How to prepare for the Stretford Grammar School 11+

Q: January to March of Year 5

Keep it light and regular: around 1.5 to 2 hours a week in total is enough for most children at this stage. Focus on reading stamina, secure arithmetic, times tables, spelling patterns and neat, complete written answers. Encourage your child to read fiction and non-fiction and talk about what they notice.

Q: April to May of Year 5

Move to about 2 to 3 hours a week. Begin short, focused tasks rather than long sessions. This is a good point to introduce creative writing as a regular habit: a paragraph one day, a page another day, always followed by checking and improving.

Q: June to July of Year 5

Increase to 3 hours a week if your child is coping well. Now is the time to spot gaps. A curriculum-based test rewards secure understanding, so revisit any weak KS2 areas before the summer.

Q: Summer holiday before Year 6

Aim for 3 to 4 hours a week, spread across several short sessions. Avoid turning the holiday into a grind. The best use of summer is consistent practice plus lots of reading.

The exam at a glance

For children applying for Year 7 entry in September 2028, Stretford Grammar School is part of the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium and the admissions test is changing. The consortium has announced that, for 2028 entry, it will use the FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) test rather than the previous GL Assessment paper. Children will sit this new test in autumn 2027.

For this school, the verified format for 2028 entry is a paper-based test covering Maths, English and Wider Curriculum. The English element includes a creative-writing task. There is no Verbal Reasoning or Non-Verbal Reasoning in the 2028-entry format. The wider-curriculum element can include short breadth questions drawing on other Key Stage 2 subjects such as Science, History and Geography.

The key point for parents is that this is intended to be curriculum-based. In practice, that means secure end-of-Year-5 knowledge matters much more than heavy drilling. Children who read widely, write regularly, know their number facts, and can apply KS2 maths methods calmly should be on the right track.

The school and consortium have published a familiarisation area for admissions, but there are no published past papers for the new FSCE format mentioned in the verified information supplied for 2028 entry. That makes broad preparation especially important: fluent KS2 maths, accurate reading and grammar, thoughtful written expression, and the habit of explaining ideas clearly.

On the day itself, families should expect an organised grammar-school entrance test process run through the consortium. Exact timings for the 2027 sitting should be checked when the new timetable is published, but parents should plan for a formal test session rather than a casual school visit, with standard admissions-day instructions about arrival time, equipment and identification sent nearer the date.

Registration and key dates

Stretford Grammar School belongs to the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium, and admissions information for selective entry is published through the school’s admissions pages and Trafford’s wider admissions process. The school website currently signposts pages including an Admission Timetable, Frequently Asked Questions, Familiarisation Information and Important Travel Information for the Entrance Examination. For 2028 entry, parents should expect registration details to appear through those official channels once the new cycle opens.

At the time of writing, we have not found a published 2028-entry registration opening date, registration deadline, test date or results date for Stretford Grammar School that we can verify for publication. Because the consortium is changing provider for 2028 entry, it is especially important not to rely on old dates.

What parents can safely do now is:

check the school’s admissions pages regularly;
watch for the consortium’s 2028-entry timetable for tests sat in autumn 2027;
read the school’s admissions policy for the relevant year as soon as it is published;
make sure you also understand Trafford’s local-authority secondary application process, because selective testing and the Common Application Form are separate steps.

In most grammar-school systems, parents need to do both: register the child for the entrance test and then name the school on the local-authority secondary application form. Do not assume one replaces the other.

If you want a simple way to keep track of updates, use Free email alerts for this school's key dates. You can also bookmark The Stretford Grammar School 11+ guide (format, catchment, dates) and check it alongside the official school site.

When registration opens, expect to need the usual basics such as your child’s personal details, current school details and home address information. Any exact document requirements should be taken from the official registration instructions for that year.

Who can apply: catchment and admissions

Stretford Grammar School is a co-educational Foundation Grammar School. For selective entry, the verified position for this guide is that the school uses a catchment-priority admissions model: after children qualify in the entrance test, priority is given to applicants within a defined catchment. Parents should therefore pay close attention not only to the test, but also to the school’s current admissions policy and the address rules used for oversubscription.

Because catchment arrangements can change, and because wording matters in admissions law, it is best to read the exact policy for your child’s entry year rather than relying on summaries. Look in particular for:

how the catchment area is defined;
whether children must both qualify and live in catchment to receive priority;
how looked-after and previously looked-after children are treated;
how siblings are treated, if at all;
what address evidence is accepted;
how ties are broken if more children qualify than there are places.

We have not included a number of places, a qualifying score, a pass mark, a cut-off score or a cut-off distance here because we have not found a source we can verify for those facts in this research set. If you need those details, check the most recent admissions policy and admissions pages on the school website.

Competition for Trafford grammar schools is usually strong, so families should think in two lanes at once: prepare steadily for the test and build a realistic application list for the local-authority preference form.

A month-by-month preparation plan

Because the test for 2028 entry is due in autumn 2027, most families will want preparation to build gradually through Year 5 and the summer before Year 6. With the new FSCE format, a calm curriculum-first approach is the most sensible one.

January to March of Year 5

Keep it light and regular: around 1.5 to 2 hours a week in total is enough for most children at this stage. Focus on reading stamina, secure arithmetic, times tables, spelling patterns and neat, complete written answers. Encourage your child to read fiction and non-fiction and talk about what they notice.

Maths: accuracy in the four operations, fractions basics, number facts.
English: comprehension through discussion, vocabulary, punctuation, sentence control.
Wider curriculum: general curiosity, especially KS2 Science, History and Geography topics.

April to May of Year 5

Move to about 2 to 3 hours a week. Begin short, focused tasks rather than long sessions. This is a good point to introduce creative writing as a regular habit: a paragraph one day, a page another day, always followed by checking and improving.

Practise explaining maths methods aloud.
Build comprehension from both literary and factual texts.
Start short breadth quizzes from KS2 knowledge areas.

June to July of Year 5

Increase to 3 hours a week if your child is coping well. Now is the time to spot gaps. A curriculum-based test rewards secure understanding, so revisit any weak KS2 areas before the summer.

Use mixed maths work, not just one topic at a time.
Practise planning and writing under gentle time limits.
Encourage your child to answer in full sentences and to check their work independently.

Summer holiday before Year 6

Aim for 3 to 4 hours a week, spread across several short sessions. Avoid turning the holiday into a grind. The best use of summer is consistent practice plus lots of reading.

Do one or two timed mini-sections each week rather than endless papers.
Write regularly: stories, descriptions, responses to picture or topic prompts.
Keep maths mixed and practical: percentages, fractions, measures, multi-step problems, worded questions.
Read newspapers for children, museum websites, science articles and good novels to build breadth and vocabulary.

September of Year 6

This is the point to introduce more formal timed work, but still not every day. Around 4 to 5 hours a week is realistic for many children in the final run-up. Use short reviews after each task: what went well, what was rushed, what needs more practice.

Practise switching between maths, reading and writing.
Work on stamina and concentration.
Refine handwriting speed and legibility for paper-based testing.

The final few weeks before the exam

Keep practice purposeful and calm. Do not chase volume. One good timed piece with proper review is worth more than several rushed ones. In the last week, reduce workload slightly so your child goes in fresh.

For most children, timed full papers are best introduced only once basic knowledge is fairly secure. With a new curriculum-led format, understanding first, timing second is the right order.

Subject by subject: what to practise

Maths

For 2028 entry, Stretford Grammar School’s consortium test is verified as KS2 curriculum maths rather than reasoning-only content. That means children should practise the maths they already meet in school, but at a secure and flexible level.

Number fluency: place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Fractions, decimals and percentages, including equivalents and calculations.
Multi-step word problems.
Measures, time, money and data handling.
Geometry basics likely to arise within KS2 expectations.

Good practice looks like short mixed sets, careful reading of worded questions, and regular correction. Ask your child to show method clearly. If they make errors, sort them into types: misunderstanding, rushing, arithmetic slips or not reading the question properly.

English

The verified format includes KS2 English up to the end of Year 5, including a creative-writing task. Practise both reading and written expression.

Reading comprehension from fiction and non-fiction.
Vocabulary in context.
Grammar, punctuation and sentence control.
Inference: what a writer suggests rather than states directly.
Creative writing: planning, structure, description, viewpoint and editing.

For creative writing, keep expectations realistic. Children do not need overblown vocabulary or unnatural tricks. They need clear ideas, a sensible structure, varied but accurate sentences, and enough time left to check punctuation and spelling. Regular practice with feedback is much more useful than memorising fancy openings.

Wider Curriculum

The wider-curriculum element can include short breadth questions drawing on subjects such as Science, History and Geography. This is not a prompt to cram obscure facts. It is better to strengthen general KS2 knowledge and children’s confidence in reading short informational material.

Science: basic forces, materials, habitats, life cycles, states of matter, simple scientific vocabulary.
History: major KS2 topics and the habit of placing events in sequence.
Geography: maps, settlements, physical and human geography, climate basics.

Useful ways to practise include child-friendly reference books, school revision guides, museum and BBC-style educational content, and short quizzes based on what your child has genuinely learned. Keep this section broad and low-pressure.

Practice papers and mock exams

Because the consortium is moving to FSCE for 2028 entry and the verified information notes that there are no published past papers for this format, parents should be careful not to overvalue old-style drilling. The most useful practice will look a lot like strong Year 5 learning: mixed maths, careful reading, real writing and broad KS2 knowledge.

A sensible way to use practice materials is:

start with untimed work to secure understanding;
move to short timed sections once accuracy improves;
review every piece of work properly;
keep an error log so the same mistakes are not repeated;
use occasional mock-style sessions to build stamina, not every weekend.

If your child does a mock, treat it as information, not a verdict. With a new test format, the purpose of a mock is to help with timing, focus and familiarity with paper-based working, not to predict an exact outcome.

For home practice, these may help:

When choosing any third-party materials, favour resources that strengthen KS2 maths and English, plus writing fluency and general curriculum knowledge, rather than resources built mainly around verbal or non-verbal reasoning.

On the day

A calm, ordinary tone helps most children more than long pep talks. The aim is for your child to arrive rested, on time and knowing the basics of what to do.

Check the official instructions carefully when they are sent out.
Visit the route in advance if travel may be unfamiliar.
Prepare equipment the night before, following the school’s instructions exactly.
Choose comfortable school-appropriate clothes.
Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a steady breakfast.

For the child, the most useful reminders are simple:

read every question carefully;
keep an eye on time, but do not panic;
if one question feels hard, move on and come back if allowed;
show maths working clearly;
for writing, leave a little time to check punctuation, spelling and missing words.

If your child is nervous, frame the day as a chance to show what they know, not as a judgement on them. A paper-based exam especially rewards calm reading and tidy checking.

After the exam: results, allocation and appeals

After the entrance test, grammar-school admissions usually move through several stages: test results are issued, parents submit or confirm local-authority preferences by the required deadline, schools apply their admissions rules, and national allocation follows in March.

For Stretford Grammar School, we have not found a verified results date or published score threshold for 2028 entry, so it is best to watch the school’s admissions pages for the official timetable.

In general, keep these points in mind:

a qualifying test result does not by itself guarantee an offer if the school is oversubscribed;
where a school uses catchment priority, address and oversubscription rules matter after qualification;
you must still complete the local-authority secondary application process correctly and on time.

If your child is not offered a place but you believe the admissions process was not applied properly, there is usually an appeal route after allocations are released. Appeal arrangements should be checked in the school’s admissions information for the relevant year. If you are considering an appeal, keep copies of all correspondence and read the school’s published policy closely.

What has changed recently

The main announced change is significant: the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium has appointed FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise) as the new provider for admissions testing from September 2028 entry. That means children applying for September 2028 Year 7 places, and sitting tests in autumn 2027, will take the new FSCE format rather than the previous GL-style test. The school website also signposts a news item titled Consortium Appoints New Provider for Admissions Test, which supports this change in direction.

The verified format for 2028 entry is also different in substance: it is curriculum-based, covering Maths, English including creative writing, and wider-curriculum breadth questions, with no Verbal Reasoning or Non-Verbal Reasoning.

We have not found any other official, published recent change that we can safely state here about places, catchment boundaries or score thresholds for Stretford Grammar School itself. Parents should check the latest admissions policy each year in case further updates are published.

Frequently asked questions

What exam does Stretford Grammar School use for 2028 entry?

For September 2028 entry, the verified format is the FSCE test used through the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium. It is a paper-based test covering KS2 Maths, English including creative writing, and wider-curriculum breadth questions.

Does Stretford Grammar School test verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning?

Not in the verified 2028-entry format. The new FSCE test for autumn 2027 does not include Verbal Reasoning or Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Is there a catchment area for Stretford Grammar School?

Yes. The verified position is that the school gives priority to applicants within a defined catchment once they have qualified in the test. Check the current admissions policy for the exact wording and map.

Are there published past papers for the new Stretford Grammar School test?

The verified information for 2028 entry says there are no published past papers for the FSCE format. That is why broad KS2 preparation and regular writing practice matter so much.

When do I need to register for the Stretford Grammar School 11+?

We have not found a verified registration opening date or deadline for 2028 entry. Check the school’s admissions pages regularly and use key-date alerts so you do not miss the official timetable.

Does a pass in the test guarantee a place?

No. In grammar-school admissions, qualifying in the test does not automatically guarantee an offer if the school is oversubscribed. The published admissions criteria, including catchment priority, are then applied.

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Sources

Stretford Grammar School website: The school is Stretford Grammar School; it is a co-educational Foundation Grammar School; the site signposts admissions pages including Admission Timetable, Frequently Asked Questions, Familiarisation Information, Important Travel Information for the Entrance Examination, and a news item about a new
Stretford Grammar School admissions page: Official school admissions information is published via the school website and should be checked for current admissions arrangements, policy and timetable.

Preparing for other schools in Trafford

Written by ElevenReady from the school's published information and reviewed by a person before publishing. Last reviewed 4 October 2026. Exam arrangements change. Check the school's admissions page for the current year.