efficient use of the LEA's resources.  It would also be open to the LEA to name the school preferred by the child's parents, so long as the parents met the transport costs.

4:61. The school named in a child's statement must be capable of meeting the child's special e educational needs.  LEAs should not, therefore, promulgate general transport policies which seek to limit the schools for which parents of children with statements may express a preference if free transport is to be provided.


Education otherwise than at school

4:62. Section 163 of the Act empowers the LEA to arrange for some or all of a child's special educational provision to be made otherwise than at school.  Section 164 enables the LEA to make arrangements for a child with a statement to attend an institution outside England and Wales: where they do so, the LEA may contribute to or pay the fees of the institution and the travelling and other expenses of the child and any person, including a parent, who might accompany the child.

4:63. The LEA should consider carefully any representations made by parents in favour of their child attending an establishment outside England and Wales.  If the LEA consider that some or all of a child's special educational provision should be made otherwise than at school, or if they agree that the child should attend an institution outside England and Wales, they may specify those arrangements in Part 4 of the statement.


Children educated at parents' expense

4:64. Parents may choose to place a child with a statement in an independent school (whether or not approved under section 189) or a non-maintained special school at their own expense.  If parents choose to make such provision for their child, the LEA must satisfy themselves that the school is able to make the special educational provision specified in the statement before they are relieved of their duty to arrange that provision.  Once so satisfied, the LEA are under no obligation to contribute towards the cost of educating the child at the school of the parents' choice.  The LEA are, however, still under a duty to maintain the child's statement and to review it annually, following the procedures set out in Part 6 below.


Parental representations over the proposed statement

4:65. If parents have been fully consulted at the earlier stages of assessment, they are more likely to consider that the proposed statement presents a positive and accurate appraisal of their child's special educational needs and that the provision proposed represents an appropriate response to those needs.  The LEA should, however, inform parents that:

i. they may within 15 days make representations to the LEA, and require that a meeting be arranged with an officer of the LEA to discuss the contents of the statement