A £1.5 million unit for students with autistic spectrum disorders has opened at Brislington Enterprise College.

It is housed in the school's former City Learning Centre, which opened in 2001 and has been refurbished to meet the needs of the youngsters.

The provision means that secondary-age pupils from the southern part of Bristol can be educated close to home rather than having to travel to Shirehampton in the north or go out of the area.

It also allows the children to be part of a large, mainstream 21st century school from within their own safe and secure environment.

Brislington was chosen for the unit because of its inclusive ethos. Another of its "schools within a school" houses the former Courtlands unit from Florence Brown School, which is for pupils with learning difficulties or physical impairments.

All the college's mini schools are named after big cats, with the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) unit named Cerval and the Courtlands centre Lynx.

Pupils from both Cerval and Lynx use the facilities of the £30 million new school and are integrated into classes with mainstream pupils where appropriate.

Twelve 11-15 year-olds attend Cerval at the moment, 11 of them boys. From September, the unit expects to have 19 pupils. Its maximum is 21.

Janette Noerr, who heads the unit, said the students had settled in very quickly and were delighted with the specially adapted classrooms.

Ms Noerr said: "It is all about supporting the children so they can access the real world later in life. Social skills and life skills are a priority."

Head teacher John Matthews said parents of some autistic pupils had initially been apprehensive about their children moving to Brislington Enterprise College, but they were now very happy.

Michelle Edgar, from Withywood, whose son Ryan Sanders, 11, is at the unit, said: "I think it is an absolutely wonderful building. It is what the children need. It is set out excellently for them, with all the facilities. Parents can go in and support their children.

"The children are so happy. My son absolutely loves to join in with all that is going on."

Bristol also has ASD units for younger pupils at Shirehampton and Gay Elms primary schools and one for older children, the Kingsweston Unit, which shares buildings with the Oasis Brightstowe Academy in Shirehampton.