School profile Verified 11 September 2026

Loreto Grammar School

Dunham Road, Altrincham, WA14 4AH

A selective girls grammar school in Altrincham, Cheshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,072 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Girls Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form GL Assessment

UK rank: UK Rank #81
Year 7 places: 150
Competition ?: Moderate
Ofsted ?: Outstanding
11+ route: GL Assessment

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At a glance

Key facts

GCSE rank: UK Rank #81
Sector: Grammar school
Admissions: Girls only
Assessment: GL Assessment
Places in Year 7: 150
Competition ?: Moderate
Catchment: You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Ofsted ?: Outstanding

Overview

Loreto Grammar School is a selective Catholic grammar school for girls in Altrincham, with a sixth form and around 1,072 pupils. Its identity is explicitly Loreto and Mary Ward: freedom, sincerity, justice, truth, joy, excellence and internationality are not tucked away as slogans but used to explain the school's spiritual, academic and pastoral life.

The curriculum is presented as formation of the whole person as well as preparation for examinations. Loreto's official curriculum statement puts ethical reflection, justice, environmental responsibility and service within the taught programme, while keeping high academic expectations. In sixth form, applicants do not have to be Catholic, but they are expected to support the Catholic ethos; small tutor groups, daily tutor time and chaplaincy are part of the pastoral structure.

That Catholic and international character gives Loreto a different texture from many selective schools nearby. Religious education, chaplaincy, extra-curricular activities, languages, leadership and service are all part of how the school describes its day-to-day life. Published outcomes show Outstanding Ofsted, +1.06 Progress 8, 96.8% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 33.6% AAB or better at A level.

Year 7 entry has 150 places and is through the Governors' Entrance Examination. For September 2027 entry, the school lists a mathematics paper, GL English and GL verbal reasoning, with registration and baptism-certificate deadlines published on the admissions page. Once girls have met the required standard, the oversubscription rules are led by the school's Catholic admissions categories and distance.

Key points

Assessment route: GL Assessment across a single-stage process, covering English, Verbal reasoning and Maths.
Places and demand: 150 places in Year 7 and Moderate
Catchment: You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Results: 96.8% grade 5+ in English and maths and 73.7 Attainment 8
Sixth form: Sixth form available with 33.6% AAB or better and 80% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Trafford and England.

School Local authority England

Attainment 8: 73.7
Grade 5+ English and maths: 96.8%
EBacc APS: 6.90
EBacc entry: 80.9%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Trafford and England.

School Local authority England

Destinations

Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Trafford and England.

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown

School details

Sector: Grammar school
School type: Academy converter
Application: Local authority CAF
Gender: Girls only
Age range: 11-18
Headteacher: Mrs Jane Beever
Pupil roll: 1,072 pupils
Sixth form: Yes
Trust: Loreto Grammar School
FSM ?: 5.1%
EAL ?: 14.6%
EHCP ?: 0.4%

Extracurriculars

Drama

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,072 pupils; 1,063 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 67% Asian 14.3% Mixed 5.5% Black 11.9% Other 0.5% Unclassified 0.8%

Recorded group	Share	Category	Pupils
White British	56.5%	White	606
African	10.3%	Black	110
Indian	8.3%	Asian	89
Any other White background	8%	White	86
Chinese	3.1%	Asian	33
Any other Asian background	2.8%	Asian	30
Irish	2.5%	White	27
Any other mixed background	2.3%	Mixed	25
Any other Black background	1.5%	Black	16
White and Asian	1.4%	Mixed	15
White and Black African	1.3%	Mixed	14
Unclassified	0.8%	Unclassified	9
Any other ethnic group	0.5%	Other	5
White and Black Caribbean	0.5%	Mixed	5
Caribbean	0.1%	Black	1
Pakistani	0.1%	Asian	1

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Location and contact

Address

Address: Dunham Road, Altrincham, Cheshire
Postcode: WA14 4AH
Area: Trafford
Exam area: Trafford 11+

School leadership

Headteacher: Mrs Jane Beever

School contact

School email: info@loretogrammar.co.uk
School phone: 01619283703

Admissions contact

Admissions team: Admissions
Admissions email: admissions@loretogrammar.co.uk
Admissions phone: 01619283700

Open in Map Open school website

Admissions

Year 7 places: 150 places (2025 entry)
Applications listed: 444 applications (2025 entry)
First preferences: 263 first preferences (2025 entry)
Competition ?: Moderate
Who can apply: You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Pass mark note: Applicants must achieve the relevant standard in the Governors' Entrance Examination. No numeric qualifying score or final offered cut-off is published in the checked policy.

Applicants must pass the Governors' Entrance Examination. Oversubscription priority is mainly Catholic-category led, with Pupil Premium, exam rank and distance used within categories.

Local Pastoral Area residence can affect priority for associated Catholic primary school applicants. Within oversubscribed categories, Pupil Premium is considered before exam marks, then distance.

Oversubscription and eligibility

1

EHCP naming the school

Admitted where the child has passed the Governors' Entrance Examination and the plan names the school.
2

Baptised Roman Catholic looked-after girls

Includes previously looked-after and international previously looked-after girls.
3

Baptised Roman Catholic girls with sisters at the school

Applies where the sister is at the school at the time of admission.
4

Baptised Roman Catholic girls from associated primary schools and local pastoral areas

Priority for associated primary school and nominated Local Pastoral Area applicants.
5

Other Baptised Roman Catholic girls

Remaining Baptised Roman Catholic applicants.
6

Other looked-after and previously looked-after girls

Looked-after priority outside the Roman Catholic category.

Admissions policy

Admissions policy 2027 entry

2027 entry

Exam and test format

The GL Assessment 11+ entrance test format

The 2027 examination has GL English and verbal reasoning tests plus an internal mathematics test.

Assessment route: GL Assessment
Papers and stages: 1 paper
Format: Mixed format

Official exam resources

Past papers and practice materials

No released past entrance-test papers are currently verified here. The resources below are labelled by type.

Trafford test guide

Familiarisation GL Assessment English familiarisation pack English General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Maths familiarisation pack Maths General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths familiarisation pack Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning familiarisation pack Non-Verbal Reasoning General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning familiarisation pack Verbal Reasoning General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation GL Assessment Verbal Skills familiarisation pack Verbal Skills General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ.

View all 8 resources

Familiarisation GL familiarisation materials Guidance GL Assessment official guidance and downloads General provider familiarisation. Use only the subjects in this school’s test; question counts and timings may differ.

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Papers and rounds

Paper 1

English, Verbal reasoning, Maths

Governors' Entrance Examination

Closed GL tests in English and verbal reasoning plus a closed internal mathematics test.

What the test includes

English, Maths and Verbal reasoning are included in the published format.

Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.

Included

English
Maths
Verbal reasoning

Closed GL tests in English and verbal reasoning plus a closed internal mathematics test.

Not listed

Non-verbal reasoning
Science

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders

Find open days and plan a visit

Open Day

27 June 2026, 9:30am to 1:00pm
Past
Online registration opens

27 June 2026, 10:00am
Past
Baptism/access evidence deadline

10 July 2026
Past

Baptism certificates and SEND/access evidence are due by this date.
Online registration closes

31 July 2026, 1:00pm
Past

Late applications will not be accepted.
Registration postcard sent

After 9 September 2026
Governors' Entrance Examination

18 September 2026, morning
Results issued

On or before 21 October 2026
CAF deadline

31 October 2026
National offer day

1 March 2027, or the next working day
Appeal registration deadline

31 March 2027
Year 7 appeals

Week commencing 3 May 2027
Waiting list closes

31 December 2027

How to apply

1
Read the admissions policy

Check the 2027 policy for Catholic, sibling, pastoral-area and tie-break rules.
Open policy
2
Register for the entrance examination

Complete the registration process by the published June deadline and provide baptism/access-arrangement evidence by the policy deadline if relevant.
3
Sit the Governors' Entrance Examination

Candidates sit the Loreto examination in September 2026.
4
Submit the CAF

Apply through the home local authority CAF for the March 2027 allocation.

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Admissions policy 2027 entry

2027 entry

Results

Attainment snapshot

Progress 8 ?: +1.06 Progress 8
Attainment 8 ?: 73.7 Attainment 8
GCSE results: 97.5% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?: 96.8% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?: 6.90 EBacc APS
A-level results: 33.6% AAB or better
A-level average points: 43.63 points per entry

Where students go next

Higher education progression: 80% in higher education
Apprenticeships: 1% in apprenticeships
Employment: 11% in sustained employment

Latest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.

Subject performance

Maths: 93% grade 5+ in EBacc maths
English: 97.5% grade 5+ in EBacc English
Sciences: 97.4% grade 5+ in EBacc sciences
Languages: 89.3% grade 5+ in EBacc languages

Performance trends

Recent trend

Overall GCSE performance

This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.

Loreto Grammar School Grammar schools England

Year	This school	Grammar schools	England
2021/22	76.3	74.2	49.4
2022/23	74.4	71.8	47.0
2023/24	76.3	72.1	46.7
2024/25	73.7	72.3	46.8

Recent trend

Average A-level result

This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.

Loreto Grammar School Grammar schools England

Year	This school	Grammar schools	England
2021/22	A- average (46.0 points)	44.0 points	37.5 points
2022/23	B+ average (42.6 points)	40.5 points	33.7 points
2023/24	A- average (46.1 points)	41.3 points	34.5 points
2024/25	B+ average (43.6 points)	41.8 points	35.0 points

Recent trend

Where pupils go after Year 11

This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.

Loreto Grammar School Grammar schools England

Year	This school	Grammar schools	England
2021/22	98%	99.1%	94.1%
2022/23	98%	98.9%	93.9%
2023/24	99%	99.0%	93.3%
2024/25	100%	98.7%	91.8%

Latest year breakdown

In education	99%
In apprenticeships	1%
In employment	0%

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Inspection

View report

Outstanding

Latest inspection: 29 September 2022

Quality of education: Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
Personal development: Outstanding
Leadership and management: Outstanding
Sixth form provision: Outstanding

Quick summary

Overall effectiveness: Rated Outstanding overall, Loreto is described as inspirational, with self-motivated pupils and sixth-form students who flourish. The report highlights academic ambition, artistic and cultural breadth, strong wellbeing priorities, exemplary behaviour and enrichment linked to learning.
Quality of education: Leaders have designed an ambitious, varied curriculum that includes three modern foreign languages at key stage 3 and high English Baccalaureate participation later on. Subject leaders sequence knowledge carefully, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils and students are self-motivated, independent and quietly determined. Behaviour is exemplary, relationships are considerate and kind, and leaders deal quickly and effectively with bullying and harassment when issues arise.
Personal development: Pupils benefit from a wide enrichment programme that broadens horizons through artistic, cultural and curriculum-linked activities. Examples include juggling club and the 'just like us' club, with staff encouraging pupils with SEND to take part.
Leadership and management: Leaders' vision centres on pupils becoming their best selves, with high expectations and close attention to mental and physical wellbeing. Safeguarding is vigilant, with regular training, swift follow-up and external support for vulnerable pupils.
Sixth form provision: Sixth-form students are included throughout the report's strongest findings: they flourish, show independence and determination, benefit from the academic and cultural curriculum, and are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of education.

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Shortlist comparisons

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Related pages and guides

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Best Grammar Schools in Trafford

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Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What assessment types does Loreto Grammar School use?

Loreto Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.

How do I apply to Loreto Grammar School?

1. Read the admissions policy: Check the 2027 policy for Catholic, sibling, pastoral-area and tie-break rules. 2. Register for the entrance examination: Complete the registration process by the published June deadline and provide baptism/access-arrangement evidence by the policy deadline if relevant. 3. Sit the Governors' Entrance Examination: Candidates sit the Loreto examination in September 2026. 4. Submit the CAF: Apply through the home local authority CAF for the March 2027 allocation.

When are the key dates for Loreto Grammar School?

Open Day: 27 June 2026, 9:30am to 1:00pm. Online registration opens: 27 June 2026, 10:00am. Baptism/access evidence deadline: 10 July 2026. Online registration closes: 31 July 2026, 1:00pm. Registration postcard sent: After 9 September 2026. Governors' Entrance Examination: 18 September 2026, morning. Results issued: On or before 21 October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National offer day: 1 March 2027, or the next working day. Appeal registration deadline: 31 March 2027. Year 7 appeals: Week commencing 3 May 2027. Waiting list closes: 31 December 2027

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Loreto Grammar School?

Loreto Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 29 September 2022.