Parents in the Rickmansworth area who were told they would have to wait until 2016 for a new school may have been offered a ray of hope.

A new school has been in demand since the county council announced a projected deficit of more than 250 secondary places by 2026.

After a public consultation, two sites were earmarked for the £82.5 million project, which would not be built until at least 2016.

However, a team called Reach Learning, made up of Richard Booth, Martyn Essery and Natalie Simpson, claim that a “free school” could be completed by next year.

Mr Booth, a qualified teacher, said: “We believe we can fill the gap and offer a school which will serve the families of Mill End, Maple Cross and Rickmansworth from 2012 onwards and deliver them the high quality education and prospects they all richly deserve”.

Funding for a free school will come from central government, so long as the the Department for Education is satisfied that parental demand is strong enough.

Alongside local councillors, the WD3 School Action Group has been campaigning for a new school for children in the Rickmansworth, Maple Cross and Mill End area.

Adrienne Cohen, from the group said: “The prospect of a local community school for our children is fantastic and we are delighted about the Reach team's proposal.

“It's a new model, it has to go through the application and nothing is guaranteed, we hope very much that they are successful.

“What matters most is that we have a good quality school locally for our children.”

The process will begin with a public meeting to find out more about the proposed new school, the teachers who will run it, the curriculum and proposed facilities, and how to apply for a place.

This will take place on Tuesday May 10 at 8.30pm, in Mill End Community Centre, and also on Thursday May 12 at 8pm, in the Maple Cross Community Centre.