The Delamere Forest special needs school opened its new north Manchester operation this week.

On Sunday, 11 Delamere pupils from London moved into refurbished Crumpsall residential facilities. The following day, its 17 pupils began lessons at the newly built premises in Salford.

The project involved vacating Delamere's premises in Cheshire and creating three new classrooms and kosher catering facilities on the campus of Inscape House School in Walkden.

Run by special needs charity The Together Trust, Inscape House will manage Delamere's premises and dedicated teaching staff. The cost-cutting move is designed to deal with Delamere's £150,000 operating deficit, following a drop in local authority funding for residential school places.

Governors' chair David Clayton said the move would allow pupils to benefit from use of the King David School playing fields, Manchester Maccabi, Salford's Bnei Akiva bayit and local synagogues.

"The partnership with The Together Trust is a major boost in the quality of provision. They are the Rolls Royce of the special needs industry with lots of resources and a very high degree of professionalism."

Day places for additional pupils are available and Mr Clayton believes the close proximity to Manchester's Jewish centre will be an attraction.