A new special school is to open to plug a demand for places.

The Avenue School for four to 18-year-olds was approved by the Department for Education (DfE) last week.

Three Brent special schools – Manor, Village and Woodfield schools – worked together on the proposals.

The new free school aims to meet a growing demand for special school places for children with complex educational needs, such as autism.

Manor School headteacher Jayne Jardine, who will also act as executive head of The Avenue, said: “We are thrilled.

“The Avenue will be part of our successful family of special schools in Brent and will complement and extend the local special education needs and disability (SEND) specialist offer.

“We are looking forward to working with the DfE to realise our ambition.

“We are confident that The Avenue will quickly establish itself as an outstanding school and ensure our pupils are well prepared to be active members of society.”

The Avenue will initially open for about 25 pupils between the ages of four and 11 in September 2017 at a temporary site.

It will then move permanently to the junction of Christchurch Avenue and Brondesbury Park in Kilburn in 2019, the former home of Manor School before it moved to Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise.

The site is currently being used by Marylebone Boys’ School while its new building in Paddington is built.

School leaders from Brent’s special schools are in talks with the DfE to find a temporary site in the south of the borough for The Avenue’s opening next year.

The school will eventually grow to have 100 places for pupils between Reception and Year 13 within five years of opening.