An application to set up a free school for children diagnosed with high functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome, has been refused for a second time.

Donna Smith-Emes, 42, of Park Road, Sittingbourne, and her friend Sarah Aldridge, 41, of Gaze Hill Avenue, say they are disappointed with the Department for Education’s decision.

A joint statement said: “We received an email on March 8, informing us that although the application recognised the strengths within our vision, team and governance structure, unfortunately Kent County Council had not commissioned enough places to make the school as financially viable as the Department would like.

“We are obviously very disappointed, especially given the high response of need from within the autism community and many Kent special schools being oversubscribed.”

Mrs Smith-Emes, whose son Daniel, 13, is autistic, and Mrs Aldridge, whose nine-year-old daughter Amber has high-functioning autism, came up with the idea to create a facility in Swale three years ago.

There is only one place which serves children from the borough – Laleham Gap School, which is based over two sites in Broadstairs and Margate.

To help them realise their dream they set up the parent-led group Friends of Aspire.

They applied to set up the school last May, but were told two months later their application had been unsuccessful.

Despite the initial knock-back, they resubmitted their proposal in October and met department representatives on January 28 to discuss their plans further.

The mums said they were talking to KCC to see if they could reapply after the election.”