Trafford / Trafford 11+
Marlborough Road, Bowdon, WA14 2RS
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
1
A selective boys grammar school in Altrincham, Cheshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,421 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
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 serves boys aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,421 pupils on roll and 202 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 202 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 1.32 and Attainment 8 at 79.9. 99.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 54.7% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 76% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library, Theatre. The wider offer currently includes Drama, Sport. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Taken together, those features make Altrincham Grammar School for Boys the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
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.
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.
The Trafford Grammar School Consortium moved to GL Assessment from 2024; the current route has two multiple-choice tests of about one hour each.
This school uses the shared Trafford consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Trafford guidePaper 1
VR, NVR, 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
VR, NVR, 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, Science and Creative writing 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
Creative writing
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
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% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 99% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 28 September 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
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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Compare the best grammar schools in Trafford for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Trafford sits within the Trafford route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
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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.