Transport

• Around half of St John’s students travel on school buses that drop off and pick up in the main car park. A very high standard of behaviour is expected on buses and students are encouraged to report any problems to St John’s staff.  If poor behaviour is a problem, a warning letter will be sent home and students can lose the privilege of free school transport.
• Students walking to school will arrive from the Orchard Road entrance.
• For safety reasons, it is extremely important that parents do NOT drop students off or collect from the St John’s car park. We ask that students are dropped off at George Lane car park and walk up the hill via Ducks Meadow.

Free School Transport

• Parents/carers requiring clarification on the Education Transport Policy: refer to the Wiltshire Council website Transport Availability page or email educationtransport@wiltshire.gov.uk with your contact information and details of your query.
• Detailed information on applying for free school transport is on the Applying for Transport page on the Wiltshire Council website.
• New parents: if you are not sure whether your child will qualify for transport to St John’s, complete the application form (download from Wiltshire Council website or below- designed to be completed on a PC/Laptop, NOT a mobile phone) and submit it to Wiltshire Council. A member of the Entitlement Team will assess the application and advise you accordingly.
• Year 7-11 students who currently have free school transport do not need to re-apply for next year unless their status has changed e.g. moved address.

Free school transport is available to students in Years 7 – 11 who live more than three miles from St John’s and within the transport catchment area as determined by Wiltshire Council.  This is reduced to two miles for students who receive free school meals or the maximum level of working tax credit.

For students under 16 whose parents live separately, the parent who receives child benefit may be eligible for free transport from their home, provided that they live within the catchment area, if St John’s is their nearest school and they live more than 3 miles from the school. If the parent/carer who has the child for the majority of the time is not in receipt of the child benefit they will not qualify for free transport. Wiltshire Council is not able to provide free transport for post 16 students.

If you know your child does not  qualify for free school transport and would like to know what transport options are available please email ann.dark@wiltshire.gov.uk with your name, your child’s name,  address and school.

Sixth Form Transport

Sixth form students who live over three miles from St John’s and within catchment are eligible to apply for a reduced-rate pass to travel from home to St John’s. Full details and application forms are available from the Wiltshire Council website Transport Availability page or telephone the Wiltshire Council’s Passenger Transport Unit on 01225 712852.

Sixth Form students need to apply every year, unlike those students who are under 16.

Useful advice for new Sixth Form students from Wiltshire Council:

Anyone going to college or sixth form and requiring a bus pass should apply early, as it is easier to change the establishment than it is to process a late application in time for September. No money will be taken if paying by direct debit until the 1^st August 2023, and if you change your mind before September any money taken will be refunded.

Contact details

Wiltshire Passenger Transport
01225 712852
 educationtransport@wiltshire.gov.uk

STJ Transport Administrator
01672 516156 x894
transport@stjohns.excalibur.org.uk

Travelling into School

Check out our videos explaining the routes into school. For more information about school transport visit our Transport webpage.

Traffic Guidance for St John’s, Marlborough

The geography of St John’s causes some difficulties for getting people safely into and out of the site. There are car parking spaces and a safe coach set-down area for up to four coaches at a time.

Unfortunately, to access both of these requires traversing down a steep gradient then driving through the car-park where staff are parking, unloading bags and hurrying to get to work. There is a clearly signposted 15mph speed limit, a speed hump and clearly marked pedestrian walkways. Despite these precautions, there have been several near misses over the years caused by excessive speed.

To ensure nothing more serious occurs, we would ask you to co-operate and abide by the following guidelines:

1. Avoid driving your children to School. There will always be circumstances when this could
   be necessary – medical appointments for example, but otherwise please encourage your children
   to walk or cycle to school, thereby using the pedestrian entrance.
2. 20 Coaches cover the wider catchment area for St John’s. Please use them. All bus routes drop off and pick up from St John’s – there is no need for any student to walk from, or into, Marlborough High Street to catch buses to and from home.
3. If you live out of catchment and there are no bus routes available and you therefore have to drive, please try to drop off outside of the School grounds – Waitrose car park at George Lane is the safest suggestion. Please do not use neighbouring Cherry Orchard as your drop off. It is not fair on the residents who live there.
4. If it is absolutely necessary to drive into the School from Granham Hill, then please follow these instructions:
   • Do not exceed the 15mph speed limit.
   • Try to park in a marked bay in the long carpark for your child to exit your car safely. The
     pavement should then be used to walk up to the school buildings.
   • In the morning and afternoon, there are 20 coaches and buses using the Drop Off Zone in the circular car park – try to avoid this area. Do not drop off students part way down the entrance hill, at the Granham Hill entrance or in the hatched area at the bottom of the hill.
   • There is NO vehicle access beyond the car park. The only exception is by arrangement and is for the drop off/collection of those with disabilities or injuries. Musical instruments, art folders, PE kit or ingredients for cooking do not count as disabilities or injuries. Rain does not count as an extenuating circumstance!

The safety of everyone – students, staff and visitors – at St John’s is absolutely paramount. Failing to follow our guidelines compromises safety, causes congestion and leads to frustration for all concerned.

Thank you for your co-operation and understanding for this very important matter.