Sir John Leman High launches free transport from Lowestoft

Tonight at a meting in the Hotel Victoria in Lowestoft Jeremy Rowe the Head of Sir John Leman High School in Beccles has launched the school’s free transport offering from Lowestoft. This will provide free home to school transport for pupils in the Lowestoft area wanting to attend Sir John Leman in Beccles.

Pupils already qualify for free transport provided by the County Council if they live inside the Sir John Leman catchment area but this does not include the Lowestoft area.

Jeremy Rowe explained that the school had been able to find savings elsewhere in its budget so the move would not affect money available for teaching staff. Other Suffolk Schools already do this such as Bungay High (who also have buses from Lowestoft) and Mildenhall College (from Brandon).

The move comes as the small growth in numbers at the Carlton Colville based Beccles Free School appears to be coming from Lowestoft schools rather than Sir John Leman.

Clearly the transport plan is in part a response to the Beccles Free School threat but also the new sixth form college in Lowestoft might affect sixth form numbers. Apparently the sixth form have been targeting Sir John Leman students.

This is certainly an understandable move by Sir John Leman but if Beccles Free School ever moves to Beccles it looks like the Beccles to Lowestoft road will be full of coaches taking children from Lowestoft to fill two Beccles schools. The impact will then move to Lowestoft which already has an oversupply of places since Pakefield High opened.