Moving to Trafford

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gambit
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:24 pm

Moving to Trafford

Post by gambit »

Dear all,

Our first child is due this year and we are actively looking to move from Bolton to South Manchester with a view to increasing our child's chances of obtaining a grammar school place at one of the several good schools in the region. Of course we also wanted to move there anyway so it is not the sole factor but a very significant one.

However we are stuck with deciding on where exactly would be best to move to for this purpose as we have heard about catchment areas and grammar school entry criterions.

We are trying to find out now how important it is to move into the catchment area for the purpose of admission? How much will this come into play in the decision process if our child does pass? Would it even make a difference if they for example aced the exam but lived outside it?

Is it essential hat they are already in a primary school in the catchment area? We also appreciate they may not pass so failing this which area has the better state secondaries as a fall back?

No prizes for guessing we are looking at the two Altrincham grammars but finding the house we want near them is very difficult. Hence we are also looking in Sale, Bramhall and WIlmslow but save Sale these areas are further and further away from them. At present we have seen good properties in Bramhall that we would like to move to but that village is not exactly close to any of the grammar schools and feel it would be a hindrance in the long run.

Apologies in advance as I appreciate no one can predict how admissions processes/school performance or catchment areas will be in eleven years time! What we need is some assistance on making an intelligent judgement for the future really and am so grateful if you can offer your guidance.

Many thanks to all!
Kind regards
NS1
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:19 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by NS1 »

I'd say that timperley, altrincham, hale and areas very nearby that are defined as in catchment areas for the Alty grammars, not only have great primary schools, but will place you within catchment for the Altrincham and Sale grammar schools. As you are aware, you are planning well in advance and things are likely to change by the time your child is of secondary school age. The Altrincham grammar tests are changing this year and as NVR is being dropped, the chances are more in catchment children will take the exams. At present, for Alty boys out of catchment places are based on score, whereas the Alty girls is based on distance.

We moved to trafford, but decided to stay within catchment for the Alty grammars.
gambit
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by gambit »

Thanks for that very helpful NS1! Anyone else?
Mr147
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:20 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by Mr147 »

My 2 younger children are at Bowdon Church School (Y4 and Y6) - My DD passed for AGGS and is in Y8 and my Son passed for AGSB this exam year just gone. They have a very good record of getting children into the Grammars and have just been classed as the 2nd best performing Primary School in the U.K (I know there are several ways to calculate this).

Here is the link for you to read through below.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/le ... kings.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Importantly - the School are about to expand and increase the classes to 3 for each year, and there are also plans for a new build -

http://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/ed ... chool.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The School really does focus on academic learning (mainly from junior level) - but it equally focuses really hard on social learning, music and sports - as such I would recommend you trying hard to get into its catchment area (the downside is that property is expensive locally).

The local area also has more outstanding primary Schools nearby (like the Bollin for example), so all in all a great place to start your search.

Hope this helps, feel free to PM me for any further help.


And good luck....We moved to Bowdon from Urmston when our DD was one year old for exactly the same reasons, and it has been worth every penny we had to spend to move to the area, for many different reasons!


Mr147
emsy
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:10 pm
Location: Trafford

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by emsy »

It is worth considering which non-grammar schools you are in catchment for too as a pass isn't guaranteed and the best ones have much smaller catchment areas than the grammar schools. You need to be within a mile or so of Wellington Road school in Timperley, a very good and very oversubscribed non-selective school, to get a place but if you pass the exams you will get a place at ABGS from anywhere in the catchment area and AGGS goes out a few miles (I think 4 or 5) every year.
Mr147
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:20 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by Mr147 »

emsy wrote:It is worth considering which non-grammar schools you are in catchment for too as a pass isn't guaranteed and the best ones have much smaller catchment areas than the grammar schools. You need to be within a mile or so of Wellington Road school in Timperley, a very good and very oversubscribed non-selective school, to get a place but if you pass the exams you will get a place at ABGS from anywhere in the catchment area and AGGS goes out a few miles (I think 4 or 5) every year.
+1

Good point mentioned.
gambit
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by gambit »

Excellent points/advice Emsy and Mr147!

Yes I really do think it would be useful to know where the better state secondaries are as a fall back as there is nothing at present to indicate my child would pass in 11 years time let alone whether those grammars will still exist! We will unlikely be able to afford private education.

So Wellington is a good choice - any others of comparable standard?
(seems again we would need to live close to them?)

Also following Mr147 I would appreciate further suggestion on excellent primary schools for the grammar school catchment as this will be the starting point and really where we should aim to live.

I take it we should avoid Bramhall and Wilmslow then?
Mr147
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:20 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by Mr147 »

gambit wrote:Excellent points/advice Emsy and Mr147!

Yes I really do think it would be useful to know where the better state secondaries are as a fall back as there is nothing at present to indicate my child would pass in 11 years time let alone whether those grammars will still exist! We will unlikely be able to afford private education.

So Wellington is a good choice - any others of comparable standard?
(seems again we would need to live close to them?)

Also following Mr147 I would appreciate further suggestion on excellent primary schools for the grammar school catchment as this will be the starting point and really where we should aim to live.

I take it we should avoid Bramhall and Wilmslow then?
Bramhall and Wilmslow are lovely places to live, but not in catchment (they are Stockport area).

Places to consider (but check the postcodes against the relevant school catchment areas) are: Altrincham, Hale, Bowdon, Ashley, Sale, Hale Barns, Timperley - these are the most local areas to AGGS and AGSB - but of course you also have Sale Grammar, Stretford Grammar and Urmston Grammar also within the Trafford area.
Mandy21
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:27 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by Mandy21 »

We also moved from Bolton to South Manchester (we were in catchment for Ladybridge high school!!).

Whilst I think its definitely worth moving (we don't regret it for a second), the goal posts are changing all of the time, so making a move now, with the intention of setting your stall out for grammar school entry in 11 years may be slightly premature. In the last couple of years for instance the 'high school' position has changed with St Ambrose - the local catholic grammar school (and a good alternative to AGSB) - since it was renovated (now state of the art facilities) hardly any non-catholic boys have been offered places (whereas small numbers had previously got in). Similarly, North Cestrian, currently a fee paying independent grammar school is applying for "free school" status so that becomes another option if your child doesn't pass for the grammars. There was talk some time ago about Altrincham Girls Grammar becoming an academy which impacts on their admissions policy so its worth bearing in mind that things are likely to change.

Having said that, I went to one of the local grammar schools 30 years ago, and little has changed. There are more people moving to Trafford because of the schools, and more people from outside of catchment having their children sit for the exams. You only have to do a search on here for the numbers sitting the exams - its something ridiculous like 1500 for 180 places at each of the Alty Grammars.

I agree with Mr147 as to areas you should look at but bear in mind the catchments for secondary schools too. As a previous poster said, Wellington is a good school but with a small catchment area.

Good luck.
gambit
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 6:24 pm

Re: Moving to Trafford

Post by gambit »

Hey thanks Mandy!

Ladybridge High before? Good job you changed lol!

I think you could be right - perhaps if we moved anywhere for now (including Bramhall and Wilmslow) with a good primary and looked into moving into catchment in the future that would work.

Is this advisable/Do you think this could cause a big impact on our child?

Ta
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