Online Minibus Compliance Course (MCC)
Our online Minibus Compliance Course was developed to allow greater access to essential compliance training for more school staff. The original face-to-face course, which was launched in September 2018, proved very popular with schools but they were restricted in the amount of staff they could spare for a day. Therefore the online course was launched in June 2020 to allow more school staff to access the course safely during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The online course, and the multiple access options, gives heads, governors and teaching staff alike the chance to complete the course in their own time. Each of the four sections is certified so you can evidence you’ve completed parts or all of the course.
The course content was written in consultation with a former Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain and was approved by RoSPA. We have moved our face-to-face training online with interactive elements, videos and quizzes to keep the content engaging.
Castle Minibus regularly consult with specialist transport solicitors to ensure the content is up to date with any changes in minibus rules or regulations, and to ensure that where there is room for interpretation of the law, best practice advice is given.
Suitable for any member of staff that is involved with the management of the minibuses from heads to bursars, to teachers and estate managers. The course was designed to help all school staff get to grips with the rules of school minibus management.
Champions of Minibus Safety
Compliance is not only a legal requirement it is a crucial element of ensuring you’re running safe vehicles. Understanding licences, vehicle weights, safety inspections, daily checks and the on-the-road challenges of driving a minibus will dramatically increase your safety levels and enable you to implement a comprehensive safety system. Our insurance broker partner James Brown and Sons Ltd offer reduced premiums for schools who have completed the Online Minibus Compliance Course.
I have completed the on-line compliance course and fortunately passed! I thought the course was really well put together and was easy to understand as the information was clear and concise. Being new to this area of the business I felt it was really well pitched and it gave me all the information I needed to know. It was particularly helpful that it ended with a reminder checklist of what I needed to do next, or at least make sure we are doing. The content was presented in a really professional way and given the speed in which you must have had to put this together when face to face courses had to be postponed, I think you have done an excellent job.
Caroline Brawley
Director of Operations
Call today to see what we can do for you 01869 253744
MCC Online
Certified, approved and recommended
Clear guidance on minibus compliance
Engaging and interactive
Access for 4 or unlimited staff members
Complete in your own time
Reduce the cost of repairs with safer drivers
Online Minibus Compliance Course
The online MCC is suitable for any member of staff from heads to bursars, to teachers and estate managers. It is important all staff members know and understand what’s required to deliver a safe and compliant minibus safety system.
Online Course
An online compliance course split into four sections
- The legal minefield: Guiding you through the permits and licences which you operate under, depending on the status of your drivers and the type of school you work for, including who has the responsibility for legal compliance
- Vehicles: Looking at the differences in driving a minibus and the challenges teacher-drivers face, best practice weekly and daily minibus checks and the required safety inspections
- Drivers: Covering driver management, driver responsibilities and licences
- The journey: Things you need to consider when planning journeys and emergency protocols.
Face-to-Face Training
Face-to-Face Minibus Compliance Course
The face-to-face Minibus Compliance Course will be available again when it is safe to do so.
The 1 day course includes all the elements that are covered in the online version but have the added interactions of our driver trainers and your peers.
A practical daily/weekly minibus check is included with a chance to understand what is involved in a 10-week inspection check with one of our service partners.
Castle run face-to-face MCC days across the country and are recommended even if you’ve completed the online version.
Follow up support
The Green Light Review
A follow-up option for schools is Castle’s Green Light Review, carried out following your completion of the face-to-face or Online Minibus Compliance Course, once a school transport manager has been appointed.
The review is designed to support schools in any changes they have put in place since they completed the MCC (whether online or face-to-face) and ensure that if there was a DVSA inspection that your school would get the green light where minibus compliance and management is concerned.
The review takes place on-site with the transport manager and one of Castle’s ADI instructors. The areas that will be covered are sent in advance of the visit to ensure you can prepare appropriately.
Compliance Services from Castle
Our Compliance Services
Castle has a range of services to help you create a robust minibus safety system that the Minibus Compliance Course will help you to understand.
We provide services to enable you to certify, evidence and maintain your minibus compliance with minimal effort and time out of school with online and practical options all required under a Section 19 Permit.
Reduce your insurance premiums
James Brown and Sons (Somerset) Ltd recognise that a Castle Minibus client is less likely to have an incident because of Castle Minibus’ high safety standards, especially if they have completed the MCC. James Brown and Sons Ltd have negotiated insurance rates that reflect the reduced risk that holders of the MCC represent and even allow a further 10% discount for Castle customers, all of which could offset the cost of the MCC.
Read more about minibus insurance through Castle.
Pricing – Save £50 or £100 until 31st December 2020
The online version of the MCC is available on a subscription basis for a period of 12 months with two options for access.
Save £50 up to 4 people at £145
or save £100 and pay just £295 for unlimited users with the same email domain i.e.@exampleschool.sch.org
(All prices exclude vat)
The cost of the MCC can easily be recovered with the savings on a three year fixed premium term of the minibus insurance offered by James Brown and Sons Ltd.
Really good range of activities and walk around the minibus broke things up well and provided an opportunity to discuss matters with other participants.
The course was very good, learnt quite a lot
Super interesting course, really enjoyed the interactive parts. Cliff & Chris were really nice talkers, I normally fall asleep!
Really good coverage of compliance.
Very informative & clearly delivered. Given me a lot to think about – Thank you
The course was a major reminder about best practice. Raised issues to which I need to aspire too.
The venue was easy to get to, the training was excellent, and the training was very informative and interesting.
Found it very interesting covering my points and concerns
Benefits of Castle’s Minibus Compliance Course
Available online to eliminate time out of school
Multiple logins to create a team of minibus compliance trained staff
Split into modules for easy digestion
Certified for evidence of minibus compliance
Reduces repair costs and insurance premiums
“I thought it pertinent to send a quick e-mail thanking the team for an excellent [MCC] workshop and discussion yesterday. Paul, Chris and Darren have a wealth of knowledge between them and were more than happy to share it with the attendees. A great days workshop thank you. It was refreshing to participate in such an open and free-thinking discussion, with no marketing!!!”
‘Not too heavy, but very informative. No death by PowerPoint which was a concern before attendance.’
‘The day went so quickly! Thoroughly enjoyable and exceptionally informative. Feel that I can walk away today feeling confident that our school will be 100 per cent compliant! I also know that if I had any questions, Castle Minibus will be there to help answer. Thank you Cliff and Chris for a fab day!’
‘Very good and useful to clarify key points. I will be taking back to school a list of ‘to do’s. I have also made some friends to network with.’
‘The whole process was brilliant. I was really impressed with how accommodating everyone was.’
‘Absolutely brilliant [MCC Course], informative knowledgeable and pleasant, patient trainers. Highly recommended. Good value for money. 10 out of 10.’
‘Good overall content of the [MCC] course. 8 out of 10’ and Grant said, ‘I generally enjoyed all aspects of course from beginning to end – Many Thanks. 9 out of 10’.
’10/10 – This [MCC] course has answered everything I was unsure about as Transport Manager.’
‘9/10 – Very informative [MCC] workshop. Learned various elements to managing the fleet of school minibuses at school and
appointing a ‘Transport Manager’.
’10/10 – I am so glad I came [on the MCC]. There is a lot of work to be done back at school but I feel fully prepared and enabled to be able to get a policy and process set up. Highly recommended – worth every penny!’
’10 / 10 – Very well presented. A lot of very important info obtained. Ideal length of course, made to feel very much at ease. Well-done chaps!’
’10 / 10 – This [MCC] course was quite easily the most useful session I’ve attended in 2 years of joining the education sector. Cliff & Chris are very knowledgeable and pitched the course perfectly.’
‘I really enjoyed the [MCC] course in Cardiff yesterday, it was very worthwhile. Cliff did say that if we needed any
Section 19 Permits you could send some. Could I possibly have six please?
I ask because Cliff’s warning that the DVSA were doing their rounds was very timely. I had a phone call at 7.30pm last night to say that the Police and a DVSA inspector had followed one of our minibuses back to School after their evening run and did a spot check. All OK apart from the fact that although the permit was in the bus it wasn’t on display – hence my request!
Kind regards
Sarah’
‘Very informative [Minibus Compliance] course which will help me in my current role as Transport Manager. 10 out 10.’
’10/10: At LVS the safety of pupils and staff is always paramount, the Castle Minibus Compliance Course is a great way of ensuring that we are complying with all the relevant laws and regulations and therefore maintain our safety standards. Tom Farrell’
‘Excellent course, well presented and some interesting parts came to light – 10/10’
‘Invaluable course information very well delivered – 10/10’
‘An extremely informative course with lots of useful suggestions – 10/10’
‘Pitched just right, great course very informative. Will definitely recommend to others – 10/10’
‘Very good content, interesting to take this information forward – 10/10’