Altrincham Grammar School for Girls vs Sale Grammar School
Both are grammar schools in Trafford, 3.2 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Sale Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Girls | Mixed |
| Pupils on roll | 1,381 | 1,352 |
| Free school meals | 7.4% | 2.9% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 77.8 | 75.5 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | pass/fail + catchment (passing the test is a gate; living in the catchment area determines priority over score) | pass/fail + catchment (passing the test is a gate; living in the catchment area determines priority over score) |
| Places offered — 202627 | 209 | 197 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.34 | 1.35 |
Qualifying scores
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
334 (2026 entry)
Trafford Consortium qualifying score: 334 or above (standardised, across the two consortium papers). Reaching 334 is eligibility, not an offer — each school's oversubscription criteria then apply.
Sale Grammar School
334 (2026 entry)
Trafford Consortium qualifying score: 334 or above (standardised, across the two consortium papers). Reaching 334 is eligibility, not an offer — each school's oversubscription criteria then apply.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
- Looked after and previously looked after children, wherever they live
- Girls in the catchment area (8-mile radius) receiving the Pupil Premium
- Girls in the catchment area with a sister at the school
- Other girls in the catchment area — nearest first
- Girls outside the catchment area receiving the Pupil Premium — nearest first
- Girls outside the catchment area with a sister at the school — nearest first
Source: school admissions policy.
Sale Grammar School
- Looked after and previously looked after children
- 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)
- Children living in the priority area (M33, plus Trafford addresses in M23, WA14 and WA15) — nearest first
- Children from outside the priority area — in score order
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is a girls school and Sale Grammar School is a mixed school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
Other Trafford comparisons
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys vs Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys vs Loreto Grammar School
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys vs Saint Ambrose College
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys vs Sale Grammar School
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys vs Stretford Grammar School
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys vs Urmston Grammar Academy
- Altrincham Grammar School for Girls vs Loreto Grammar School
- Altrincham Grammar School for Girls vs Saint Ambrose College
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