The five Trafford grammar schools in Greater Manchester share one entrance test, run by the Trafford Grammar School Consortium. The test is changing: GL Assessment sets it for 2027 entry, then FSCE takes over with an English and maths test from 2028 entry.
This guide explains each version, which schools take part, how scoring works and how to prepare. The consortium runs its own test, and Pip is not affiliated with it.
- The Trafford 11+ is one shared test for the five Trafford grammar schools.
- 2027 entry (Year 6 now): GL reasoning test in September 2026. 2028 entry onwards: FSCE test in KS2 English and maths, with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning.
- From 2029 entry the test moves to the late summer term of Year 5.
- For 2027 entry: two multiple-choice GL papers, about an hour each.
- It is sat once in September and covers all five schools at the same time.
- Scores are standardised and age-adjusted; around 334 has been the qualifying mark, about the top 25%.
Changes to the Trafford 11+
The consortium has appointed a new test provider, FSCE, for entry to Year 7 from September 2028. The new test is based on the KS2 English and maths curriculum up to the end of Year 5, so there is no verbal or non-verbal reasoning.
From 2029 entry the test date also moves, from September of Year 6 to the latter part of the summer term of Year 5. Use the table to find your child's test.
| Entry to Year 7 | Child is in now (2026 to 2027) | Test sat | Test provider | Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2027 | Year 6 | September 2026 (start of Year 6) | GL Assessment | Verbal, non-verbal and mathematical reasoning |
| September 2028 | Year 5 | September 2027 (start of Year 6) | FSCE | KS2 English and maths up to the end of Year 5. No verbal or non-verbal reasoning. |
| September 2029 | Year 4 | Late summer term 2028 (end of Year 5) | FSCE | KS2 English and maths up to the end of Year 5 |
| September 2030 | Year 3 | Late summer term 2029 (end of Year 5) | FSCE | KS2 English and maths up to the end of Year 5 |
The consortium has not yet published the paper format, timings or whether there is a writing task. Check with the schools before you plan around any of those.
Sources: Urmston Grammar admissions update, AGSB new entrance exam provider, Sale Grammar announcement and Trafford Council entrance test page. Our Trafford 11+ changes guide has a plan for each year group.
What is the Trafford 11+ for 2027 entry?
The Trafford 11+ is the shared entrance test for the Trafford Consortium of grammar schools. The schools work together and use a bespoke paper produced by GL Assessment, which means children sitting it will not meet the same paper at any other school. Like other GL tests it is multiple choice and computer-marked, and it draws on the familiar four skills of English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Its big practical advantage is that one sitting counts for every school in the consortium.
Families near Bolton may also look at the Bolton School entrance exam, which uses its own papers.
What is in the 2027 entry test
Children sit two multiple-choice papers on the same day, with a short break between them:
- The papers assess maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, with English comprehension and vocabulary appearing in the verbal sections.
- The maths is pitched at the curriculum up to the start of Year 6, covering number, measurement, geometry, statistics and problem solving.
- All questions are multiple choice and computer-marked.
One test for five schools
Because GL produces a bespoke paper for Trafford, your child takes the test just once, even if you apply to several of the consortium schools. The five are Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School. If your child qualifies, you then list your preferred schools on the standard secondary common application form, alongside any non-Trafford choices.
Scoring, qualifying and key dates
Each child receives a standardised score, adjusted for age so that the youngest are not disadvantaged. In recent years a score of around 334 has been the qualifying mark, set so that roughly the top 25 percent of the Trafford cohort reach it; the exact figure is recalculated each year. The test is sat in September, at the start of Year 6, and results are usually sent in mid-October, in time for the national application deadline at the end of the month. Qualifying does not by itself guarantee a place, as each school then applies its own admissions criteria. For the scale itself, see our guide to standardised scores.
How to prepare for the Trafford 11+
For 2027 entry, keep English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning moving together, and practise working accurately at a steady pace. The approach is much the same as for other GL tests, like the Kent Test and the Bucks Transfer Test.
From 2028 entry, drop the reasoning papers and put the time into KS2 English and maths up to the end of Year 5. For 2029 entry onwards, plan to finish that work by the summer term of Year 5, as the test comes a term earlier.
Practise every Trafford skill, free
Pip generates unlimited questions across English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, with timing built in, so the two Trafford papers feel familiar long before September.
Try free Trafford 11+ questions and papers
Frequently asked questions
What is the Trafford 11+?+
The Trafford 11+ is the shared entrance test for the five grammar schools in the Trafford Consortium, in Greater Manchester. For 2027 entry it is a GL Assessment test sat in September of Year 6, and from 2028 entry it is an FSCE test in KS2 English and maths.
What does the Trafford 11+ include?+
For 2027 entry, two multiple-choice GL papers, each about an hour, covering maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. From 2028 entry the FSCE test covers KS2 English and maths up to the end of Year 5, with no reasoning.
What score do you need for the Trafford 11+?+
Scores are standardised and adjusted for age. In recent years a standardised score of around 334 or above has been the qualifying mark, set so that roughly the top 25 percent of the Trafford cohort qualify. The exact mark is recalculated each year, and qualifying does not by itself guarantee a place.
Which schools use the Trafford 11+?+
The Trafford Consortium is made up of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School. One sitting of the test covers all five. See them ranked alongside the area's top independents in our best schools in Greater Manchester guide.
When does the Trafford 11+ change?+
For 2028 entry, FSCE runs the test in September of Year 6. For 2029 entry onwards, the test moves to the late summer term of Year 5.
The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers.