TROUBLESOME children are going to school in taxis paid for by the States to make sure they turn up. The Education Department has admitted that some are doing so – at a cost of up to £10 per trip.

Taxis are used to transfer children who have been excluded from mainstream education to Granville House in Mount Durand, which caters for youngsters with social, emotional and behavioural problems.

Education said that parents should be taking them, but if that was not possible, the department would offer an alternative, by school bus, minibus or taxi.

‘The cheapest form of travel from home to school will be provided,’ said a spokeswoman.

‘This includes provision of free bus tickets to travel on the scheduled services and transport by one of the department’s own small fleet of minibuses.

‘In only very exceptional circumstances will the use of private hire vehicles or taxis be considered.

‘In some cases the only way to ensure a child attends Granville House is by providing transport door-to-door.’

The department refused to say how much it spent on the trips and how often taxis were used. But it is believed that they are relatively infrequent.

It did say that the States had a duty to provide help with travel to school for pupils with special educational needs. Help is also offered to youngsters at Le Rondin.

Deputy Geoff Mahy, pictured left, the former head teacher of St Martin’s Primary School, said he agreed the department had a responsibility to provide transport to Granville House when a parent could not provide it.

‘I understand that exclusions are used very sparingly when all other forms of discipline have been explored or where that particular pupil or other pupils in school are at risk of their own safety – and each child is entitled to an education,’ he said.

‘Sometimes taxiing them is a cheaper way of doing it rather than a minibus going all over the island.’

Deputy Mahy said he was sure that the department would have considered the most cost-effective transport for getting the children to school. He added that exclusions were rare, particularly for youngsters of primary school age.