160 places, Trafford consortium GL Assessment, 1,297+ applicants per cycle, test Monday 14 September 2026. Personalised one-to-one preparation from Leading Tuition.
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Updated for 2028 entry onwards — August 2026
The Trafford consortium has appointed Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) to replace GL Assessment for entry to Year 7 from September 2028, and for entry from 2029 the test moves earlier, to the summer term of Year 5. The GL paper sat on 14 September 2026, for 2027 entry, is unaffected. This page previously described the GL format as the settled arrangement.
Stretford Grammar School is a selective state co-educational grammar school located at Granby Road, Stretford, M32 8JB, in the borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester. It has approximately 947 pupils on roll and admits 160 students into Year 7 each year, offering places to both boys and girls. This co-educational status distinguishes it from the single-sex grammar schools elsewhere in the Trafford consortium.
The school received a Good judgement from Ofsted in its most recent inspection in March 2024 and has been ranked consistently among the top grammar schools nationally, with recent data placing it in the top 64 grammar schools in the United Kingdom. The curriculum is broad and rigorous across Years 7 to 13, with strong outcomes at GCSE and A-level that reflect the school's highly selective intake.
Stretford Grammar School is a member of the Trafford Grammar School Consortium, which also includes Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School. The consortium operates a shared entrance examination administered by GL Assessment, allowing families who wish to apply to multiple consortium schools to sit the test just once.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School name | Stretford Grammar School |
| Type | State selective grammar — mixed (boys and girls), Year 7–13 |
| Location | Stretford, Trafford, Greater Manchester |
| Entrance test | Trafford Consortium GL Assessment |
| Exam date (2026 entry) | 14 September 2026 |
| Test subjects | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics |
| Test format | Multiple choice — two papers, approximately 60 minutes each |
| Ofsted rating | Good (March 2024) |
The Trafford consortium 11+ sat on Monday 14 September 2026, for entry in September 2027, is produced by GL Assessment and consists of two papers, each approximately one hour in length. It is the last paper GL will produce for the consortium. The two papers together assess verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics through multiple-choice questions. The test is held at the school on the day of the examination.
The consortium sets a standardised qualifying score of 334 or above. This identifies academically selective pupils but does not guarantee a place. Because Stretford Grammar attracted approximately 1,297 applications in a recent cycle for just 160 available places, the qualifying threshold alone is far from sufficient. Places are allocated in ranked order according to oversubscription criteria: looked-after children and EHCP pupils are prioritised, followed by qualifying applicants in postcode order of proximity.
Registration for the test opens at midday on Thursday 23 April 2026 and closes at midday on Friday 19 June 2026 via the consortium portal at traffordgl.applicaa.com. Families must also list Stretford Grammar on their Common Application Form (CAF) submitted to their home local authority by 31 October 2026. Results are emailed to families in mid-October, ahead of the CAF deadline.
Verbal Reasoning covers a wide range of question types designed to test logical thinking through language. These include word analogies, finding synonyms and antonyms, completing letter or word sequences, identifying odd words out from a group, solving number-code problems expressed through letters, and comprehension-style inference questions. A strong vocabulary and the ability to apply logical rules under time pressure are essential. Verbal reasoning is often the area where children with strong mathematical instincts have the most ground to gain, making early and consistent practice particularly important.
Non-Verbal Reasoning presents visual and spatial problems without language. Question types include completing figure series and sequences, identifying the odd shape out, finding the missing figure in a pattern grid, rotating shapes or identifying reflections, and recognising figure analogies. This section rewards systematic thinking and the ability to recognise patterns quickly. Targeted practice with each question type can deliver significant score gains even for children who initially find this area challenging.
Mathematics in the GL Assessment goes significantly beyond the standard Year 5 and early Year 6 primary curriculum. Questions involve multi-step word problems covering fractions, percentages, ratio and proportion, functional algebra, data interpretation from charts and tables, and geometry including area, perimeter, angles and coordinates. Some topics may not yet have been fully covered in school at the point of preparation, making it important to extend maths preparation beyond what is being taught in class.
The three question types described above belong to the GL paper, and that paper now has an end date. Following a tender under the Procurement Act 2023, the Trafford consortium has appointed Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) as its admissions test provider for entry to Year 7 from September 2028. FSCE is a not-for-profit subsidiary of Reading School, and its papers are already used by twelve grammar schools and consortia nationally.
For a family targeting Stretford Grammar the only question that matters is which paper their own child will sit, and that is decided by year group. A child in Year 6 during 2026-27 sits the GL paper on 14 September 2026, for entry in September 2027. A child in Year 5 sits the first FSCE paper in September 2027, for entry in 2028. A child in Year 4 sits an FSCE paper in the summer term of Year 5, during 2028, because the consortium is moving the test date earlier for entry from 2029 onwards.
The subject content moves with the provider. From the September 2027 paper the test draws on the Key Stage 2 English and mathematics national curriculum up to the end of Year 5, in place of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics. Non-verbal reasoning is not named in the new specification at all, which matters here because it is the section where children most often make up ground quickly. At a school drawing roughly 1,297 applications for 160 places, nothing about that change makes entry easier: it changes what separates the children at the top of the ranking, moving the advantage from reasoning technique towards secure curriculum English and mathematics.
Source: Trafford Grammar School Consortium statement, published by Sale Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School, retrieved 25 August 2026.
Stretford Grammar occupies a distinctive position in Greater Manchester's selective landscape. As the only co-educational grammar school within the Trafford consortium, it attracts families who want grammar school education for both sons and daughters, as well as those who prefer a mixed environment for secondary school. Its location close to several large residential areas, including Stretford, Old Trafford, Sale, Chorlton, Didsbury and Urmston, means its effective catchment is very wide.
The combination of a strong national ranking, a Good Ofsted judgment and a co-educational offer creates high demand from both in-catchment families and applicants from across Greater Manchester. With approximately 1,297 applications in a recent cycle for 160 places, children scoring just above 334 face intense competition from those who have prepared more intensively and achieved higher standardised scores.
Families who are serious about Stretford Grammar should aim for scores significantly above the qualifying threshold. Understanding where your child currently sits in the distribution of scores, and building a preparation plan that moves them upward systematically, is the most effective approach. A tutor experienced in GL Assessment preparation and Trafford consortium admissions can provide this calibration from the outset.
Leading Tuition works with families across Stretford, Sale, Old Trafford, Chorlton, Didsbury, Urmston and the wider Greater Manchester area to prepare children for the Trafford consortium GL Assessment. Our preparation is personalised from the start and built specifically around the test format used by Stretford Grammar School.
We begin every engagement with a diagnostic mock assessment covering all three test areas. This establishes an accurate baseline across verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics, identifies the question types most in need of attention, and allows us to set a realistic score target based on your child's learning trajectory. The diagnostic informs a structured weekly programme that allocates time in proportion to the gains available.
Verbal reasoning sessions develop vocabulary, build pattern-recognition skills for each specific question type, and incorporate timed practice from the start. Non-verbal reasoning work introduces each visual pattern category methodically, building from identification to speed and accuracy. Mathematics sessions extend curriculum knowledge and develop exam-specific technique for multi-step and word problems.
As September approaches, we move to full-paper timed practice under realistic exam conditions. Children who have completed multiple full timed papers before the test date arrive at Stretford Grammar on 14 September 2026 with the confidence and stamina to perform at their best. Tutors provide written feedback after each mock, and parents receive regular progress summaries throughout.
Preparing for Stretford Grammar School 11+ Entry?
Our specialist tutors provide one-to-one preparation tailored to the Trafford consortium GL Assessment — covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics — from an initial diagnostic assessment through to timed full-paper practice before 14 September 2026.
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Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppFor September 2026 entry, we recommend beginning tuition no later than January 2026. Families able to start in Year 4 or early Year 5 have the greatest opportunity to build the depth and fluency needed to score well above 334. Contact us to discuss the right starting point for your child based on their current level and school year.
Stretford Grammar School sits within the Trafford Grammar School Consortium alongside four other selective state schools. Because all five schools use the same GL Assessment two-paper examination on the same date, families can register for multiple consortium schools and their child's test result will be considered by each school they have registered with. Registration with each school must be completed separately before the 19 June 2026 deadline.
Understanding how Stretford Grammar compares to its consortium partners helps families prioritise their Common Application Form (CAF) preferences. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and Altrincham Grammar School for Girls are single-sex schools consistently ranked among the highest-achieving grammars nationally, with strong sixth-form outcomes and high rates of progression to Russell Group universities. Their priority postcodes — WA13, WA14, WA15, M33 and M23 — overlap with some of Stretford Grammar's catchment but differ in detail, so families should check their specific postcode against each school's admissions policy.
Sale Grammar School is also co-educational and is located in Sale, drawing from a broadly overlapping catchment with Stretford Grammar. Families in Chorlton, Didsbury, Old Trafford and southern Stretford often consider both co-educational schools as companion applications, since a strong score at one will typically be competitive at the other. Urmston Grammar is co-educational and serves the north of the consortium catchment in the M41 area.
When planning which schools to list on the CAF, families should think strategically about postcode priority at each school, not just overall score. The admissions criteria are applied independently by each consortium school, so a child who narrows to the borderline at one school may have a stronger position at another where local applicants are fewer. Our 11+ Tuition specialists can advise on consortium application strategy as part of an initial consultation, helping families make well-informed decisions across all five schools.
Reviewed August 2026: the test provider, subject content and test date for each entry year were checked against the Trafford Grammar School Consortium statement published by Sale Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School on 25 August 2026, and consortium membership was confirmed against Trafford Council. Arrangements move between cycles, so confirm them with the school before you rely on them.
Year 4 or early Year 5, but what to prepare now depends on the year group. Stretford Grammar attracts over 1,200 applications for 160 places, so building fluency well above the qualifying threshold takes time. A child in Year 6 now sits the GL paper in September 2026 and should be at the timed-mock stage. A child in Year 5 sits an FSCE paper in September 2027, and a child in Year 4 sits one in the summer term of Year 5, so for both the work should shift towards Key Stage 2 English and mathematics.
The Trafford consortium qualifying score is 334 or above. Given the school's oversubscription, families outside the priority postcode area should aim considerably higher than 334. Places are ranked by oversubscription criteria with postcode proximity determining priority among qualifying applicants.
For entry in September 2027, two GL Assessment papers of about an hour each, covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics, sat on Monday 14 September 2026. Registration at traffordgl.applicaa.com ran from midday 23 April to midday 19 June 2026. That is the last GL paper: from entry in September 2028 the consortium's provider is Future Stories Community Enterprise, and the test draws on Key Stage 2 English and mathematics to the end of Year 5 instead.
Approximately 1,297 applications were received in a recent cycle for 160 places — over 8:1. It is a co-educational grammar drawing from a wide catchment across Greater Manchester, ranked in the top 64 grammar schools nationally, Ofsted Good March 2024.
Yes. We offer personalised one-to-one preparation aligned to the Trafford consortium GL Assessment. Diagnostic assessment first, then a structured programme across all three test areas, progressing to timed full-paper practice before the September test date.
Registration: midday 23 April to midday 19 June 2026. Examination: Monday 14 September 2026. Results: mid-October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027.
Leading Tuition provides specialist one-to-one tuition tailored specifically to the Trafford consortium GL Assessment used by Stretford Grammar School. Our tutors work through verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics with each student individually, building from foundational skills to timed full-paper practice. We are rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 58 reviews and have achieved a 95%+ offer rate at selective schools. Book a free consultation to discuss a personalised preparation plan for your child.
Stretford Grammar has approximately 947 pupils on roll and admits 160 into Year 7 each year. It is co-educational, located at Granby Road, Stretford M32 8JB, and ranked in the top 64 grammar schools nationally. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024 rated the school as Good.
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