Seashell Trust

About Seashell Trust

Seashell Trust is a charity (formerly known as the Royal School for the Deaf Manchester) and is based in Cheadle Hulme near Manchester and is dedicated to providing a creative, happy and secure environment for children and young adults with complex and severe learning disabilities which include little or no language abilities. Across our school, college and residential care homes, and through the work we do beyond our own facilities, we deliver programmes of care that are individually tailored, promote independence and help build confidence and self-esteem in the children and adults we work with.

We offer a number of residential services based on the discrete needs of young people and their family. We can provide weekly & termly boarding as well as a comprehensive 52-week placement, with individual packages of short-break services available too. Our care provision is flexible and we can offer bespoke packages of residential care to meet the developing needs of students. Young people are encouraged and supported to participate in a wide range of social and leisure activities both on site and in the local community that are stimulating and fun.

Judged outstanding by Ofsted for four consecutive years, our registered children’s homes are the envy of the country. Set in the beautiful location of Cheshire, in green belt, we can access the city of Manchester within 20 minutes, as well as having Derbyshire Staffordshire and Cheshire on our doorstep to explore and enjoy. For young people our registered adult homes score top marks on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) scales.

Royal School Manchester is a day and residential, non-maintained special school (NMSS), offering high-quality provision for students from 2-19 years. Students attending Royal School have profound and complex learning and communication difficulties. A significant number of our students have either single or multiple sensory impairments, as well as other individual needs associated with complex communication impairments e.g. Autism Spectrum Conditions.

Recently judged ‘Outstanding’ for the second consecutive time, Royal School Manchester is regarded, as a national centre of excellence for young people with profound and complex low incidence special educational needs.

College students have a similar range of individual needs to those admitted to the school. College offers a diverse range of inspiring courses with an emphasis on a transition curriculum to support personal and social development, improving communication skills to support and facilitate lifelong learning.

Both school and college draw students from across England and Wales because we are able to offer a comprehensive range of residential care and medical services.

We also offer a wide range of sport, health and leisure activities for the community, our students and staff including our award winning Seashell CADS (Children’s Able and Disabled Sports) programme providing inclusive weekly sports clubs and holiday activities throughout the year.

The support of trusts and foundations has been vital to the Seashell Trust in maintaining and enhancing our provision. They have funded significant projects, capital developments and specialist equipment. Partnering with local businesses together and maintaining a busy volunteer programme are also vital to Seashell Trust to ensure we continue to provide the children, young people and adults in our care with the very best facilities and life experiences possible.