A number of other temporary changes have needed to be made to education services in Torbay as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation.

School admissions, transport requests and free school meal applications will now need to be done electronically due to the team needing to work remotely to follow the government’s current social distancing advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and help save lives.

What you need to do

• Transport: Please download any application you need to make, complete it electronically and send to us by email: cstransport@torbay.gov.uk - if you find it difficult to contact us by phone, please email us with your queries and we will do our best to give you a prompt reply.
• Free school meals: Please visit the Free School Meals page and complete the online form - if you find it difficult to contact us by phone, please email us at fsm@torbay.gov.uk with your queries and we will do our best to give you a prompt reply.
• Primary, secondary and in-year admissions: If you need to apply for a primary or secondary school place, or if you have moved to the area and your child does not have a school place, you will need to complete an electronic application. If you haven’t yet applied for a primary school place for September 2020 and your child is due to start then, please do so. Please download any application you need to make, complete electronically and send to us by email: services@torbay.gov.uk

Councillor Cordelia Law, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services for Torbay Council, said: “Although schools are currently closed to most pupils apart from children of key workers, our education and schools service is still here to help. We have had to make some temporary changes to the way we work though to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

“We would ask you not to apply for a transfer between schools at this time. However, if you have moved into the area and your child does not have a school place you should apply so that your child can access online learning from a local school.

“If you find it difficult to contact us by phone, please email us with your queries and we will do our best to give you a prompt reply.”

More information about schools and education is on our schools and learning web pages.