A student can't get to school as she is not entitled to transport – even though the school bus drives past her door.

Alisha Rogers, a Year 9 student at Looe Community School, is now not attending school as her parents can't get her there from their home in St Winnolls, near Polbathic. Her mother Jayne Rogers said: 'The coach goes right past our door but, according to the council, we are technically out of the catchment area.

'They won't even offer a concessionary pass. My daughter is expected not to have an education.'

Despite attending St Nicholas Primary School in Downderry – which is a feeder school for Looe Community School – Alisha, 13, was told when applying for secondary school that Torpoint Community School was her designated school. Most of her friends were joining Looe Community School and Jayne successfully applied for Alisha's secondary school place to be transferred to Looe.

According to Cornwall Council, Alisha's parents would have been advised at the time that Alisha was not entitled to free transport as Looe was neither the designated nor the nearest school.

Jayne said that for the last two years she has made a private arrangement with the bus company that they would pick Alisha up and take her to school but the operators have changed this year and this arrangement is no longer possible.

'At the moment I have no transport,' she said. 'My husband goes to work at 6.30am and we only have one car.

'On Monday we managed to get her to school through a family member but she had to wait around for an hour after school before I could collect her.

'She's not been to school since. I've had to stop working to be at home with her.

'She won't be attending school until the transport is sorted.'

A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council said: 'Where a child attends a school other than one that is designated by the Children's Services Authority to serve the home address, the parents or carers are responsible for making their own transport arrangements and for all transport costs.'

Jayne submitted an appeal against this in November 2008 which was unsuccessful.

The council spokeswoman added: 'At that time it was not possible to offer a concessionary rider seat on a bus as there were no seats available. This remains the situation today.'