A school and council chiefs have reassured concerned parents about what they claim were "inadequate" transport arrangements for some pupils at the start on the new term.

Parents of pupils at the Atlantic Academy Portland (AAP) say children as young as five have been boarding unsupervised buses with much older students to the Maritime House campus in Southwell.

The decision to move Years 1 to 4 from Osprey Quay to the Southwell site was made in June when it was announced the former Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy (IPACA) would join the Aspirations Academies Trust. 

Over the summer Dorset County Council’s school transport team worked alongside school staff to arrange two buses solely for AAP students.

Students were designated to one of two buses: the unsupervised ME12 or the ME11 with an escort provided by the school. Pupils can also travel on the public service, operated by First.

The academy has since employed an afternoon supervisor for the second bus and has arranged for staff to meet pupils off the designated buses and escort them to the school building. 

As the new academic year got underway several parents reported problems with children being left behind on buses and at the school gates. 

Parent Sarah Tompkins, said: “I followed my daughter’s school bus and saw her getting off with no-one to meet her. This is despite reassurances this wouldn’t happen.”

Jenny Foot, who has three young children at the school, said the unsupervised bus was a "huge concern for parents."

"There are children ages five to 13 with just one bus driver and no adult supervision. If there is an accident how are we going to find out about it?"

Parents also complained that they were only told about the transport arrangements two days before term started meaning they were not given enough time to make adequate plans.

Mum-of-four Ashley Talbot had to quit her job as a care worker to ensure her children could get to school on time.

She said: “It’s affecting our family income and the children’s school day."

DCC’s said it is not council policy to provide an escort for such buses but a ‘Safeguarding Schools Advisor’ was sent to the academy on Friday to assess the situation. 

The Aspirations Academies Trust reviewed the service to make 'necessary amendments'.

Executive principal Claire Addis said: “Transport assistants have been employed by the academy to ensure pupils travel safely to and from school on this service. 

"Our priority is for pupils to arrive at academy safely, on time and ready for the day of learning ahead of them and we will continue to regularly review the transport situation for all our pupils to enable this to happen.”

Town councillor for Underhill Lucy Grieve has been helping pupils board the correct buses from the Fortuneswell stop and speaking to the school. 

She said: “In so much as it can be, the problem has been resolved. DCC and the school listened to our concerns and when children arrive at the school there is now a cast iron system in place to make sure children are escorted into school safely.”