1.

Which Trafford Grammar Schools are part of the Consortium?

The TGSC are using the same entrance exam are Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar.  Consequently your child can only sit the exam at one allocated centre. 

Please note, Loreto Grammar School and St Ambrose Grammar School are NOT part of the Consortium and do not do the same examination

2.

When is the closing date for applications?

The closing date is 12 noon on Friday 20th June 2025; but please apply preferably well before this date.  Please note this is a strict deadline and no further applications can be made after this date. 

If the closing date is missed, the next examination date will be after National Allocation Day, which is 1^st March 2026.

3.

Are Practice Papers available?

Practice papers are available on the GL website and the Consortium School's website

4.

How many questions/sections are there?

There are two papers, each administered in approximately one hour.  The papers contain questions which assess Verbal, Non-Verbal and Mathematical skills.  Please refer to the familiarisation materials available on our websites.  The number of questions and theoretical maximum mark information is not released to the school in advance.

5.

How are the three skills combined?

Information regarding examination scripts is confidential; all applicants have access to the familiarisation material available on our websites, ensuring fair access to all information available.

Examination content is confidential, to protect the integrity of the exam, and is supplied to school with a confidentiality provision – Stretford Grammar School cannot disclose information about the exam.

6.

What if my child needs to go to the toilet during the exam?

They can go to the toilet during the exam but no extra time is given to compensate for this.  Your child will be able to access the toilet during the break.  If a visit is required during the exam, no extra time will be added.

7.

Do the entrance exams take into account my child’s age?

Yes, the results are age standardised.

8.

When will the standardised mark be available?

The exam result will be communicated to parents no later than 31^st October 2024 via the Admissions Portal – an e-mail will be sent advising when they are available.  A breakdown of score by paper or exam result will not be available.

9.

Is it possible for my child to pass the entrance exam for one school, but not the others?

Yes.  Although the entrance exam will be the same for each school, and the exam result will be the same, the standardised score may be different.  This is because the same exam results are being used in the standardisation of a different cohort of children.

10

What if my child requires special arrangements?       

You must inform us at the point of application and no later than 12.00 noon on Friday 20^th June 2025, of any access arrangements your child may require during the entrance exam. Please provide supporting documentation for such requests with your application. Please ensure you provide a letter from the Primary School advising the normal way of working.

A panel, consisting of representatives from all five grammar schools, will meet after the closing date for registrations to agree appropriate access arrangements and parents/carers will be notified of the decision as soon as possible following the meeting.

11

What if my child is ill on the day?

If your child is ill immediately prior to or on the day of the exam, do not bring them.  Please complete the Special Circumstances Form and return for the attention of the Admissions Officer, together with any other supporting documentation, by Thursday 18th September 2025, and we can then advise you of any alternative examination dates.

12

What other information can I provide you with for your consideration at the time of the examination?

Please complete the Special Circumstances Form and return for the attention of the Admissions Officer, together with any supporting documentation, by Thursday 18th September 2025.  Include anything you consider may have/has affected your child should be submitted.

13

Home Address and Change of Home Address

When you apply for the Entrance Exam you must use your child’s permanent home address at the time of application. A child’s permanent address (main residence) is the address where the child permanently lives now, or lives for the majority of the time. This cannot be a temporary address or one that you will be moving into soon. 

You must inform the Consortium Schools of any change in permanent home address straight away. Please email the Admissions Team at each of the schools for which you have requested a result for your child to let them know any change of address.  Please note that where an offer is made by Home Local Authorities on National Offer Day, further evidence of date of birth and permanent residency of the applicant and the parent/carer will be requested by a Consortium school in accordance with their own Admission Policy. Schools may withdraw the offer of a place if changes of address or circumstances have not been notified promptly to the school, or in the event that false, incorrect or misleading information has been provided to school where this has led to a place being offered or has advantaged the applicant in the priority order for oversubscription.

In recent years, several places have been withdrawn after National Offer Day by Consortium Schools due to fraudulent or misleading address information used in the application process.

Please see each school's Admission Policy for full information on home address and changes to home address. 

14

Do I need to make Stretford Grammar School first preference on the CAF?

If your child meets the admission criteria for more than one of your chosen schools, the LA will allocate your child to the school of highest preference.  If your child passes more than one Grammar School entrance exam, please ensure you rank them in your preferred order.  For further advice on completing the Common Application Form (CAF) please contact your home Local Authority or the school.

15

What is a looked-after child?

A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority, in the exercise of their social services functions (as defined in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989). Previously Looked After Children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order.

³Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 defines a ‘special guardianship order’ as an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian (or special guardians).  

Children who have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society.

16

What is Pupil Premium and Service Premium?

A pupil Premium are those pupils who have received funding for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years or who are currently eligible for free school meals.  The Service Premium is designed to support children with parents serving in the regular British Armed Forces.  Pupils attract the premium if they meet the following criteria:

1. One of their parents is serving in the regular armed forces
2. One of their parents served in the regular armed forces in the last 3 years or one of their parents died while serving in the armed forces
3. The pupil is in receipt of a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the War Pension Scheme (WPS).

17

Can I find out what my child scored on each section?

It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the result.  We are provided with one standardised score for your child.

18

My child’s score is a few points off the pass mark, can I have the paper re-marked?

 19

My child has been successful in the entrance exam but not offered a place; can they be placed onto the waiting list?

Yes, please contact School Admissions at Trafford Local Authority after your allocation letter has been received or the Admissions Officer at Stretford Grammar School.  admissions@stretfordgrammar.com. 

Please note your child is not automatically included on the waiting list.

20

What is the qualifying score?

As previously advised in point 9, your child may achieve a different qualifying score for each of the schools even though they have only sat one examination exam. 

The minimum qualifying scores for each of the schools are as follows:

Altrincham Grammar School for Boys            334

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls            334

Sale Grammar School                                             334

Stretford Grammar School                                   334

Urmston Grammar                                                   334

21

What happens after students have qualified and been offered a place?

In March 2026, students will be advised which school they have been allocated by the Local Authority and further details will also be sent from the relevant school.  Acceptances are usually required 14 days after offer day.

22

How do I appeal if I do not get the school I want?

The Governors arrange an independent panel which will consider any statutory appeals.  If we do not offer your child a place, you have the right of appeal.  Details of the appeals' procedure are available on request from the Admissions Officer after National Allocation Day.