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Are you considering a grammar school in Manchester for your child's secondary education?
There are seven grammar schools in Greater Manchester to choose from. Most are in the borough of Trafford, and one school ranks within the top 10 state secondary schools in the UK.
Keep reading to learn about the best grammar schools in Manchester in 2025 and how to help your child prepare for the 11+.
What are grammar schools?
A grammar school is a secondary school in the UK that selects pupils based on their academic ability. Children applying for a place at a grammar school take an entrance exam in Year 6 known as the 11 plus (11+). The pupils with the highest scores are then eligible for a place in Year 7.
You do not need to pay school fees if your child attends a grammar school. Grammar schools are funded by the state (government). They are the only state-funded secondary schools in England that can select pupils based on academic ability.
Most of the grammar schools in Greater Manchester use the same 11+ exam. This is set by the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium.
How many grammar schools are there in Greater Manchester?
There are seven grammar schools in Greater Manchester. The majority are in Trafford:
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The 5 best grammar schools in Manchester in 2025
1. Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
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Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (AGGS) is a girls' grammar school founded in 1902. It prides itself on outstanding exam results and students' sports and cultural successes.
Pastoral care is integral to education at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls. The school has a strong national reputation as one of the first National Teaching Schools. The Times named it 'State Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest for Academic Excellence 2025'.
Town: Altrincham
Local council: Trafford Council
Gender: girls
Number of pupils: 1,350+
GCSE results (2024): 89% A*/A/9/8/7
A level results (2024): 90.4% A*–B
National rank: 8
11+ exam: Trafford 11 plus
2. Loreto Grammar School
© manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Loreto Grammar School is an academically selective Catholic school for girls. It prides itself on its values of justice, sincerity, truth, freedom, joy, excellence, and internationality. It's part of a worldwide network of over 120 Loreto schools and has strong links with schools in India, Australia, Germany and Spain.
Loreto Grammar School is rooted in tradition but maintains a forward-thinking vision. Both Ofsted and the Diocese of Shrewsbury judge the school 'outstanding' in all categories. Both A levels and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma are available in the sixth form.
Town: Altrincham
Local council: Trafford Council
Gender: girls
Number of pupils: 1,000+
GCSE results (2024): 87.4% A*/A/9/8/7
A level results (2024): 76.5% A*–B
National rank: 23
11 plus exam: English, maths and verbal reasoning
3. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
© wikipedia.org
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys was founded in 1912. There is a strong focus on diversity, equality and inclusion, and student leadership. Students have a track record of success in sports, the arts, engineering, science and debating. In 2013, physicist Brian Cox opened a new physics centre. There is a vibrant house system and over 100 clubs and societies on offer.
Town: Altrincham
Local council: Trafford Council
Gender: boys
Number of pupils: 1,300+
GCSE results (2024): 84.8% A*/A/9/8/7
A level results (2024): 81.5% A*–B
National rank: 24
11+ exam: Trafford 11 plus
4. Sale Grammar School
© salegrammar.co.uk
Sale Grammar School is a mixed grammar school founded in 1991. Ofsted rate the school 'outstanding' and praise students' academic achievement and behaviour. The school has a strong reputation for pastoral care, with students describing the school as a big family.
Students have a diverse extracurricular programme. Many students enter school and national competitions and have reached national sports finals. Sale Grammar School was recently invited to share its excellent approach to wellbeing at a national conference.
Town: Sale
Local council: Trafford Council
Gender: boys and girls
Number of pupils: 1,300+
GCSE results (2024): 79.5% A*/A/9/8/7
A level results (2024): 73% A*–B
National rank: 47
11+ exam: Trafford 11 plus
5. St Ambrose College
(c) st-ambrosecollege.org.uk/
Saint Ambrose College is a Catholic boys’ grammar school in Altrincham. It was founded in 1946 and has specialist status in maths and computing.
Sport excels at Saint Ambrose College. The main team sports are rugby, cricket and athletics, but there are a variety of other sports clubs and activities on offer. Boys have access to state-of-the-art sports facilities, including a new sports hall, a full 4G pitch and a swimming pool.
Town: Altrincham
Local council: Trafford Council
Gender: boys
Number of pupils: 1,000+
GCSE results (2024): 72% A*/A/9/8/7
A level results (2024): 68.1% A*–B
National rank: 83
11+ exam: GL Assessment verbal reasoning and school's own English and maths papers
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