SecondaryGrammar · Academy converter

Saint Ambrose College

Hale Road, Hale Barns, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA15 0HE ·

Report card: strong areas· 2025Grammar schoolRoman Catholic

At a glance

A state Roman Catholic boys' grammar academy for ages 11–18 in Altrincham. Ofsted report card (November 2025): strong areas. GCSE results are well above the England average (Attainment 8: 76.2 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 223 families put it first for 149 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–18
Pupils: 1,096
Gender: Boys
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Selective
Local authority: Trafford
Academy trust: THE LAETARE CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Headteacher: Dermot Rainey
Opened: May 2012

School website 01619802711 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted report card (renewed framework)

Read reports

Inspected 25 Nov 2025Published 1 Mar 2026

SafeguardingMet
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementExceptional
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and well-beingExceptional
Post-16 provisionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard

Report cards grade each area separately on a five-point scale, from Urgent improvement to Exceptional. There is no single overall grade, and results are not directly comparable with earlier grades such as “Good”.

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 150 pupils

Attainment 8

76.2

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

98%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

100%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

+1.04

2023/24 · CI 0.82 to 1.27

This school

76.2

Trafford

57.9

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

149

1st preferences

223

All applications

458

1st prefs per place

1.50

More first choices than places

137 of 223 first-preference applicants were offered a place (61%). 77 offers went to families living in another council area.

Oversubscribed with first preferences

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,091

Capacity

1,050

104% full

Girls / boys

0/100

Boys

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)8%
English as an additional language8.9%
SEN support2.6%
Education, Health and Care plan0.5%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.