Stretford Grammar School, Manchester

In its own words: "At the heart of the school's vision and values is the belief that we should give our best efforts first time: ' Aspirat primo fortuna labori '. This is embedded in our core values of Aspiration , Endeavour, Respect, Courage and Resilience."

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my great privilege to welcome you to Stretford Grammar School. We are an inspirational, co-educational community where our motto, Aspirat primo fortuna labori (Fortune favours our first efforts), serves as the foundation for everything we do. At the heart of Stretford Grammar is a profound sense of community."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, drama, choir, Lego, robotics, gardening, art and knitting.

Coming up: an open day on Friday 16 April 2027 at 9am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Stretford Grammar School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 75.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 58.2 in Trafford and 47 across England.

99% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 66% in Trafford and 47% in England.

That is up from 74.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.8: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 74.6, against 75.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 1.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Physics and Biology.

Stretford Grammar School is a grammar school: places go to children who reach the required standard in its entrance test, and only then are the oversubscription criteria applied.

For September 2026 entry, 263 families put Stretford Grammar School as their first choice and 1236 named it as one of their preferences, for 170 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 144 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

Stretford Grammar School admits pupils through an entrance test, usually called the 11-plus. Children have to be registered for it in advance, normally in the spring or summer of Year 5; the test itself is usually sat in September of Year 6, and results come out in October, before the 31 October deadline for naming secondary schools.

Passing the test makes a child eligible rather than guaranteeing a place: when more children pass than there are places, Stretford Grammar School ranks them by the criteria in its admissions policy, which can include test score and distance. Check Trafford's admissions pages and the school's own policy for this year's registration deadline - a child who is not registered in time cannot sit the test.

Trafford has 7 state grammar schools in all, so a child who passes may have several selective schools to choose between.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Stretford Grammar School are Stretford High School (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 46.5); Chorlton High School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.5); Lostock High School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 37.4); and Loreto High School Chorlton (1.6 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 42.3).

Stretford Grammar School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Of the 158 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 99% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 4% to a further education college and 1% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 72 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 67% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 10% into work. 35% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

28.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (36%), Asian (28%) and Black (11%).

In 2026, 59 pupils (6.2%) received SEN support and 17 (1.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Stretford (Manchester Metrolink), about 390 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Norwood Road (near), 140 metres away.

In 2024/25, Stretford Grammar School issued 10 suspensions, 1.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Stretford Grammar School are Victoria Park Junior School (0.5 miles), St Ann's RC Primary School (0.6 miles), Victoria Park Infant School (0.6 miles) and Chorlton CofE Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.