Grammar schools in Rochdale
There are no grammar schools in Rochdale.
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 — Rochdale is one of the majority that does not, so local state secondaries admit without a selective test.
The nearest is Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, about 7.2 miles away in Lancashire.
Could a child from Rochdale 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 Rochdale 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 | Rochdale postcodes within that distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stretford Grammar School | Mixed | 4.4 miles | — | none |
| Urmston Grammar Academy | Mixed | 6.0 miles | 2025: 5.3 mi; 2024: 4.6 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 Rochdale 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 Rochdale
Straight-line distance from the centre of Rochdale — not a travel time.
| School | Area | Distance | Intake | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School | Rossendale | 7.2 miles | Mixed | Inadequate |
| Stretford Grammar School | Manchester | 12.0 miles | Mixed | Good |
| Urmston Grammar Academy | Manchester | 12.9 miles | Mixed | Good |
| Sale Grammar School | Sale | 13.8 miles | Mixed | Outstanding |
| The Crossley Heath School | Halifax | 14.3 miles | Mixed | Good |
| The North Halifax Grammar School | Halifax | 16.0 miles | Mixed | Good |
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.
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)
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)
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)
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)
The Crossley Heath School — 2026 entry
- Looked After, Previously Looked After, or Special Guardianship children (published source)
- Pupil Premium and Service Premium children (published source)
- Remaining places by combined order of merit (English + Maths), until PAN (180) is reached (published source)
The North Halifax Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked After, Previously Looked After, or Special Guardianship children (published source)
- Pupil Premium and Service Premium children (published source)
- Up to 10% of places (of PAN 180): children in NHGS's own Priority Admissions Area (published source)
Schools in Rochdale
Rochdale has 98 open schools. Browse all Rochdale schools with Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and admission criteria, or see them on the map.
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