Altrincham Grammar School for Girls 11+ guide

Thinking about applying to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls? Find out everything you need to know about admissions and how to prepare your child for success in the 11 plus.

Key information about Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

• Address: Cavendish Road, Altrincham, England WA14 2NJ, United Kingdom
• Number of pupils: 1,200+
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 204
• 11+ exam: Trafford 11 plus
• Catchment area: Yes

Dates for your diary

• Thursday 24th April 2025: Trafford 11 plus registration opens at midday
• Thursday 19th June 2025: Altrincham Grammar School for Girls open evening
• Friday 20th June 2025: Trafford 11 plus registration closes at midday
• Thursday 4th September 2025: final exam details are sent to registered families by this date
• Monday 15th September 2025: Trafford 11 plus exam
• Mid-October 2025: parents receive Trafford 11 plus results
• Friday 31st October 2025: national deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 2nd March 2026: secondary school national offers day

Dates can vary, so always check with your target schools!

About Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (AGGS) is one of the top-performing grammar schools in the country, offering an academically rich and empowering education for girls aged 11–18. Located in Trafford, Greater Manchester, AGGS is part of the Bright Futures Educational Trust and is celebrated for its inclusive ethos and commitment to excellence.

Entry into Year 7 is via the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium 11 plus exam. The school is consistently oversubscribed, reflecting its strong reputation and outstanding academic outcomes. Priority is given to applicants living within the catchment area, although places may be available for out-of-area candidates.

AGGS offers a dynamic learning environment where students are encouraged to think critically, explore ideas, and develop confidence in their abilities. The school places a strong emphasis on equality, leadership, and personal growth, creating a culture where every student is supported to thrive.

Beyond the classroom, AGGS provides a wide range of enrichment opportunities, from debating and STEM clubs to performing arts and international trips.

With a strong track record of GCSE and A level success, AGGS prepares students not just for university, but for life – equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and self-belief to make a difference in the world.

How to apply to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is a selective school. This means that your child will need to take the 11 plus exam to be eligible for a place.

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is a member of the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium, along with four other grammar schools in the Trafford area. All five grammar schools use the same 11 plus exam. This means that your child will only have to take the exam once, regardless of how many schools in the Consortium you are applying to.

Registration for the Trafford 11 plus opens on Thursday 24th April 2025 and closes on Friday 20th June 2025. The exam will take place on Monday 15th September 2025 and you’ll receive your child’s results in mid-October. You can then use these results to decide whether to apply for a place at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls.

To apply, you’ll need to name the school as one of your preferred schools on the secondary school common application form. This will be available on your home council website from early September and must be submitted by 31st October.

Remember – passing the 11 plus doesn’t guarantee that your child will be allocated a place at your preferred school. Many grammar schools are often oversubscribed with qualified children. Schools and their admissions authorities work through admissions criteria to prioritise children for places. We’ve included the admissions criteria for Altrincham Grammar School for Girls below.

What subjects are on the entrance exam?

Children applying to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls take the Trafford 11 plus. This consists of two one-hour papers. Your child will take both papers on Monday 15th September, with a short break in-between.

The papers are entirely multiple-choice and consist of questions in:

• Maths: based on the Key Stage 2 national curriculum
• Verbal reasoning: solving problems with written information. This also includes some reading comprehension
• Non-verbal reasoning: solving problem with visual information, such as shapes, diagrams and pictures

Guide to the Trafford Grammar Schools 11 plus

Find out everything you need to know in our complete guide to the Trafford 11 plus. Plus, get access to free 11 plus resources to help your child feel confident for their exam!

How does place allocation work at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls?

After the 11 plus, your child’s marks are added together to create a raw score. This is then converted into an age-standardised score to take into account your child’s age in years and months at the time of taking the test. The qualifying mark for grammar schools in the Trafford Consortium is usually at least 324 – and sometimes 334.

If the number of children who have met the qualifying standard for entry to the school exceeds the number of places available, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls applies oversubscription criteria. Children are prioritised for places in the following order:

1. Children who have a statement of SEN or an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that names Altrincham Grammar School for Girls.
2. Children who are Looked After or were previously Looked After, regardless of where they live.
3. Children living in the catchment area who get free school meals.
4. Children in the catchment area who have a sister at the school.
5. Children living in the catchment area. Priority is given to children living closer to the school.

The catchment area is an 8-mile radius from the main entrance of Altrincham Grammar School for Girls. Distances are measured in a straight line.

How can I help my child prepare for the Trafford 11 plus?

The 11 plus exam is designed to be challenging. Here are our top tips to help your child prepare for the Trafford 11 plus in September 2025.

Bitesize learning

It’s important to build a good knowledge base before the 11 plus. Using a ‘little and often’ approach when learning is key – our brains encode new information more effectively when dealing with smaller ‘chunks’ of information. For children aged 10–11, child psychologists recommend regular study sessions of 20–30 minutes.

Atom Home makes learning a more enjoyable process for your child. They'll explore exciting worlds full of interactive questions, earning coins to spend in the Atom shop. Atom adapts to your child, showing them questions at just the right level of difficulty to keep them motivated.

Read widely

11 plus exams test your child’s ability to analyse and interpret written information. Regular reading is a great way to help your child build these skills.

Encourage them to read books from different genres and by a diverse range of authors. Increasing the variety of your child’s reading will help them understand different styles, tones and purposes. Meanwhile, reading a little every day will help widen their vocabulary, sharpen their analytical thinking, and enhance their imagination.

Refine exam technique

When your child feels confident with the topics they’ve learnt in Year 5, they’ll be ready to put their knowledge to the test.

Practice tests can help your child develop problem-solving skills and build confidence working under test conditions. They’re also a great way to consolidate learning and highlight knowledge gaps for further improvement.

With Atom Home, you'll unlock online mock tests and printable practice papers. Enjoy automatic marking and progress tracking with the online tests, and help your child get familiar with the real exam experience with printable practice papers.

Celebrate progress

Setting regular, achievable goals and celebrating your child’s progress – no matter how big or small – will help keep their motivation high.

Make sure to encourage a growth mindset. This means celebrating effort, as well as achievement! When your child makes mistakes or struggles to understand a particular topic, help them understand that they’ll improve through practice. Regular praise will help your child improve their resilience when tackling new and challenging topics.