A new specialist school for autistic children could be open in Medway as early as 2018.

That is the dream of the Rivermead Inclusive Trust, which is putting forward plans for a free school, the Fusion Academy.

The trust runs Rivermead School in Gillingham, Hoo St Werburgh Primary School and the Marlborough Centre, as well as Walderslade Primary, which are all rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

An application to build the 375-pupil school, likely to be based in Gillingham, is being finalised and will be submitted to the Department for Education at the end of the month.

If successful, the Fusion Academy would become one of 500 state-funded free schools pledged by David Cameron’s government.

Amanda Uden, deputy head teacher of Rivermead School, is one of those involved in the bid and said there was an acute shortage of specialist places for autistic children.Special school Rivermead receives up to 70 applications for just 20 places in each year group.

Mrs Uden said: “A large number of autistic children in Medway go into mainstream education when they would benefit from the specialist teaching, small classes and lessons which are adapted to their needs.”

The trust says the Fusion Academy would provide “holistic, wrap-around” education for pupils age five to 19 with autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs, and that it could be open as early as September 2018.

Rivermead Inclusive Trust says it has a bank of experienced, specialist staff ready to support a new school and has strong links with the Medway Youth Trust, providing opportunities for autistic youngsters into adulthood. Its bid has also received the backing of Medway Council.

Tina Lovey, chief executive office of the Rivermead Inclusive Trust, said: “The trust is in a strong position to build on the already excellent provision in Medway.”

Medway Autism Group and Information Centre (Magic) has also announced it is working with the Department for Education to set up a free school for pupils aged five to 19 with autism and other challenging behaviours.