Bus & Walking Bus Information

Children who live beyond 3.2km by road of Snells Beach School will be eligible to take the bus to school (bus entitlement). Snells Beach School has several buses servicing the school:

Bus 8

Picks children up from Sandspit (Brick Bay, Puriri Place & Sandspit Rd), and brings them through to school, returning via the same route in the afternoon. This bus will, by special arrangement and so long as there is room, pick children up at the bus stops at the top of Governor Grey Rd and Tamatea Drive and return them to Muncaster Rd ONLY in the afternoon.

Bus 11

Picks children up from Scotts Landing (Charles St, Ridge Rd), Martins Bay and Algies Bay and brings them through to school, returning via the same route in the afternoon.

SBS Bus Use Guidelines

• Only regular bus users may catch the bus. We are unable to accommodate one-off trips for playdates, parties, or similar.
• Students may travel on one bus only, to either their home or their regular caregiver. Changes to accommodate after-school events are not possible. The only exception is for shared custody arrangements, where parents live in different directions.
• Each day, our Admin Team will mark absent students off the bus lists.
• If you will be collecting your child (e.g., after Assembly), please notify the office early. Fridays are especially challenging when we’re looking for students expected on the bus, who have already left with parents.
• Emergency changes only (e.g., stuck in traffic and can’t get home): please phone the school office immediately. We will try to reach your child, but cannot guarantee contact after 2:45pm.
• If your plans change suddenly and you’re able to pick your child up, we strongly recommend collecting them from their usual bus stop. This avoids traffic congestion at Dawson Rd and reduces the risk of roll errors.
• For known changes (e.g., your child will not take the bus on a usual day), please email admin@snellsbeach.school.nz or call the office before 12pm.
• If there is any confusion about your child’s travel arrangements and we cannot reach you, your child will be kept safely at school until arrangements are confirmed.

We encourage our students to walk, ride or scooter to school.  Wheels must not be ridden through the school grounds before or after school, and must be stored in the bike & scooter racks next to the senior playground or the juniors racks at the end of the Library. Note: all students on wheels MUST wear helmets.

There is a patrolled crossing on Dawson Road in the mornings and afternoons and a specially constructed walkway into the school across the reserve from the end of Foster Crescent for safe access.