Transport

• Free transport on religious grounds is provided only for students from low income families (free school meals / maximum tax credit). Policy is to fund transport to the nearest Catholic school provided it is over 2 miles and at least one parent can produce a denominational certificate signed by their parish priest.
• Local authority pays for cost of a pass for public transport. No special coaches to St Bernard’s.
• Slough students cannot have a free pass for the South Bucks coach.
• Slough school transport team can be contacted on 01753 875729.

• Bracknell Forest has not provided free transport to denominational schools for children starting at secondary schools since September 2007.
• There are 2 coaches operated by Fargo Coaches and students not entitled to free transport may buy passes direct from the coach company. Please see below for costs, routes and timetable.
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• Windsor and Maidenhead only provide free transport (up to £720 per year) to the nearest denominational school for children from low income families (i.e. entitled to free school meals or receiving full working tax credit).
• The following restrictions apply to students from low income families applying for free transport. Some parts of Maidenhead are closer to St Bernard’s High Wycombe and not entitled to free transport to Slough. Some parts of the Borough are nearer to the Salesian School in Chertsey and so not entitled to free transport to Slough. Much of the borough, including Maidenhead is closer to St Joseph’s than to St Bernard’s and, though St Bernard’s students from these areas have been given free transport in the past, this practice ended in September 2006 following a ruling by the ombudsman so children nearer to St Joseph’s no longer receive free transport to St Bernard’s. The distance is measured by the shortest safe walking route so it is difficult to estimate which is nearer to students living in Windsor. Most of those living east of the Windsor relief road are currently regarded as entitled to free transport as going to a place at which it would be safe to cross the relief road would make St Joseph’s further than St Bernard’s.
• Question and answer booklet gives details of policy. Obtainable from W & M Education Dept.
• If you need to check which is your nearest Catholic school, ring transport co-ordinator on 01628 796666.
• The Windsor coach is operated by a parents’ group. (Contact stbernardswindsorbus@gmail.com). The Fargo coach (see below for route) stops in Ascot and Old Windsor.
• Students not entitled to free transport can buy places from the parents’ group for the Windsor coach (£789 per year paid termly) or Fargo Coaches (£1096 per year, payable termly) subject to availability.

• Transport funded only if St Bernard’s is nearest secondary school.
• No special denominational funding.
• Local Authority pays for the cost of a pass for public transport or dedicated taxi.
• There are no coaches to St Bernard’s
• Contact Bucks school transport 01296 387439 or www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/education/school-transport/school-transport-information.

A parents group operates a coach service stopping at: Ruislip ( Rugby Club), Ickenham, Hillingdon, Uxbridge and Iver. For costs and further information please contact Tony O’Shea via email at tony.oshea@btinternet.com

• The Fargo coach stops in Virginia Water and Englefield Green.
• No special provision for Wokingham local authority. Some students use Fargo. (See below).
• The First Beeline 60/61 service offers a school special service from Horton, through Wraysbury to the stop outside St Bernard’s.
• The 81 bus from Hounslow stops very close to St Bernard’s and the service has been improved recently by the use of double decker buses.
• Drivetime Coach Hire offers a school service from Hounslow TW3, TW4 and TW5 and Whitton TW2, Hayes, Greenford and West Drayton. Contact 07931 596121 or email drivetimecoaches@gmail.com.  
• Commonwealth Coaches operate a school bus service from Perivale/Uxbridge. Commonwealth Coaches can be contacted on 01753 783680 or sales@commonwealthcoaches.co.uk   Details of the route can be found here

Route operated by Fargo coaches (Contact Lisa 01344 456561)

The route covers: Bracknell, Ascot, Virginia Water, Englefield Green, Old Windsor and Datchet.

Current cost £1118 per year paid termly, also available for casual use at £3.50 per journey. Details can be found on the www.fargocoaches.co.uk website or contact Lisa on 01344 456561 or info@fargocoaches.co.uk