qualifies for free school transport). The allocation of a purchase pass does not guarantee the provision of a pass for future years.

   

  There are currently no spare seats available on the S16 school bus service following allocation on a first come first serve basis of the small number of seats that were available.

   

  **It should be noted that due to Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR), the Council is unable to sell spare capacity on certain services (i.e. those vehicles that are not PSVAR compliant or have received temporary permission until 31st December 2021 from the Department of Transport).  In such circumstances we will advise following your application submission.

   

  At present it is unknown if the Department for Transport (DfT) will grant further exemptions, past 31st December 2021, so it may not be possible to sell spare seats on certain services. Information on this will be sent out as soon as the Council has a decision from the DfT. As the S16 school transport service is a new service the operator is providing a vehicle that meets the PSVAR.

   

• I have recently moved into the Rhoose area, will my child qualify for free school transport?

   
  

  Response:  At the time of application to our Admissions department parents should enquire as to which is their child’s catchment area school. Free school transport will be provided, in line with the Council’s school transport policy:

   

  • Home to School and College Transport Policy

   

• My child will be attending Year 7 in September 2021. I applied for and accepted a place in Llantwit Major Comprehensive. I have recently spoken to the Admissions department and they have told me there is no space in Cowbridge Comprehensive. Can I have a free school bus pass for Llantwit Major Comprehensive as my catchment school is full?

   
  

  Response:  No

   

  As your first choice was Llantwit Major Comprehensive and you accepted that place, you have exercised your parental preference for a school that is not catchment. Had you applied for Cowbridge Comprehensive at the time admission was requested, the likelihood is you would have been allocated a space in the school and the offer of free school transport would have been made.