The school application window has officially opened - and Trafford Council has issued specific guidance for parents in Altrincham due to high schools in the area being "significantly oversubscribed".
The window for schools applications opened on Monday and continues until October 31st for secondary school admission.
Parents applying to a primary school have until January 15th 2026.
High schools in the Altrincham area remain under intense pressure, with demand far exceeding available places, and Trafford admitted that each year even children living in the catchment area of their preferred school will not get a place.
"We have enough school places for everyone in Trafford, but it's vital that parents submit their application on time to maximise their chances of getting their child into their school of choice," said Councillor Karina Carter, Executive Member for Babies, Children and Young People.
Education authorities have issued specific guidance for parents in the Altrincham postcodes (WA14 and WA15).
Here's a summary of the advice:
- Include all local catchment schools: List all three Altrincham high schools (Altrincham College, North Cestrian School and Wellington School) somewhere in your five preferences to maximise your chances of a local place
- Distance-based priority: These three schools give priority to children living closest to the school in straight-line distance within the Altrincham area
- Catholic school option: Baptised Catholic children should include Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College (BTHCC) as a preference - most are usually allocated a place if they apply. Even non-baptised children should consider including BTHCC as a preference, as some have secured places in recent years
- Risk of distant allocation: Families who don't follow the application advice risk being allocated schools with vacancies in other Trafford areas, such as Broadoak School (Partington), Lostock High School (Stretford) or Wellacre Academy (Flixton)
- No guarantees: There is no guarantee of a place at any preferred school, so parents must consider backup options carefully
- No travel assistance: If parents choose not to follow the application advice, Trafford Council is unable to provide travel assistance if you are allocated a school further away, unless you are a low-income family that meet the criteria.
In terms of grammar schools, Trafford said that Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls and Sale Grammar School are not oversubscribed from children living in the catchment area.
This means that all children in the Altrincham area who apply on time and pass the entrance examination have achieved places at these schools on national offer day in all recent years.
If you only include grammar schools on your application and you do not pass the entrance examination, you will be allocated a Trafford school with a vacancy. In previous years this has been at Broadoak School in Partington, Lostock High School in Stretford or Wellacre Academy in Flixton.
More information about primary school applications
More information about secondary school applications
Parents will find out their child’s primary school on April 16th 2026. The national offer day where all applicants of secondary schools receive their offer of a place is on March 2nd 2026.
