Best Grammar Schools in Manchester in 2026

There are seven state-funded grammar schools in Greater Manchester, and all of them are in the borough of Trafford: Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School, Urmston Grammar, Loreto Grammar School and St Ambrose College. Five of them form the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium and share one GL Assessment entrance test, so a child sits it once for all five. Loreto and St Ambrose are not in the Consortium and run their own separate tests. Based on 2025 results, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is the highest ranked, sitting inside the national top ten state secondary schools. There are no fees at any of them. 

Greater Manchester has seven state grammar schools, every single one of them in Trafford, and one of them sits in the national top ten. Here is a complete guide to the best grammar schools in Manchester, the entrance exams they use, and the key dates families need. 

How many grammar schools in Manchester are there?

There are seven state-funded grammar schools in Greater Manchester, and here is the detail that surprises most families: every one of them is in the borough of Trafford. The city of Manchester itself does not have a single state grammar school.

That means families across Manchester, Salford, Stockport and beyond all apply to the same small group of Trafford schools, which is a big part of why they are so heavily oversubscribed.

• 7: State grammar schools in Greater Manchester

• 5: In the Trafford Consortium, sharing one test

• 2: Setting their own separate entrance tests

The Manchester Grammar School in Fallowfield is one of the best known schools in the country, but it is independent and fee paying, not a state grammar school. It has its own admissions process and does not use the Trafford 11+. The same applies to Bury Grammar School and Stockport Grammar School. If a school has the word grammar in its name, always check whether it is state-funded and selective through the 11+, or private with fees.

Top grammar schools in Manchester

Here is a list of top grammar schools in Manchester.

1. Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

Altrincham · Girls · Founded 1910 · 1,300+ pupils

Widely regarded as the strongest grammar school in the region, AGGS combines outstanding exam results with real strength in sport and the arts. It was one of the first National Teaching Schools, and pastoral care sits at the centre of how the school runs. It ranks inside the national top ten state secondary schools.

Entrance exam: Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium test, provided by GL Assessment

2. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys

Altrincham · Boys · Founded 1912 · 1,400+ pupils

AGSB has a strong record across sport, the arts, engineering, science and debating, and a genuine focus on student leadership. There is a lively house system and well over a hundred clubs and societies, so boys who want to try something beyond the classroom are spoilt for choice.

Entrance exam: Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium test, provided by GL Assessment

3. Sale Grammar School

Sale · Mixed · Founded 1991 · 1,400+ pupils

Rated outstanding by Ofsted, Sale Grammar is known for both academic achievement and the way students behave and look after one another. Pupils often describe it as feeling like a big family. The extracurricular programme is broad, and students regularly reach national sports finals.

Entrance exam: Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium test, provided by GL Assessment

4. Urmston Grammar School

Urmston · Mixed · Trafford

A well regarded co-educational grammar school with consistently strong results and particular strength in science and maths. It draws families from across the west of Greater Manchester and offers a broad curriculum alongside a busy enrichment programme.

Entrance exam: Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium test, provided by GL Assessment

5. Stretford Grammar School

Stretford · Mixed · Trafford

The smallest of the Trafford grammar schools, Stretford Grammar is co-educational and known for its diverse student body and close, community feel. Smaller year groups mean pupils are well known by staff, which suits children who might feel lost in a very large school.

Entrance exam: Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium test, provided by GL Assessment

6. Loreto Grammar School

Altrincham · Girls · Catholic · 1,000+ pupils

A selective Catholic girls' school and part of a worldwide network of more than 120 Loreto schools, with links to schools in India, Australia, Germany and Spain. Ofsted and the Diocese of Shrewsbury judge it outstanding in all categories. Rooted in tradition, but with a forward looking outlook.

Entrance exam: Its own separate test, not the Trafford Consortium paper

7. St Ambrose College

Altrincham · Boys · Catholic · Founded 1946 · 1,000+ pupils

A Catholic boys' grammar school with specialist status in maths and computing. Sport is a real strength, especially rugby, cricket and athletics, supported by excellent facilities including a sports hall, a full size 4G pitch and a swimming pool.

Entrance exam: Its own separate test, not the Trafford Consortium paper

What is on the Manchester 11+ exam

Most families in Manchester are preparing for the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium test, which is set by GL Assessment and shared by five of the seven schools.

1. Two papers, about an hour each

Your child sits two papers on the same day, with a short break in between. Each one starts with instructions and a few practice questions, so nobody goes in cold.

2. Multiple choice, with separate answer sheets

Questions are in a booklet and answers go on a separate sheet. Practising this specific setup matters, because transferring answers correctly under time pressure is a skill in itself.

3. Maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning

Maths questions cover number, measurement, geometry and statistics, drawn from content taught up to the start of Year 6, including problem solving.

4. One test for five schools

Select the right option when registering and a single sitting can be considered by all five Consortium schools. Loreto and St Ambrose need separate registration and separate tests.

Key dates for Manchester grammar school entry

The Trafford timeline moves quickly, and the registration window is strict. Miss it and a later test is not normally arranged until after National Offers Day.

How the Trafford 11+ is scored

After the test, answer sheets are marked and raw scores are converted into an age-standardised score.

Scores are age standardised. A child born in August is not compared directly with a classmate born the previous September. The standardisation adjusts for age in months, so younger children in the year group are not disadvantaged. It is this standardised score, not the raw mark, that schools use to rank candidates. 

There is no single fixed pass mark. Each school sets its own qualifying standard and ranks all the children who reach it. Because Trafford's grammar schools are so heavily oversubscribed, meeting the standard does not by itself guarantee a place. Other admissions criteria, such as distance from the school, siblings already attending, and faith criteria at Loreto and St Ambrose, then decide who is offered one. 

How to apply to a grammar school in Manchester

Before anything else, it is worth speaking to your child's current teacher. Grammar schools select children working toward the top of their year group, and a teacher can give you an honest view on whether your child is likely to keep pace once they are there.

1. Register for the 11+ during the spring window

Registration for the Consortium test is done through any of the five participating schools' websites. Register separately for Loreto or St Ambrose if you are applying there too.

2. Sit the test in September of Year 6

One sitting covers all five Consortium schools, provided you selected that option at registration.

3. Wait for results in mid October

Results are emailed to parents. This tells you whether your child has met each school's qualifying standard.

4. Complete the common application form by 31st October

List your preferred schools in order on your home local authority's form. Check each school's admissions policy first to make sure your child meets its criteria.

5. Wait for National Offers Day on 1st March

You will be told which school place has been allocated. If it is not one you wanted, an alternative local place is provided, along with information on how to appeal.

How to prepare for the top grammar schools in Manchester

With one shared test, two separate school tests and a registration window that closes in June, preparation genuinely rewards starting early and staying organised.

1. Start in Year 4 or early Year 5

The test is sat in September of Year 6, which means Year 5 is effectively the final full year of preparation and the summer holiday is the last concentrated block of time. Starting in Year 4 turns a sprint into a steady walk.

2. Confirm which test your child is sitting

The five Consortium schools share one GL Assessment paper. Loreto and St Ambrose set their own. If you are applying across both groups, your child needs to be ready for more than one format.

3. Build vocabulary and mental arithmetic daily

Verbal reasoning leans heavily on words a child has actually met, and maths questions reward speed as much as accuracy. Twenty minutes of reading and a few minutes of times tables a day beats any weekend cramming session.

4. Practise under real timed conditions

Two papers in one morning is tiring for a ten year old. Working through 11+ past papers and sitting 11 plus mocks builds the pace and stamina needed before it counts.

Our 11+ free practice papers are a good starting point for families beginning preparation, and our 11 plus intensive summer course offers a concentrated push in the holiday right before the September test.

5. Get support that knows GL Assessment inside out

The Consortium test is a GL Assessment paper, and GL question types are highly learnable once a child has seen them all. A tutor who knows the format can prepare a child accurately rather than offering generic 11+ practice.

We prepare children for GL, CEM and ISEB formats, so whichever Manchester school your child is targeting, the teaching fits the paper they will actually sit. Our 11 plus tutors in Birmingham teach at our Edgbaston centre and live online, so families anywhere in the country can join us.

Final thoughts

The best grammar schools in Manchester are all in one borough, all free, and all heavily oversubscribed. Five share a single GL Assessment test, and two set their own. That makes the choice simpler than in some parts of the country, but the competition sharper. 

At Pass 11 Plus Grammar, our tutors have been preparing children for selective school entry for 30 years. If you would like an honest view of where your child stands and what the next twelve months should look like, book a free assessment and we will guide you.