Two mothers have joined forces to open a free school for autistic children.

Mother-of-three Sophy Lamond, 38, from Weybridge, and Camilla Buxton, 39, mother-of-two from Walton, are putting together an application for Temple’s Free School.

The pair, who both have children with autism, hope one day their children and others will be able to sit GCSE and A-level exams at a school which will follow a mainstream curriculum, with autism-specific methods.

Mrs Lamond said: “My daughter is six currently in her local mainstream but finding it hard. “As a result she has become over-dependent on her one-to-one teacher and more aware of her differences to other children.

“We feel that the right education in the right environment is key. There is no reason why these children cannot sit GCSEs and A-levels, this would be our aim.”

She said the feedback received from other parents, Facebook and general awareness coffee mornings had been positive and that a clear gap for this kind of school in Elmbridge had been found.

A free school is funded by the Department for Education but is not controlled by the local education authority but parents, voluntary groups or teachers.

Last week the Government approved a number of free school plans.

Mrs Lamond said: “There are not enough places in other specialist provisions to cater for the number of children in Surrey with autism spectrum disorders.

“Having an autistic child is very demanding and emotionally draining. There are good days and very bad days.”

She said the school, named after autistic doctor Temple Grandin, could be suitable for children from four years old to 18 and would have two classes per year of 10 children in each.