Angry parents say they are “at a loss” and feel “totally abandoned” after being told at the end of term that their child’s transport to school would no longer be available from September.

It is after First South West took the decision to withdraw the MUL104 bus service from Rosudgeon to Mullion School (via Porthleven and Helston) with parents informed that it was no longer profitable.

The move affects around 60 students, who had each been paying £22 per week up until the end of the summer term.

Cornwall Council has stressed that it was not involved in the commissioning of this service, which it described as “entirely the responsibility of Truro and Penwith Academy Trust”, which runs Mullion School.

In a letter to parents at the end of term, the school said the service was being withdrawn for “commercial reasons beyond our control.”

One parent told the Packet: “I truly feel like we have been totally abandoned two days before the end of the school year.”

Some have spoken about being unable to take their children to school by car, due to existing commitments with siblings at primary school and having to be at their place of work.

One pointed out: “We can't work and be in two places at once” with another saying: “Having two others still at primary school, and working, I have no idea how I am supposed to be in two places at the same time every day.”

In a letter to parents on the last day of term, headteacher Michelle Dunleavy acknowledged that the situation “may result in hard decisions during the summer.”

She wrote: “We know that parents made a very careful choice when Mullion School was selected for their child’s education and we are very grateful that your children and yourselves chose us. We would love to continue to provide your child’s education.

“We fully understand that the loss of the MUL104 service and lack of capacity on public networks may no longer make this choice viable and that this may result in hard decisions for your families during the summer.”

However, parents have said that even if they wished to relocate their child to Helston Community College, notwithstanding the disruption to their education, at least one of the year groups at Helston is already at capacity anyway.

The bus previously went from Rosudgeon to Mullion School via Porthleven and Helston (Image: Google Street View)

A group of parents have even looked into the possibility of taking out a private contract with a different bus company, but have been quoted £100 per child every week from one company and £67.50 per child per week from another, which they described as “prohibitively expensive.”

One said: “We are all aware that we have chosen a school out of catchment, but when the decision was taken there was a bus service in place and we were happy to pay for this, as we still are.

“We really are at a loss of how to proceed. The school advised on their last call with my husband that there were no viable options. We have been left unable to get our children to school. How on earth can this be the case?”

Another told the Packet: “In terms of going to a school outside the catchment area - as parents you are encouraged to look at all the local options, which we did, especially as we knew Helston would potentially be oversubscribed.

“Mullion encouraged us to apply as they would be undersubscribed. We wouldn’t have considered Mullion had the 104 not been in place, as it was for many years.”

Other parents have pointed out that there will also be a knock-on effect on the only other bus coming from Helston, the G34, which is currently a single-decker public bus run by Go Cornwall but used by students on that route.

They are concerned that their children who already catch this bus from places such as Gunwalloe and Cury will no longer be able to find a seat, or get on at all, because it will already have reached capacity in Helston.

One said: “My concern is what happens at the end of the day if they can't all fit onto the 34 bus? Like the majority of parents, I want to know my son is able to get home safely.

“A lot of children who attend Mullion School outside of the catchment area may do so due to having additional needs. It is incredibly important that these children and their parents know exactly what is happening to allow them to manage their conditions and to avoid anxiety.”

What the Trust has said

In response, Chris Pickles, director of operations for Truro and Penwith Academy Trust, told the Packet: “The MUL104 was a commercial service responding to needs of families outside the Mullion School catchment area, directly funded through parental contribution. 

“The commercial provider notified the school that, due to surging costs, this service would be removed at the end of the year.

“Committed to supporting parental choice we worked hard to ascertain if alternate cost-effective options were viable including hybrid solutions, network timetable alignment and increases to service capacity. 

“We remain willing to work with stakeholders; however, noting the reality of the commercial environment and limitations on public network capacity, informed parents of the loss of service at the end of term.”

What First South West has said

A spokesperson for First South West said: "We began discussing withdrawing the service with Mullion School at the beginning of May this year.

"We never want to remove services, but passenger numbers varied and were as low as 30 some weeks, and we are unable to run journeys that are running at a loss.

"In the current economic climate, costs have now gone up significantly, making the route an unviable option. We worked through several options with the trust to try and save the service, but unfortunately could not find an option that was economically viable.

"The timings that Mullion School chose to communicate to parents about the withdrawal of the service is at their discretion.

“To support students, we have adjusted our early morning U4 service serving Resugendon to help students get to Helston and interchange opportunities for forward services.”

The Packet has also contacted Go Cornwall for a comment. 

What the council has said

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council told the Packet: “We share families’ concerns about the loss of the bus service that, until now, Mullion School had ensured was in place for pupils living in the area.

“Our transport team has offered advice and support regarding options available to secure an alternative service from September 2024 and continues to work with the school to achieve this.

“It must be stressed that Cornwall Council was not involved in the commissioning of this service, which is entirely the responsibility of Truro and Penwith Academy Trust, which runs Mullion School.

“The council continues to meet its statutory duties to those entitled to Home to School Travel assistance in line with our policy.”

MP Andrew George said he has raised his concerns regarding the service withdrawal with both the Education Secretary, Rt Hon. Bridget Phillipson MP, and with senior officers of Cornwall Council. 

"I’ve explained to Ms Phillipson and Council officers that this is fundamental to not only the provision of parental choice, but of helping students who find for example that smaller scale schools like Mullion are better able to cater for their needs and can provide a different ethos to support their learning experience," said Mr George. 

The Mullion-born and raised MP also said he is "aware of the circumstances in which such matters are decided", and has requested that Council officers work with departmental officials and transport operators to seek a solution in time for the new term, which is now fast approaching.

What is the council’s school travel policy?

The council’s travel policy states that the authority must provide assistance for children living beyond the statutory walking distance (two miles for children to the end of Year 3, three miles for children in Year 4 and onwards) when they are attending their nearest suitable school with a place available at the point of applying for a place.

This means that while there may no longer be places available in some year groups at Helston Community College, making Mullion the next closest, if there would have been a place at the time of application the council is not responsible for students who chose to attend a different school.

There are extended rights for children from low-income families, which state that the council must provide travel help for children who are in receipt of Free School Meals, or whose parents/carers are in receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit when they are either:

  • in Year 7 to Year 11 and attend one of their three nearest suitable schools (using the shortest walking route), living more than two miles, but less than six miles, from the school; or
  • are in Year 7 to Year 11 and attend their nearest suitable school using the shortest walking route preferred on the grounds of religion or belief (or lack thereof), living live more than two miles, but less than 15 miles, from the school.

It is also up to the council’s discretion whether it chooses to provide travel support to children on a ‘managed move’, when they are attending their next nearest suitable school with a place available and live beyond statutory walking distance.

The council’s full travel assistance policy can be found at www.cornwall.gov.uk/schools-and-education/schools-and-colleges/school-and-post-16-travel/home-to-school-travel-assistance/