A selective boys grammar school in Altrincham, Cheshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,421 pupils on roll.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
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At a glance
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, often shortened to AGSB, is a selective boys' grammar school on Marlborough Road in Bowdon, Altrincham. It educates boys from 11 to 18, has about 1,421 pupils on roll and is part of The Hamblin Education Trust. The school's own welcome is direct about its identity: high expectations, strong public examination results and an education that is meant to stretch able boys well beyond the minimum grammar-school offer.
The academic character is traditional but not narrow. AGSB describes itself as providing an outstanding academic education, while the Head Master's welcome puts sport, creative arts, engineering, scientific innovation and debating alongside examination success. The formal curriculum and sixth form sit within that broader culture of ambition, with personal development and leadership treated as part of the everyday work of the school rather than an add-on.
School life has a busy selective-school feel. The official site points families towards academic life, library provision, exam results, sixth form and pastoral care, and its language repeatedly connects achievement with contribution beyond school. AGSB comes across as a large boys' grammar with a competitive academic culture and a visible expectation that pupils take part in sport, creative work, debating or leadership.
Admission to Year 7 is through the Trafford Grammar School Consortium process. The published admission number is 202, and the 2027 route uses two GL Assessment multiple-choice papers covering verbal, non-verbal and mathematics skills. The policy sets score thresholds of 334 or above for the main ranked groups, with 324 or above applying to limited looked-after and pupil-premium routes, before candidates are ordered within priority categories by standardised score and distance. The latest applications record lists 490 applications and 218 offers; published measures add Ofsted Outstanding, +1.32 Progress 8, 100% grade 5+ in English and maths and 54.7% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Trafford and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Trafford and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Trafford and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,421 pupils; 1,406 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 24.4% | White | 347 |
| Indian | 21.7% | Asian | 308 |
| Pakistani | 13.7% | Asian | 195 |
| Chinese | 11.9% | Asian | 169 |
| Any other Asian background | 5.4% | Asian | 77 |
| Any other ethnic group | 4.7% | Other | 67 |
| Any other mixed background | 4.4% | Mixed | 63 |
| White and Asian | 4.1% | Mixed | 58 |
| Any other White background | 3.7% | White | 52 |
| African | 2.7% | Black | 39 |
| Unclassified | 1.1% | Unclassified | 15 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.7% | Asian | 10 |
| White and Black African | 0.6% | Mixed | 9 |
| Any other Black background | 0.4% | Black | 5 |
| Irish | 0.3% | White | 4 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.2% | Mixed | 3 |
The priority area covers WA13, WA14, WA15, M33, and the Trafford part of M23. Applicants are ranked by score within category, then by distance, with random allocation for exact ties.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Priority category 1 covers looked after and previously looked after boys who score 324 or above.
Priority-area pupil premium places
Priority category 2 includes up to 20 pupil premium boys in the priority area attending a Trafford state-funded primary, including those who score 324 to 333 and those in the same group who score 334 or above.
Additional Trafford pupil premium places
Priority category 3 reserves up to 10 places for pupil premium boys attending a Trafford state-funded primary who score 324 or above.
Priority-area qualified applicants
Priority category 4 covers boys living in the priority area who score 334 or above.
Other qualified applicants
Priority category 5 covers eligible boys outside the priority area who score 334 or above.
Tie-break
Applicants are ranked by total standardised score within each category, then by distance, with random allocation for exact ties.
Admissions policy
Admissions policy 2027 entry
2027 entry
Information booklet
Entrance exam information booklet 2027 entry
2027 entry
2026
373
Initial offer score
2025
377
Initial offer score
The Trafford Grammar School Consortium moved to GL Assessment from 2024; the current route has two multiple-choice tests of about one hour each.
Shared exam route
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys uses the shared Trafford route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Trafford practice papersPaper 1
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Maths
Trafford consortium paper 1
The consortium test has two multiple-choice papers of about one hour each covering verbal, non-verbal, and mathematics skills.
Paper 2
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Maths
Trafford consortium paper 2
Candidates complete a second one-hour paper within the same Trafford consortium exam session.
Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English and Science are not listed in the current published format.
Maths
Verbal reasoning
The consortium test has two multiple-choice papers of about one hour each covering verbal, non-verbal, and mathematics skills.
Non-verbal reasoning
The consortium test has two multiple-choice papers of about one hour each covering verbal, non-verbal, and mathematics skills.
English
Science
Consortium application opens
23 April 2026
PastRegistration opens at 12 noon.
Consortium application closes
19 June 2026
Registration closes at 12 noon.
Entrance examination
14 September 2026
Results issued
Before the end of October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
National offer day
1 March 2027
Complete the Trafford consortium application
Applications open at 12 noon on Thursday 23 April 2026 and close at 12 noon on Friday 19 June 2026.
Open entrance exam pageSit the entrance examination
The Trafford Grammar School Consortium exam for 2027 entry takes place on Monday 14 September 2026.
Open entrance exam pageUse the result before the CAF deadline
Results are issued before the end of October 2026 so families can rank schools by the 31 October 2026 CAF deadline.
Open admissions policyWait for national offer day
Offer outcomes are sent by your home local authority on or about 1 March 2027.
Open admissions policyLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 75.9 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 80.1 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 79.9 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 78.5 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A average (50.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A- average (46.8 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (47 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A- average (45.5 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 99% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 99% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 28 September 2022
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Trafford area and similar boys' selective route
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
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FAQ
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Complete the Trafford consortium application: Applications open at 12 noon on Thursday 23 April 2026 and close at 12 noon on Friday 19 June 2026. 2. Sit the entrance examination: The Trafford Grammar School Consortium exam for 2027 entry takes place on Monday 14 September 2026. 3. Use the result before the CAF deadline: Results are issued before the end of October 2026 so families can rank schools by the 31 October 2026 CAF deadline. 4. Wait for national offer day: Offer outcomes are sent by your home local authority on or about 1 March 2027.
Consortium application opens: 23 April 2026. Consortium application closes: 19 June 2026. Entrance examination: 14 September 2026. Results issued: Before the end of October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 28 September 2022.