Sale Grammar School vs Urmston Grammar Academy
Both are grammar schools in Trafford, 2.9 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Sale Grammar School | Urmston Grammar Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed |
| Pupils on roll | 1,352 | 1,137 |
| Free school meals | 2.9% | 7.3% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Good |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 75.5 | 75.6 |
| 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 | 197 | 169 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.35 | 1.4 |
Qualifying scores
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.
Urmston Grammar Academy
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.
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.
Urmston Grammar Academy
- Looked after and previously looked after children
- About 15 places for the highest-scoring Pupil Premium children (minimum 324), wherever they live
- About 20 places for the top scorers, wherever they live
- Children of staff with at least eight years' continuous permanent service
- Children with a sibling at the school, wherever they live
- About 120 places by distance: M41 and M31 postcodes first, nearest first, then everyone else, nearest first
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Both schools admit mixed, so the decision usually comes down to the admission criteria above and how far each one reaches. 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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