About Loreto Grammar School
Loreto Grammar School is a Catholic selective girls' grammar school in Altrincham, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. It admits 150 girls per year. Loreto is NOT part of the Trafford Consortium and uses its own entrance test comprising three papers: Maths (school-set, 45 min), Verbal Reasoning (GL Assessment, 50 min) and English (GL Assessment, 45 min). Priority is given to Baptised Roman Catholic girls.
Loreto Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 71.2%. A-Level A*–B: 78.8%.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Loreto Grammar School
Loreto Grammar School is a girls state grammar school in England that uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test to select pupils for Year 7 admission. The school admits approximately 156 Year 7 pupils each September, and applications must be made through your home Local Authority via the Common Application Form (CAF) — never directly to the school.
The GL Assessment 11+ is one of two main 11+ test providers in England (the other being CEM, now retired in many regions). The Trafford test typically consists of multiple papers covering English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Scores are standardised against the cohort age distribution, so younger pupils are not disadvantaged. Each school sets its own qualifying mark (pass mark).
For 2027 entry, the GL Assessment test is sat in Saturday 13 September 2026 and results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026 — crucially, before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026, giving parents time to consider results before listing school preferences. National Offers Day is Monday 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 secondary school offers.
Loreto Grammar School is academically selective — pupils must achieve the qualifying mark in the 11+ test to be eligible for a place. If applications exceed the published admission number (156 places), the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places. This page is updated each year with the latest verified admissions criteria, key dates and oversubscription rules.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Loreto Grammar School
Loreto Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Loreto Grammar School is a Catholic selective girls' grammar school in Altrincham, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. It admits 150 girls per year. Loreto is NOT part of the Trafford Consortium and uses its own entrance test comprising three papers: Maths (school-set, 45 min), Verbal Reasoning (GL Assessment, 50 min) and English (GL Assessment, 45 min). Priority is given to Baptised Roman Catholic girls.
- ✓Register directly with Loreto Grammar School (not via the Trafford Consortium).
- ✓Sit three entrance test papers: school-set Maths (45 min), GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning (50 min), and GL Assessment English (45 min).
- ✓Results notified in October — confirm eligibility before naming on the Local Authority CAF.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after Baptised Catholic girls (highest priority).
- ✓Baptised Catholic girls with sisters at Loreto at the time of admission.
- ✓Baptised Catholic girls who attend an associated primary school AND live in a nominated Local Pastoral Area.
- ✓Baptised Catholic girls who attend an associated primary school but do not live in a Local Pastoral Area.
- ✓All other Baptised Catholic girls who achieve the qualifying score.
- ✓Non-Catholic girls who achieve the qualifying score, ranked by distance.
Loreto Grammar School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 156 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Final ranking uses the standardised score achieved in the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Loreto Grammar School)
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Loreto Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 via individual school portals |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 (varies) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | Saturday 13 September 2026 (English + Maths + VR + NVR) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Loreto Grammar School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Trafford) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026 (varies). There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Loreto Grammar School
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in Saturday 13 September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Loreto Grammar School as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2026. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 1 March 2027. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Loreto Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Loreto Grammar School
Loreto Grammar School selects through its own Governors' Entrance Examination — three papers at 11+, with the English and verbal reasoning papers produced by GL Assessment and the mathematics paper set by the school.
- Mathematics (school-set, ~45 min): an open-answer style paper.
- English (GL, ~45 min): reading comprehension and vocabulary.
- Verbal reasoning (GL, 50 min): logical thinking and language skills.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Loreto Grammar School
Loreto Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Loreto Grammar School 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Loreto Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Loreto Grammar School is a high-achieving Catholic girls' grammar that consistently ranks among the top-performing state schools in the UK, with strong GCSE and A-Level results, a distinctive faith-based ethos and good progression to leading universities.
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently strong results across a broad curriculum.
- International outlook: part of a worldwide family of over 120 Loreto schools, with sister schools abroad.
- Enrichment: a wide programme including Young Enterprise, Model UN, music and sport.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Loreto Grammar School
Admission to Year 7 is by the school's own Governors' Entrance Examination, which consists of three papers taken at 11+: a mathematics paper set by the school (around 45 minutes, in an open-answer style), an English paper (around 45 minutes) and a verbal reasoning paper (50 minutes), the latter two produced by GL Assessment. Scores are standardised and the school uses a competitive qualifying threshold. As test arrangements can change, always confirm the current format with the school.
As a Catholic school, Loreto does not use a geographic catchment; instead, after girls with an EHCP naming the school, its faith-based oversubscription criteria give priority in turn to baptised Roman Catholic looked-after girls, baptised Roman Catholic girls with a sister at the school, baptised Roman Catholic girls at an associated primary within a nominated Local Pastoral Area, then other baptised Roman Catholic girls, with later categories for other applicants; straight-line distance is the tie-break. The published admission number is around 150. Always confirm the current criteria in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Loreto Grammar School is a selective Roman Catholic girls' grammar for ages 11–18 on Dunham Road in Altrincham, Trafford, Greater Manchester (WA14 4AH), with around 1,050 pupils. Founded in 1909 by the Sisters of Loreto — a religious order inspired by Mary Ward, who championed education for women — it became an academy in 2012 and carries the motto 'Women in time to come will do much'.
The school has extensive international links across a worldwide family of Loreto schools, and offers a rich extracurricular programme spanning Young Enterprise, Model United Nations, a Philosophy Film Club, an Environmental Group, music and sport. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Loreto Grammar School
How do I apply to Loreto Grammar School for Year 7?
Applications to Loreto Grammar School are made through your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) — not directly to the school. Your child must sit the GL Assessment 11+ test (registration closes late June 2026 (varies)), then list Loreto Grammar School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Loreto Grammar School use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Loreto Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in Saturday 13 September 2026 (English + Maths + VR + NVR). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Loreto Grammar School?
Loreto Grammar School sets its own qualifying mark each year. Pupils must score at or above the qualifying mark to be eligible for a place. Final ranking is by total standardised score (highest first) up to the admission number of 156 places.
How many Year 7 places does Loreto Grammar School have?
Loreto Grammar School admits 156 Year 7 pupils each September. Demand for places typically exceeds supply, so the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places fairly.
When are GL Assessment results released in 2026?
For 2027 Year 7 entry, GL Assessment test results are released on Mid-October 2026 — before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
When is National Offers Day for Loreto Grammar School in 2027?
National Offers Day for Year 7 secondary school places in England is Monday 1 March 2027. Offers are issued by your home Local Authority — not directly by the school. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Loreto Grammar School's waiting list.
Is Loreto Grammar School a state school or fee-paying?
Loreto Grammar School is a state-funded grammar school — there are no tuition fees. As a state grammar, it is academically selective via the GL Assessment 11+ test, but pupils who pass the test do not pay to attend.
How can my child prepare for the Loreto Grammar School 11+ test?
ExamTutor offers a complete GL Assessment 11+ preparation programme including tutor-led practice papers, full video explanations for every question (covering all GL topic areas — English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning), and downloadable resources. Most parents start preparation 12-18 months before the September 11+ test.
Where can I find Loreto Grammar School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Loreto Grammar School 2027 entry is published on the school's official website. Always check the school's website for the most up-to-date oversubscription criteria, qualifying mark, supplementary forms (if any), and any school-specific application requirements.