A school for young people with special needs will be start taking post-16 students.

Clarendon School will provide 35 places for 16 to 18-year-olds with autism from September 2015 at the Gateway Centre, meaning students will no longer need to travel out of the borough for further education.

As part of the expansion plans, the school will also manage the Newhouse Centre, which currently provides education to pupils referred from schools across the borough, who will be added to the school's roll.

Councillor Paul Hodgins, cabinet member for schools, said: "For the first time young people with autism who live in Richmond can be educated past the age of 16 within their borough.

"The council is committed to providing a first-class education to all children and young people.

"The expansion of Clarendon School is yet another example of the administration’s commitment to the borough’s children and young people."

The school will also change the way it designates places to be able to accommodate children with complex learning difficulties.

John Kipps, headteacher of Clarendon School, said: "We are delighted that the council remain committed to improving both the capacity for and the standard of education for young people with special educational needs, and we look forward to providing an outstanding education for our expanding school community."

Since 2009, the number of statements for pupils with special needs has increased by 7.4 per cent, with 31 per cent of all statemented pupils on the autistic spectrum.

Under the expansion, 100 pupils aged seven to 16 will be taught at the school’s main site, 32 pupils aged 11 to 19 years old at the Gateway Centre and 23 children at the Newhouse Centre.