About Greater Manchester & Trafford Grammar Schools
Greater Manchester & Trafford hosts 13 grammar schools — primarily the 7 Trafford Consortium schools (Altrincham Grammar Boys, Altrincham Grammar Girls, Sale Grammar, Stretford Grammar, Urmston Grammar, Loreto Grammar, Saint Ambrose) plus independents and partially-selective schools. Trafford is the only fully-selective Local Authority area in Northern England — every Year 6 child can sit the 11+. Trafford grammars consistently rank in the UK Top 100, with Altrincham Grammar for Boys typically the highest-ranked in the North.
History & Tradition
The 7 Trafford grammars were founded in the Victorian and Edwardian eras — Altrincham Grammar for Boys (1912), Altrincham Girls' Grammar (1909), Sale Grammar (1933), Stretford Grammar (1916). The Trafford Consortium was formalised in the 1990s to coordinate admissions across the borough. Loreto Grammar (1909, Catholic girls') and Saint Ambrose College (1946, Catholic boys') are also part of the local selective tradition.
The Entry Test
The Trafford Test uses GL Assessment papers — English, Maths, and Reasoning. The Trafford Consortium administers a single test taken at the candidate's first-choice grammar (or by sitting Loreto's separate test for Catholic candidates). Test format: 50-minute papers, multiple-choice.
Greater Manchester & Trafford 11+ at a Glance
7 Things You Should Know About Greater Manchester & Trafford Grammar Schools
Researched facts about the region's selective schools — drawn from official sources, school websites and education research.
- 1Trafford is the only fully-selective Local Authority in Northern England — all 7 Trafford state secondaries are grammar schools (no comprehensive in the borough).
- 2Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is the highest-ranked grammar in Northern England (#9 in the UK Sunday Times Parent Power 2026) — one of only 9 grammars to appear in the UK Top 10. Altrincham Grammar (boys) follows at #33.
- 3Loreto Grammar School and Saint Ambrose College (both Catholic) sit a separate joint entrance test from the Trafford Consortium — held on Friday 18 September 2026 — for families seeking Catholic-character grammar education.
- 4The Trafford Consortium operates a single shared registration and test — families can apply to all 7 schools via one registration. Distance from school is a key oversubscription criterion.
- 5Sale Grammar School and Urmston Grammar are among the most oversubscribed Trafford grammars — distance criteria typically prioritise children living within 1-2 miles.
- 6Trafford's grammars all have sixth forms and offer A-Levels — many co-educate at sixth form regardless of being single-sex at lower school (Altrincham Boys' sixth form admits girls).
- 7Manchester city itself has no state grammar schools — neighbouring Trafford serves as the main selective option for Manchester families willing to travel.
| Rank | School Name | Gender | PAN | 11+ Exam | GCSE 9-7 | A-Level A*-B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #9 | Altrincham Grammar School for Girls#9 | Girls | 180 | GL Assessment | 86.1% | 91.3% |
| #33 | Altrincham Grammar School#33 | Boys | 180 | GL Assessment | 82% | 85% |
| #38 | Sale Grammar School#38 | Mixed | 187 | GL Assessment | 73.7% | 83.3% |
| #51 | St. Ambrose College#51 | Boys | 180 | GL Assessment | 74.6% | 80.3% |
| #60 | Loreto Grammar School#60 | Girls | 156 | GL Assessment | 71.2% | 78.8% |
| #87 | Urmston Grammar School#87 | Mixed | 186 | GL Assessment | 62% | 76% |
| Cheadle Hulme School | Mixed | — | Independent | 64% | 74.9% | |
| Manchester Grammar School (MGS) | Boys | — | GL Assessment | 88.2% | 93% | |
| Manchester High School for Girls (MHSG) | Girls | — | Independent | 76.9% | 85.9% | |
| Stockport Grammar School | Boys | 150 | GL Assessment | 57.3% | 74.9% | |
| Stretford Grammar School | Mixed | 150 | GL Assessment | 75% | 75% | |
| Trafford Grammar Schools | Boys | — | GL Assessment | 95.0% | 90.0% | |
| Withington Girls' School | Girls | — | Independent | 92.9% | 91.3% |
Greater Manchester & Trafford Grammar Schools — Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the top-ranked grammar schools in Greater Manchester & Trafford?
In the 2026 Sunday Times Parent Power tables, the highest-ranked Greater Manchester & Trafford grammar schools include Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham Grammar School, Sale Grammar School. Full rankings plus GCSE and A-Level results for every school are in the table above.
What 11+ exam do Greater Manchester & Trafford grammar schools use?
Most Greater Manchester & Trafford grammar schools admit pupils through the GL Assessment 11+. Check each school's row above, as some set their own entrance test or use a different exam board.
What makes Greater Manchester & Trafford grammar schools distinctive?
Trafford is the only fully-selective Local Authority in Northern England — all 7 Trafford state secondaries are grammar schools (no comprehensive in the borough).
What else should families know about the Greater Manchester & Trafford 11+?
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is the highest-ranked grammar in Northern England (#9 in the UK Sunday Times Parent Power 2026) — one of only 9 grammars to appear in the UK Top 10. Altrincham Grammar (boys) follows at #33.
Nearby Regions
Many families consider grammars in neighbouring regions to maximise options. Explore: