Important Updates for September 2025
Changes to School Coach Routes - September 2025
We are writing to inform you of some important changes to the school transport services that will take effect from the start of the new academic year in September 2025. These adjustments come as a result of a comprehensive review of our current transport network carried out by our transport provider, Vectare.
The key objectives of these changes are to improve route efficiency, reduce journey times, increase route coverage, and encourage greater use of sustainable transport options.
SummaryofChanges:
• New Stops Introduced: Several new stops will be added to serve areas with growing demand, including Uxbridge and Watford.
• Route Adjustments: Several current routes will be modified to better align with student locations and minimise travel times. Please refer to the detailed route maps and schedules, which will be provided on the Vectare Portal.
• Consolidation of Underused Routes: A small number of underutilised stops will be consolidated with nearby services to improve operational efficiency. The Ealing route we expect to be shortened by 10 minutes.
• Booking System: All bookings and changes will continue to be managed through the Vectare Portal, which features enhanced tracking capabilities.
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the fairness, transparency, and accessibility of our school transport services, we will also be introducing zonal pricing for all coach routes effective from September 2025. This change is designed to ensure that families are charged more equitably based on their distance from the school and the length of their child’s journey.
Zonal pricing divides our transport network into zones based on geographic proximity to the school. Each zone has a fixed termly fare, which reflects the relative distance and travel time. This approach is widely used in school transport services and allows for a simpler, more transparent pricing system for families.
We understand that transport is a crucial part of your family’s daily routine, and we are committed to ensuring that these changes bring improvements for all involved. We kindly ask all families currently using, or considering using, the school coach service to review the updated routes and register interest via Vectare at your earliest convenience.
Should you have any questions, feedback, or concerns regarding the new routes or transport services in general, please do not hesitate to contact our transport team via coaches@sthelens.london
Route Map
1
Go to sthelens.vectare.co.uk to locate your nearest bus stop and book ad-hoc or regular travel.
Route Timetable
Updated for September 2025
CAmersham Station07:2016:4017:00
CLittle Chalfont Library07:3016:3016:50
CChorleywood Station07:4016:1516:40
BRickmansworth Station07:5016:0016:30
-St Helen’s School08:1515:4516:10
2 Make your booking and get instant confirmation.
C Beaconsfield, Waitrose 07:2916:2616:56
CBus turning circle, Gerrards Cross07:4116:1416:44
CKingsway/Lower Road, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross07:4516:1016:40
BBus Stop Oxford Road, opp Tendercare Nurseries, Denham07:5016:0516:35
BUxbridge College Bus Stop07:5615:5916:29
BSwakeleys Roundabout08:0015:5516:25
-St Helen’s School08:1515:4516:10
3 Contact our Transport Department via sthelens.vectare.co.uk/contact_form if you have any questions.
C The Community Centre, 2 Allum Ln, Elstree, Borehamwood 07:2016:4017:05
CWatling St, Radlett07:3016:3016:55
B Moatfield Road, Bushey WD23 3BB 07:4516:1516:40
BWatford Junction Railway Station (Stop 5)07:5516:0516:30
A Eastbury Rd, Watford 08:0515:5516:20
-St Helen’s School08:1515:4516:10
Borehamwood / Watford
Route Timetable
Updated for September 2025
ZoneStops
C Ealing, the bottom of Woodville Road
Ealing
Mon-Fri(AM) Wed&Fri(PM)Mon,Tue,Thu(PM)
07:2516:30 16:55
CBus stop lay-by to the west of the roundabout where Hayes bypass meets Ruislip Rd 07:42 16:1316:38
BIckenham Station Bus Stop07:5016:0516:30
B Second bus stop after The Bell, West End Road opposite Northdown Close07:5516:0016:25
BBus stop at south end of Ruislip High Street08:0015:5516:20
-St Helen’s School08:1015:4516:10
ZoneStops Mon-Fri(AM) Wed&Fri(PM)Mon,Tue,Thu(PM)
CFinchley Central Stop F - American Car Wash Nether Street07:2516:3517:00
C Frith Court, Stop E, Holders Hill
07:3016:3016:55
CFlower Lane Bus stop Mill Hill Broadway07:4016:2016:45
CCloister Gardens Bus Stop, Hale Lane Opp Harvester07:4516:1516:40
C Frith Court, Junction of Broadfields Avenue/Hale Lane
CManor Park Crescent (Stop J), by Premier House, 150 yards south of Edgware Station
07:4816:1216:37
07:5016:1016:35
BCanons Park Station Bus Stop07:5316:0716:32
BMarsh Lane Bus Stop Junction with Whitchurch Lane07:5516:0516:30
-St Helen’s School08:1515:4516:10
Finchley / Mill Hill
1
Go to sthelens.vectare.co.uk to locate your nearest bus stop and book ad-hoc or regular travel.
Route Timetable
2 Make your booking and get instant confirmation. Stanmore (formerly Canons Park)
3 Contact our Transport Department via sthelens.vectare.co.uk/contact_form if you have any questions.
ZoneStops Mon-Fri(AM) Wed&Fri(PM)Mon,Tue,Thu(PM)
BStonegrove, Park Grove Bus Stop07:3016:3016:55
BMorecambe Gardens, Junction with London Road, Stanmore07:3516:2516:50
BStanmore Church, Bus stop Old Church Lane, Stanmore07:4016:2016:45
BLittle Common Bus Stop, Opposite The Vine, Stanmore Hill07:4516:1516:40
BCommon Road Bus Stop, Bushey High Road, By Harvester Pub07:5016:1016:35
BGrange Road Bus Stop08:0016:0016:25
ABy The Wood, Junction with Upper Hitch08:0515:5516:20 -St Helen’s School08:1515:4516:10
Wembley / Harrow
C Pasture Road Bus Stop, Corner of East Lane/Court Parade 07:2216:2816:53
C Carlton Avenue East Wembley Park, Forty Ave by Gabrielle Close07:2816:2216:47
CPreston Hill Bus Stop, Kenton Road07:3616:1416:39
CKenton Methodist Church, Kenton Road, Junction with Woodcock Hill/Kenton Lane07:4016:1016:35
CKenton Station Bus stop, Kenton Road, By Churchill Avenue07:4416:0616:31
BHarrow-on-the-Hill - Junction with station approach/Lowlands Road07:4816:0216:27
BStation Road Bus Stop, North Harrow - Opp The Gym07:5215:5816:23
BBus stop Bridge Street/Bus Stand Z1, Pinner07:5815:5216:17 -St Helen’s School08:0515:4516:10
Late Coach Timetable
Elstree / Stanmore Late Coach
ZoneStopsWed & Fri (PM)Mon, Tue, Thu (PM)
-St Helen’s School17:0017:45
C Community Centre, Allum Lane, Elstree 17:5018:05
BStanmore Station18:0518:20
Beaconsfield Late Coach
ZoneStopsWed & Fri (PM)Mon, Tue, Thu (PM)
C Waitrose, Beaconsfield 17:5018:35
CBus turning circle, Gerrards Cross17:4018:25
CKingsway / Lower Road, Chalfont St Peter17:3018:15
BOxford Road bus stop, opp Tendercare Nurseries, Denham17:2518:10
BSwakeleys Roundabout17:1518:00
-St Helens School17:0017:45
Terms & Conditions
1. This agreement is made between all school bus passengers, their parents and St Helen’s School in order to provide safe, comfortable and civilised journeys for all passengers.
2. Arrangements for pupils’ Home to School journeys are the responsibility of the parents. To assist with discharging this responsibility, St Helen’s School provides a Home to School coach service. Parents are responsible for their children at all times including both prior to and after boarding and alighting.
3. Bookings and payments are to be made via sthelens.vectare.co.uk. Payment is required at the time of booking for all journeys. Same day bookings for PM and late coach service should be made before midday.
4. Annual bookings cover one full academic year, starting from each Autumn term in September. Should your daughter leave the School or move to an area not covered by the coach service, or if you no longer wish your daughter to use the service, we will require a full term’s written notice or a term’s fee will become payable in lieu. Written notice should be made via coaches@sthelens.london.
5. Subject to availability, ad hoc bookings can be made on any of the published pickup/drop off points. These journeys MUST be booked before the start of the journey, this will notify the coach company via the journey manifest and will enable you to track your daughters journey. Ad hoc bookings are non-refundable.
6. Bookings are non-refundable in the event of a pupil failing to travel, or if the coach service is unavailable due to circumstances outside of the School’s control, such as inclement weather.
7. Your daughter is required to tap their name or scan their QR code on the drivers device when boarding and alighting the coach. This acts as a register and enables you to track the progress of their journey.
8. No pupil is permitted to travel on the Home to School coach service if not pre-booked for that bus. Other arrangements for journeys to and from School must be made by the pupil or their parent/s.
9. Pupils should be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled time of departure to ensure they do not miss the coach. Drivers will not wait past the scheduled departure time. If your daughter misses the coach it is your responsibility to get her to and from School.
10. Good conduct is required at all times. Shouting, use of inappropriate language, dropping litter, playing loud music or any other misbehavior is strictly forbidden. Pupils must ensure that any online activity will not cause distress to others.
11. Except when embarking or disembarking, all passengers must remain seated with their seat belts fastened correctly.
12. Pupils who travel on the School Bus Service without permission from St Helen’s School (i.e. without having prebooked) will have a standard fare of £15 added to their School account.
13. All passengers must accept the authority of the driver, who may ask them to obey any reasonable instruction such as pick up litter, cease certain actions or moving to a different seat.
14. Failure to comply with these conditions may result in the matter being referred to the pupil’s class teacher or Head of Year and may result in disciplinary action, including temporary or permanent withdrawal of permission to use the Home to School coach service.
15. St Helen’s School aims journeys to operate within the window of tolerance of one minute early to fifteen minutes late. However, timings may vary due to traffic conditions or unforeseen circumstances outside of the School’s control such as road works or force majeure events of which St Helen’s will not be responsible or liable.
16. St Helen’s School aims for 95% of journeys to operate within the transport industry window of tolerance of one minute early to five minutes late, however timings may vary due to traffic conditions or unforeseen circumstances.
Travel information:
How do I reserve a place on the coach?
You can book and pay for annual and one-off journeys 24/7 at sthelens.vectare.co.uk. Payment is required at the time of booking for all journeys. Same day bookings for PM and late coach services should be made before midday.
Who can use the coach service?
The service is open to pupils from Year 3 upwards.
What are the commitments and notice periods?
Annual bookings cover one full academic year, starting from each Autumn Term in September.
If your daughter leaves the School or moves to an area not covered by the coach service, we will require a full term’s written notice or a term’s fees will become payable in lieu. You can give notice by contacting us at sthelens.vectare.co.uk/contact_form.
Are there any special arrangements for Prep School or younger Senior School girls using the coach service for the first time?
On request and where possible, we can pair new students with other girls who are familiar with the coach, to help them settle in.
In the afternoon, Prep School girls are escorted down to the coach park by a member of staff.
How flexible are the routes?
Subject to availability, girls have the flexibility to use any published pick-up/drop off points and also use other St Helen’s coaches. These must be booked before the journey starts via sthelens. vectare.co.uk. This will notify the coach company that your daughter will be on the coach and also enable you to track your daughter’s journey.
You can make changes to annual booked routes directly via sthelens.vectare.co.uk.
You can also trial the coach service at any time during the academic year, without obligation.
What safety guidelines do coach drivers follow?
Your daughter will be required to tap their name or scan their QR code on the driver’s device when boarding and alighting the coach. This acts as a register and enables you to track the progress of their journey.
Coach companies carry out strict recruitment procedures and every driver is DBS (previously CRB) checked every three years. Drivers follow stringent coach procedures and girls are issued with a code of conduct which they are expected to adhere to.
My daughter participates in after-school activities. Is there a late coach service?
The School operates a limited daily late coach service – the coach route timetable can be accessed via sthelens.vectare.co.uk.
What happens if my daughter misses the coach?
It is important that girls arrive at their pick-up point at least five minutes before departure. The coach will leave at the time stated on the schedule, and drivers are instructed to wait at the pickup point until the scheduled departure time.
If your daughter misses the coach in the morning, it will be your responsibility to get her to School.
Should your daughter miss the coach from School in the afternoon, she will be directed to the School Office where we will contact you to arrange transport home.
Are
there any discounts?
Sibling Discount - We offer a reduction of 25% for all siblings using the bus service. A discount code will be provided on request.
Study Leave Discount - We offer a reduction of 50% applied to the Summer Term fees for Year 11 and 13 students. A discount code will be provided for these students on request.
A booking code is available on request for students in receipt of 100% Bursary.
Eastbury Road Northwood
Middlesex HA6 3AS coaches@sthelens.london
@sthelensnorthwood
@StHelensSchool
Produced by Vectare for St Helen’s School © Vectare 2025 Timetable, route and fare information is correct as of May 2025.
This guide is produced for information only. We cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions or for any loss or damages caused, howsoever arising and including consequential losses, as a result of the use of this Guide. Please note that school bus routes are subject to change.
www.sthelens.london