Grammar schools in Bolton
There are no grammar schools in Bolton.
Grammar schools are state secondaries that select by ability, usually through an 11+ test. Only 46 of the 226 local authorities in the UK still have any — Bolton is one of the majority that does not, so local state secondaries admit without a selective test.
The nearest is Urmston Grammar Academy, about 9.2 miles away in Trafford.
Could a child from Bolton get a place?
Passing the test is not enough. These schools give places first to children in their priority groups, such as looked-after children, siblings and children in the school's own catchment area. Any places left go to other children who passed, nearest home first. A child from Bolton without one of those priorities competes for those last places, so what matters is how far they reached.
Trafford works differently: Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar Academy each give about 20 places to their highest scorers wherever they live, and Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and Sale Grammar School rank children from outside their own areas by score, not distance. A very high score can win a Trafford place from beyond these distances.
| School | Intake | Last place by distance, 2026 | Earlier years | Bolton postcodes within that distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urmston Grammar Academy | Mixed | 6.0 miles | 2025: 5.3 mi; 2024: 4.6 mi | about 1% |
| Stretford Grammar School | Mixed | 4.4 miles | — | none |
| Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Girls | 6.1 miles | 2025: 5.5 mi; 2024: 5.8 mi | none |
The furthest straight-line distance from home at which each school offered a place by distance on National Offer Day, from the council's allocation figures. The distance changes every year, and later rounds can stretch it slightly. The postcode share uses ONS postcode centres, so it counts postcodes, not households.
Key dates
- 31 October 2026: deadline to apply for a secondary place, through Bolton Council even for schools in another council
Each council's test has its own registration window, months before the test itself. Children who don't attend a school in that council usually have to be registered by their parents.
Nearest grammar schools to Bolton
Straight-line distance from the centre of Bolton — not a travel time.
| School | Area | Distance | Intake | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urmston Grammar Academy | Manchester | 9.2 miles | Mixed | Good |
| Stretford Grammar School | Manchester | 10.8 miles | Mixed | Good |
| Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School | Rossendale | 11.4 miles | Mixed | Inadequate |
| Sale Grammar School | Sale | 12.0 miles | Mixed | Outstanding |
| Loreto Grammar School | Altrincham | 13.3 miles | Girls | Outstanding |
| Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Altrincham | 13.8 miles | Girls | Outstanding |
Published admissions priorities
These are extracts from school-specific arrangements for the entry years shown, in priority order. They are not the full policy or a prediction of an offer. Check the linked arrangement for test eligibility, deadlines and all remaining priorities.
Urmston Grammar Academy — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children (published source)
- About 15 places for the highest-scoring Pupil Premium children (minimum 324), wherever they live (published source)
- About 20 places for the top scorers, wherever they live (published source)
Stretford Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children, including those adopted from state care outside England (published source)
- Children in the catchment area receiving the Pupil or Service Premium (published source)
- Children with a sibling at the school in Years 7–11 (published source)
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked After/Previously Looked After Children (published source)
- Children attending Area 1 primary schools, ranked by entrance exam mark (siblings at BRGS get priority within this tier) (published source)
- Children attending Area 2 primary schools, ranked by entrance exam mark (siblings at BRGS get priority within this tier) (published source)
Sale Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children (published source)
- Up to 15 Pupil Premium children: first those in the priority area (nearest first), then those at a Trafford state primary living elsewhere in Trafford (in score order) (published source)
- Children living in the priority area (M33, plus Trafford addresses in M23, WA14 and WA15) — nearest first (published source)
Loreto Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Baptised Roman Catholic looked after and previously looked after girls (published source)
- Baptised Roman Catholic girls with a sister at the school (published source)
- Baptised Roman Catholic girls at an associated primary school living in a nominated Local Pastoral Area (published source)
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children, wherever they live (published source)
- Girls in the catchment area (8-mile radius) receiving the Pupil Premium (published source)
- Girls in the catchment area with a sister at the school (published source)
Schools in Bolton
Bolton has 140 open schools. Browse all Bolton schools with Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and admission criteria, or see them on the map.
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