The following  message was distributed to children catching the 819 bus on Thursday 22 September:

The 819 and 818 buses are run by Staffordshire County Council’s School Transport Team. Unfortunately, we as a school have no say in how they are run – if we did I hope you’d think we’d be doing a better job.

We are sharing your frustration on the on-going poor service that is seeing up to 100 students arrive late on some mornings and very long journeys for many children to get home.

Unfortunately, we know from parent conversations that the School Transport Team are not responding to your complaints and they are not answering our emails and messages either.

They have though sent us two messages:

  1. Saying the 819 will be leaving 15mins early tomorrow morning (Friday 23/9).
  2. A previous one saying that it will be normal time on Friday 23 September.

We chased them up straight away to get clarity but they have not responded.

Unfortunately, all I can advise is that you get your child to their bus stop 15mins early tomorrow – your child may have to wait longer but your child should eventually get to school.

I am now approaching senior officers at the Council and politicians to try and get the School Transport Team to act – it has after all been 3 weeks.

The number to call to complain is 0300 111 8000.

The School Transport Team have also said they will decide what happens next week on Friday (tomorrow) so who knows when we will hear about that. I have contacted them to say this is way too short notice but again they have not got back to us.

Finally, the bus prices are also going up – details to follow when I have them…  It never rains but it pours…

Matt Allman, Headteacher, added: “I am going to apologise for how things are with both the 818 and 819 buses at the moment. I’m not sure why I am apologising as the responsibility for these services sits with the School Transport Team at Staffordshire County Council, and we as a school are as much a victim in this as all the families from local schools who use these buses, but someone has to because parents and children deserve an apology, and in the absence of anyone else, it might as well be me. We are trying to communicate with the council officers involved, and are now seeking other routes, so be assured we are doing all we can to help including updating you on changes we do not really know about or control. If you can add your concerns to the Council then it may make a difference.”