Please read, information about changes to Hedingham/Chambers and Beestons Buses from January 2024

https://tgschool.net/news/school-bus-changes-from-2nd-january-2024

Transport to Thomas Gainsborough School from September 2024

Link for Chambers Boomerang timetable - click here

If you are entitled to transport provided by Suffolk County Council 

With the changes in the Suffolk County Council Policy for transport to schools taking effect from September 2019 we have put together a summary to ensure everyone is aware of how it will affect school travel. 

Pupils who live less than 3 miles from TGS are not entitled to paid for transport to school. 

Pupils who live more than 3 miles from TGS and are going to their nearest school according to the Suffolk County Council measure (available athttp://nearestschool.suffolk.gov.uk) must opt in via  the county website www.suffolkonboard.com. The deadline for ‘opting in’ was 31st May 2024. 

Pupils who are travelling to a school that is not their nearest have to make their own arrangements for transport to school. Options do exist using public transport. Please check the information below for the options from your location. 

Post 16 Pupils (current and new) 

Pupils who are in post 16 education are not entitled to funded transport to school and must make their own arrangements. Options do exist using public transport. Please check the information below for the options for your location. 

Transport to TGS that is NOT provided by Suffolk County Council 

Legally it is the parents’ responsibility to get students to school on time. To help parents we have put together a number of options. 

A summary is as follows: 

Travel to and from Acton and Great Waldingfield and Lavenham: 

Chambers are running the 716 service through Lavenham, Great Waldingfield and Acton. Passes, times and fares are available from the Chambers website. 

Travel to and from Sudbury (Melford Road and the town centre): 

 The Chambers service 784, which is a public bus. Pupils can purchase passes direct from Chambers. Students will also be able to pay daily at standard rates for this service. N.B this service becomes the 753 when it reaches Sudbury Bus Station. 

Travel to and from MCDonalds Sudbury (near Tesco), Long Melford, Glemsford, Cavendish and Clare: 

Chambers are running the 757 public service which will run from Clare to TGS via Cavendish, Glemsford, Long Melford, and Tesco. The prices for this service will vary depending on distance from the school. Passes are available directly from Chambers. 

NB This service often travels with the number 236 displayed.

Travel to and from Colchester, Great Horkesley and parts of Nayland: 

Pupils will be able to catch the 713 (Beestons) or the 84 (Chambers), please check the routes for your location. Beestons or Chambers will issue a pass for this service. Students will also be able to pay daily at standard rates for this service.  

Travel to and from Colchester, Wormingford and parts of Bures (Essex side of the river): 

Pupils will be able to catch the Chambers service 754, which is a public bus but many of our students catch it from Bures. Passes are available from Chambers. Students will also be able to pay daily at standard rates for this service. 

Travel to and from Hadleigh and parts of Boxford (and surrounding villages): 

Chambers run the 90 service to suit the times of the school. This is a public service and passes are available directly from Chambers. You can also pay on a daily basis if you prefer. 

Travel to and from Halstead and surrounding villages 

DeVere Travel Group service between Halstead & the surrounding villagesand Sudbury. You will need to contact them https://www.deveretravel.com/ or call 01787 460999.

Safety and Behaviour 

We expect the highest standards of behaviour whilst travelling to and from school. The bus companies and Suffolk County Council reserve the right to withdraw bus passes for students who are unable to behave in an acceptable way. In addition, we expect students to leave the bus as they find it (e.g. no litter). 

Late Bus Provision 

Extracurricular activities on offer after school will sometimes require students to catch a later bus. The school has provision for 3 late buses. These services are public ones and will depart the bus park at a variety of times after 4.20pm each day. There is no charge for the use of these services if you hold an appropriate Suffolk, Chambers, or Beestons pass. Other students are able to pay as they go on these routes. 

Links to all timetables are provided below. 

Please note that sports fixtures and other events may finish even later than this and parents will need to make their own arrangements in these cases. 

Further details are available from: 

Suffolk County Council - www.suffolkonboard.com 

Suffolk CC Nearest School Checker - http://nearestschool.suffolk.gov.uk/ 

Chambers Bus Company - www.chambersbus.co.uk (Chambers buses have an app available on both the Apple Store & Google Play store -  https://www.hedinghamandchambers.co.uk/app

Beestons Bus Company – http://www.beestons.co.uk 

Essex CC - https://www.essexbus.info 

Bus No. 

Serving 

Provider 

Passes from? 

711 

Milden, Edwardstone, Groton, Boxford, Newton 

See Suffolk CC website – www.suffolkonboard.com/school-travel 

Beestons via SCC 

SCC 

713 

Great Horkesley, Honey Tye, Leavenheath, Newton 

See Suffolk CC website – www.suffolkonboard.com/school-travel or  http://www.beestons.co.uk 

Beestons (SCC and Public) 

SCC or Beestons 

716 

Chelsworth, Monks Eleigh, Brent Eleigh, Bridge Farm, Lavenham, - See Chambers website -  www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers (SCC and Public ) 

Chambers 

84 

Nayland, Stoke by Nayland, Assington, Newton 

See Suffolk CC website – www.suffolkonboard.com/school-travel or Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers (SCC and Public) 

SCC or Chambers 

753  

Sudbury, Long Melford, Acton, Great Waldingfield, Lavenham (Evenings only) 

See Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers (Public) 

Chambers 

754 

Bures, West Begholt, Colchester 

See Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers (SCC and Public) 

Chambers or via SCC 

757 / 236

Tesco, Long Melford, Glemsford, Cavendish and Clare (Evenings only) 

See Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers 

(Public) 

Chambers 

90 

Boxford and Hadleigh via villages 

See Beestons website -  http://www.beestons.co.uk 

Beestons (SCC and public 

Beestons or via SCC 

Late buses 

'Late 754'

at 1621 – to Sudbury, Long Melford, Acton, Great Waldingfield  

(N.B. This becomes the 753 at Sudbury Bus Station) 

See Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk

Chambers (Public) All passes valid or PAYG 

‘Late’ 754 

at 1634 – to Little Cornard, Bures, Wormingford, West Bergholt and Colchester 

See Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers (Public) 

All passes valid or PAYG 

‘Late’ 756 

at 1651 – to Sudbury, Glemsford, Cavendish and Clare 

and 

Change at Sudbury Bus Station for the 753 at 17:17 - to Acton, Great Waldingfield, Lavenham, Cockfield and Bury St Edmunds. 

See Chambers website - www.chambersbus.co.uk 

Chambers (Public) 

All passes valid or PAYG 

All buses depart from the TGS Bus Park - including late buses. 
Pupils with SCC passes will be able to use any late bus from either Beestons or Chambers at no extra cost. Chambers will accept Beestons passes and vice versa. 
Pupils catching ‘late’ buses may wait in the Library or Coffee shop, but must be in the bus park at least 10 minutes before their bus is due. 

N.B. Times are correct as of 14th September 2023.