School Transport Berinsfield
Berinsfield Parish Council has published an open letter calling on Oxfordshire County Council to review school transport arrangements for children and families living in Berinsfield, following longstanding concerns raised by local residents.
Published: 22 October 2026
The Parish Council recognises that this is not a new issue and is aware that residents have been raising concerns about school transport arrangements for some considerable time, including through correspondence and formal complaints to Oxfordshire County Council and elected representatives.
The Parish Council wishes to acknowledge the efforts of those residents who have continued to raise these concerns and to add its voice in support of their efforts to secure a fair and practical solution for Berinsfield families.
At its meeting on 5 October 2026, the Parish Council considered correspondence highlighting the ongoing difficulties experienced by families travelling to secondary schools outside the village. Councillors agreed that the Parish Council should formally support the concerns being raised and seek greater clarity regarding the current arrangements.
With no secondary school in Berinsfield itself, children must travel elsewhere to continue their education. Many attend schools in Abingdon, but some families are required to meet the cost of transport themselves because of the way Oxfordshire County Council determines eligibility for funded school transport.
The Parish Council is particularly concerned about the financial burden this places on local families, especially given the levels of deprivation experienced within Berinsfield.
Recent figures demonstrate that approximately 21% of children in Berinsfield live in absolute poverty, compared with 10% across Oxfordshire. Furthermore, 27.5% of primary and secondary pupils in Berinsfield were eligible for free school meals in January 2024, compared with 15.7% across the county.
The Council has also highlighted concerns about the reliability and capacity of commercial bus services, including reports of children being unable to board buses because they are already full.
The Parish Council is not suggesting that every child in Berinsfield automatically qualifies for free school transport. However, it believes that the interaction between school admissions, the availability of school places and transport eligibility warrants further examination, particularly where families may face significant financial hardship.
Through its open letter, the Parish Council is asking Oxfordshire County Council to review the arrangements affecting Berinsfield families, provide greater clarity about how transport eligibility is determined and consider whether the current system is delivering fair and reasonable outcomes.
The Parish Council hopes that by lending its support to the concerns already raised by residents, and through constructive engagement with Oxfordshire County Council and other relevant authorities, progress can be made towards a fairer and more sustainable arrangement for the village’s children and families.
The full open letter, setting out the Parish Council’s concerns and the actions it is requesting, is available to read in attachment.
