Consultation on proposed changes to admission arrangements

Bright Futures Educational Trust is consulting on a proposed change to the admission arrangements for Altrincham Grammar School for Girls for pupils seeking admission to Year 7 from September 2028.

This consultation is being undertaken in accordance with the School Admissions Code. As the proposal would introduce a new oversubscription criterion, the Code requires the admission authority to consult before determining the admission arrangements for the relevant admissions year.

This consultation relates solely to the proposed introduction of a feeder-school oversubscription criterion. All other aspects of the admission arrangements will remain unchanged unless otherwise stated.

No decision has been made. The purpose of this consultation is to seek the views of parents, carers, pupils, schools, local authorities, neighbouring admission authorities, local residents and all other interested parties before the Trust Board determines the final admission arrangements.

Summary of the proposal

Current position

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is a selective school. Admission is based upon academic ability, determined through the school’s selection test.

Where more applicants achieve the required academic standard than there are places available, the published oversubscription criteria are used to determine which applicants are offered places.

The school’s Published Admission Number (PAN) will remain unchanged.

Proposed change

The Trust is proposing to introduce an additional oversubscription criterion for applicants attending designated Trafford primary schools within Bright Futures Educational Trust.

If adopted, the proposed criterion would be inserted after the existing sibling criterion and before the existing distance criterion.

The proposed criterion would apply only where the school is oversubscribed and there are more eligible applicants than places available.

Proposed feeder school criterion

The Trust is consulting on whether an additional oversubscription criterion should be introduced for applicants who:

• achieve the required academic standard;
• attend one of the designated feeder primary schools; and
• remain on the admissions register on the closing date for applications.

The proposed designated feeder schools are:

• Acre Hall Primary School;
• Barton Clough Primary School;
• Elmridge Primary School; and
• Lime Tree Primary Academy.

The proposed feeder schools are Trafford primary academies within Bright Futures Educational Trust.

If adopted, applicants meeting this criterion would have priority over applicants falling within criteria 4.5 to 4.9 (shown below) where the school is oversubscribed.

Proposed oversubscription criterion

It is proposed that the following criterion be inserted as criterion 4.4 within the school’s oversubscription arrangements:

4.4 Applicants attending one of the designated feeder schools at the time of application and remaining on the admissions register at the end of February [of the offer year]. The designated feeder schools are: Acre Hall Primary School, Barton Clough Primary School, Elmridge Primary School and Lime Tree Primary Academy.

What would the new selection criterion look like?

Point 4. of Altrincham Grammar Schools for Girls’ Admissions Policy for September 2028 admission would read as follows, note the proposed additional criterion in 4.4:

Where eligible applications for admissions at any age exceed the number of places available, and after students who have a statement of SEN or an Educational Health and Care Plan which names the school have been admitted, places will be awarded in accordance with the following order of priority:

4.1        Children who are Looked After or who have been previously Looked After, regardless of their place of residence (please see definitions on the front page of the policy);

4.2        Applicants residing within the school’s catchment area who are in receipt of pupil premium;

4.3        Applicants residing within the school’s catchment area who have a sister who will be a pupil of the school at the time of the applicant’s proposed admission;

4.4        Applicants attending one of the designated feeder schools at the time of application and remaining on the admissions register at the end of February 2028. The designated feeder schools are: Acre Hall Primary School, Barton Clough Primary School, Elmridge Primary School and Lime Tree Primary Academy.

4.5        Applicants residing within the school’s catchment area. Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the definitions);

4.6        Applicants residing outside the school’s catchment area who are in receipt of pupil premium. Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the definitions);

4.7        Applicants residing outside the school’s catchment area who have a sister who will be a pupil of the school at the time of the applicant’s proposed admission. Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the definitions);

4.8        Applicants residing outside the school’s catchment area.  Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the definitions);

4.9        In the unlikely event of a tie-breaker situation, the applicant will be chosen by random allocation.  A representative of the applicant will be invited to observe the procedure which would be supervised by a person independent of the school.

What would not change

If the proposal is adopted, the following aspects of the admission arrangements would remain unchanged:

• admission would continue to be determined through academic selection;
• the Published Admission Number (PAN) would remain unchanged;
• all children would continue to be eligible to apply for a place and sit the selection test, irrespective of the primary school they attend;
• arrangements for students who have a statement of SEN or an Educational Health and Care Plan which names the school remain unchanged;
• priority for Looked After and Previously Looked After Children would remain unchanged;
• arrangements relating to Pupil Premium applicants would remain unchanged; and
• existing sibling priority arrangements would remain unchanged.

Why is the Bright Futures Educational Trust consulting on this proposal?

Bright Futures Educational Trust is the admission authority for Altrincham Grammar School for Girls and is responsible for determining the school’s admission arrangements.

The Trust is considering whether its admission arrangements should better reflect existing links between schools within Bright Futures Educational Trust, particularly in relation to transition from primary to secondary education.

The proposed designated feeder schools are all Trafford primaries within Bright Futures Educational Trust and already work closely with Altrincham Grammar School for Girls through Trust-wide educational collaboration and arrangements supporting transition from primary to secondary education. The proposal would recognise these existing educational relationships within the school’s oversubscription criteria.

Pupils currently progress from Trust primary schools to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls. The proposed change would formalise this existing pattern within the school’s oversubscription criteria, whilst maintaining academic selection as the primary basis for entry.

The proposal seeks to formalise existing educational relationships and patterns of progression between Trust schools rather than alter the school’s selective admission arrangements.

The proposal would apply only where the school is oversubscribed and only after applicants have met the required academic standard through the school’s admission process.

The Trust has not yet reached a decision. The purpose of this consultation is to seek the views of parents, carers, schools, local authorities, neighbouring admission authorities and all other interested parties before the Trust Board determines the final admission arrangements for September 2028.

Equality and impact considerations

Bright Futures Educational Trust is committed to ensuring that its admission arrangements are fair, objective, transparent and compliant with the School Admissions Code and the Equality Act 2010.

The proposal would not alter the requirement for applicants to achieve the school’s academic standard, nor would it prevent any child from applying for admission or sitting the entrance assessment.

Where the school is oversubscribed, however, applicants attending the designated feeder schools may receive a higher priority for admission than applicants attending other primary schools who have also achieved the required academic standard.

The Trust is particularly interested in views regarding any potential impact on access for applicants attending primary schools outside Bright Futures Educational Trust, disadvantaged pupils, pupils with protected characteristics, and families living both within and outside the school’s catchment area.

Consultation responses will assist the Trust Board in considering any potential impacts on fairness, accessibility, equality of opportunity and the operation of the admission arrangements before a final decision is made.

The Trust will also consider responses in the context of its commitment to equity and its ambition to ensure that every Bright Futures child is supported to develop aspiration, ambition and opportunity.

Who may be affected?

The Trust recognises that the proposal may affect:

• pupils attending the designated Trafford feeder schools who achieve the required academic standard;
• pupils attending other primary schools who achieve the required academic standard;
• families considering applications to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls in future years; and
• primary schools whose pupils regularly apply to the school.

The Trust welcomes views from all interested parties regarding the potential impact of this proposal.

Who is being consulted?

The Trust welcomes responses from:

• parents and carers of children between the ages of two and eighteen;
• pupils and prospective applicants;
• schools and academies;
• local authorities;
• neighbouring admission authorities;
• local residents; and
• any other person with an interest in school admissions.

How to respond

The consultation will run from:

Monday 19 October to Monday 14 December 2026

Responses may be submitted by:

• completing the online consultation form below
• emailing consultation@bright-futures.co.uk
• writing to Bright Futures Educational Trust, The Hub, 144 Irlam Road, Flixton
  Manchester, M41 6NA.

All responses must be received by Monday 14 December 2026

All responses received during the consultation period will be considered before any decision is made.

What happens next?

Following the close of the consultation, all responses received will be reviewed and summarised.

A report on the consultation, together with all relevant information, will be considered by the Trust Board of Bright Futures Educational Trust before determining the final admission arrangements for September 2028.

A summary of the consultation responses and the Trust’s determination will be published following the decision-making process.

The determined admission arrangements will then be published in accordance with the statutory admissions timetable.