Stretford Grammar School 11+ Tuition

About Stretford Grammar School

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	Outstanding

The Trafford Consortium 11+ Entrance Examination

The Trafford consortium 11+ is produced by GL Assessment and consists of two papers, each approximately one hour in length, sat on Monday 14 September 2026. 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.

What the GL Assessment Tests in Detail

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.

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Why Stretford Grammar Is So Competitive

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.

How Leading Tuition Prepares Children for Stretford Grammar

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.

Key Dates for Stretford Grammar 2026 Entry

• Registration opens: Midday, Thursday 23 April 2026 (traffordgl.applicaa.com)
• Registration closes: Midday, Friday 19 June 2026
• Entrance examination: Monday 14 September 2026 at Stretford Grammar School, Granby Road M32 8JB
• Results issued: Mid-October 2026 (by email)
• CAF deadline: 31 October 2026 (submitted to home local authority)
• National Offer Day: 1 March 2027

For 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.

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