It first opened in Salford in 1825, with 14 children, but it became necessary to move to a larger building, in Old Trafford, where the foundation stone was laid in 1836.

[3] In 2020, the Trust sold the green belt land it owned adjoining the school to housing developer Bloor Homes.

[4] The reference to deafness in the name of the school had become obsolete because an increasing number of the students enrolled had communication difficulties but were normally hearing.

The deaf students now admitted by Seashell all have very complex additional needs, including visual impairments, physical difficulties and low general ability.

[citation needed] The Seashell Trust as a charity is effectively the parent body of the former Royal School for the Deaf and Communication Disorders.