Altrincham and Sale West MP Connor Rand has raised "serious concerns" about proposed changes to admissions at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (AGGS), warning that they could disadvantage children living close to the school.
The Labour MP has written to the chair of governors at Bright Futures Educational Trust, which runs AGGS, urging it to consider the wider consequences before making a final decision.
His intervention follows the launch of a consultation on plans to give pupils attending four primary schools within the same academy trust priority over other qualifying applicants from September 2028.
Under the proposals, girls attending Acre Hall Primary School in Flixton, Barton Clough Primary School in Stretford, Elmridge Primary School in Hale Barns and Lime Tree Primary Academy in Sale would receive additional priority for places.
All applicants would still have to pass the entrance examination, but a girl attending one of the designated schools could be given priority over another living much closer to AGGS, even if both achieved the required standard.
Rand said: "I understand the Trust may wish to strengthen links between its schools, but I am concerned about the impact this could have on other local children and their families."
He added: "In particular, a girl living several miles away could be given priority over a girl who lives much closer to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, simply because of the primary school she attends.
"My view is that it is important that admissions arrangements are fair and that children are not disadvantaged because they attend a school outside the Trust."
The MP said he had previously written to every grammar school in his constituency encouraging them to prioritise local children.
He also pointed to work with Trafford Council and local schools to increase secondary school capacity, including additional places at Sale High School and the planned expansion of North Cestrian School by 300 places following the purchase of the former Loreto Prep site.
Rand said he was concerned the AGGS proposals could undermine efforts to ensure local children had fair access to secondary school places.
"Stronger links between schools should not come at the expense of fair access for local children," he said.
He urged families with strong views to respond to the consultation before it closes.
Liberal Democrat councillor calls for impact assessment
Councillor Jane Brophy, who represents Timperley North and is the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Altrincham and Sale West, has also written an open letter to the school's headteacher, governors and trustees.
Brophy, whose daughter attended AGGS, said she had received numerous concerns from families across the constituency.
She questioned whether membership of a particular academy trust was a fair basis for prioritising one academically qualified applicant over another.
"Parents choosing a primary school cannot reasonably be expected to anticipate that its organisational affiliation might subsequently determine their daughter's access to secondary education," she wrote.
"This is particularly concerning for families whose children are already attending other primary schools."
Brophy has asked the Trust to publish modelling showing how the proposed changes would have affected admissions over the past three years, including how many children from other schools might have missed out.
She has also raised questions about the impact on disadvantaged pupils, alternative secondary school places, travel distances and whether transitional arrangements should be considered for children already attending primary school.
"I support widening educational opportunity, particularly for children facing disadvantage," she wrote.
"However, I am concerned that prioritising attendance at particular primary schools could disadvantage equally qualified girls living close to AGGS whose primary schools happen to belong to a different trust or remain outside an academy trust."
Brophy said she was not persuaded that the case for the change had been made and urged the Trust to reconsider.
Bright Futures Educational Trust says the proposal is intended to recognise existing educational relationships between schools within the Trust and support the transition from primary to secondary education.
The school's published admission number of 204 Year 7 places would remain unchanged, as would the existing higher-priority categories for looked-after children, qualifying local pupil-premium applicants and qualifying local siblings.
No final decision has been made. The consultation runs until Monday 14 December 2026, with the Trust Board due to consider responses before determining the admissions arrangements for September 2028.
Parents and other interested parties can respond through the official consultation website or by emailing consultation@bright-futures.co.uk.
