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17/8/2004 - Driving up standards

School transport in Cumbria has got a thumbs up from parents and pupils. Every school day, approximately 15,000 young people have transport arranged for them by Cumbria county council. The results of a new survey show increased satisfaction with the standard of school transport.

The 2004 Cumbria County Council School Transport Survey asked parents of children who use both the mainstream and special educational needs school transport service to rate it in a number of key areas. Over 1,000 parents took time out to complete and return the questionnaires. 

The survey showed that over the last two years overall satisfaction with the service has increased ten per cent to an impressive 87 per cent. Parents rated the special educational needs service even higher at 98 per cent – almost total satisfaction.

Children too are happier with the service – 82 per cent in 2004 compared to 73 per cent in 2002.

The survey shows that the work the council has done to improve the service has paid off. This included improvements to the monitoring of drivers details, unannounced checks on operators on school sites, and the introduction of a new, more efficient computer system.

Built on comments from the survey and to drive through even further improvements the council's school transport team already has plans to:

  •  Introduce a new Behaviour Policy in September - something parents were overwhelmingly in favour of.
  •  Develop new driver training courses.
  •  Advertise more widely the opportunity to apply for free or assisted transport.

Responding to parents comments on the special educational needs service the council will:

  •  Set up specific training for escorts on the needs of autistic children. 
  •  Provide parents with job description of the escort.
  •  Improve the amount of notice to parents about which operator will take their child to school.
  •  Encourage operators to offer children an introduction to the driver and escort before they travel.
  •  Tell operators to deploy the same escort, driver and vehicle wherever possible - particularly when   transporting a child with Autism.

Everyone who took part is the survey will receive a summary of the results. Any other parents who would like to know more about the survey can contact the county council's school transport team on 01228 601108.

All Cumbria county council transport operators have been sent the report and have been advised of the actions needed to continue to provide a quality service.

County councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet member with responsibility for education, says:

"School transport in Cumbria is highly valued by pupils, parents and schools and its pleasing to hear we are doing such a good job. I am grateful that so many people took the time to respond to the survey. We aim to always improve the quality of our services and the results will help us do just that."