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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Altrincham girls?

39 replies

WahWahWahs · 13/02/2024 19:53

Can anyone give me any feedback on Altrincham Girls’ school? We are moving to the area and DD will be secondary-aged in a few years.
Is the culture nice? Am completely in the dark about the whole area!
thanks in advance 😃

OP posts:
Original poster
WahWahWahs · 14/02/2024 07:41

Little bump!

OP posts:
postitnot · 14/02/2024 18:13

My daughters don't go there, but have friends that do. It seems fine, big school, high achieving. You're best to go on the open day really!

User19798 · 14/02/2024 18:22

The grammar?
It is very hard to get into, the hardest of the Trafford grammars.

Original poster
WahWahWahs · 15/02/2024 21:04

Thanks so much for your replies. When you say hard to get in to, do you mean the selection test or the catchment area? We will have to buy a house and so would be keen to look at one in the right area, but this could be risky?
Thanks for all advice in advance - it’s a big move for us so I am quite stressed.

OP posts:
FloweryFlump · 15/02/2024 21:10

They're part of the Trafford Consortium and have an 11+ entrance exam. AG is incredibly competitive with many hundreds more applicants than places

WarningOfGails · 15/02/2024 21:14

Is your daughter academically able?

JG24 · 15/02/2024 21:20

I'm 36 so I went a long time ago, but I thought it was wonderful
I loved school and I have always felt incredibly lucky to go there. It took me from a single parent, working class/benefits, council flat start to uni, a comfortable life and a successful job I enjoy.
As I grew up and met a variety of people who had very different experiences of school I realised how lucky I was

Original poster
WahWahWahs · 15/02/2024 21:32

Thanks for the info (and experience!)
@WarningOfGails she is academically able and enjoys school, so I have no worries about her coping in a competitive grammar if she got in.
However, I am not sure she would be definitely ranked as the top if it’s super competitive to gain a place to begin with, which is a bit of a worry.
What ‘back up’ options would anyone recommend?

OP posts:
Original poster
WahWahWahs · 15/02/2024 21:33

And @JG24 , I had a similar experience in my own all girls grammar, so would love to be able to give my DD the same opportunity!

OP posts:
yoshiblue · 17/02/2024 09:50

It's an academic hot house and lots of girls self harming. I can't say it's the environment I'd be looking for my child.

Still, if you're moving to Altrincham you'll also be catchment for Sale Grammar. Excellent comprehensive choices too.

Original poster
WahWahWahs · 18/02/2024 07:53

Thanks for the info - all appreciated. Haven’t looked at Sale grammar but will now!

OP posts:
whiteboardking · 19/02/2024 20:35

It's fine for highly self motivated high flyers with parents to assist and tutor if needed. Massive catchment. Not for me

Africa2go · 22/02/2024 14:42

Agree with the above, it is very good for highly self motivated girls with parental support / input. Some variety with teaching standards / turnover and not always great with communication (there is a sense of "this is how we do things at AGGS, please don't comment / question / interfere with that"). Achieves outstanding results (almost half of all GCSE grades were a 9 this year) but as above, does take the most able pupils locally and across quite a large area (catchment is 8 mile radius of the school - albeit that it doesn't always offer places to the full 8 miles). Be aware that almost everyone taking the entrance exam will have been tutored throughout Year 5 and most local primaries are teaching a year ahead in Maths and English so that they've covered the syllabus before the exam is taken in Sept Yr 6 (which will include Yr 6 content).

Always have a Plan B in mind (upwards of 1500 girls take the exam for roughly 200 places - and certainly locally, teachers will advise whether to put girls in for the exam - so its generally 1500 capable of passing, not just 1500 girls of all abilities). Depending on where you are, the local alternatives are Wellington School (very good reputation but the catchment is shrinking year on year - think its about 0.8 miles at the mo), North Cestrian (think thats about 1.2 miles) or Altrincham College - slightly bigger catchment.

whiteboardking · 22/02/2024 22:53

The state primaries aren't supposed to deviate & do 11+ prep for the top kids. I know as many that failed to get in as managed it. All very heavily tutored. They make friends at the school but in our area 6.5 miles away they get the buses but have no local mates. That definately creates a different high school experience socially. Very long days

hby9628 · 22/02/2024 23:16

Some great advice on this thread. I'm an ex AGGS girl and I personally wouldn't send my daughter there but I would more towards Sale Grammar as it feels a bit more well rounded.
My DD attends Altrincham College which is 2 miles from our house. We presumed we would get in to Wellington as it is 0.8 miles from our house so that just shows the competition to get in to Wellington! AC is seen as a bit of a poor relation to Wellington and to be fair, it does need a cash injection which Wellington seems to have got but AC is being expanded from Sept so hopefully that will help with the facilities. In terms of our experience at the school, I couldn't fault it. They've been great and the pastoral care has been second to none. Good luck with whatever you choose.

whiteboardking · 22/02/2024 23:32

@hby9628 I have friends who were initially very disappointed to get AC 4 years ago but are massive fans now. They'd say the same as you. Both their DC thriving there

hby9628 · 22/02/2024 23:52

@deeprealisation in all honesty we were disappointed too. Every other child on our road every other year got Wellington so we just presumed. My DD is year 8 and last year it was the same....our road was allocated AC so the catchment for Wellington has just got so small.
Although a bit disappointed I was relieved she had got a decent school as there was the usual horror stories about allocations that year.

It's been a good school for us and I expect my second daughter will attend there too. In fact I'll be disappointed if the catchment changes and she doesn't get in!

whiteroseredrose · 22/02/2024 23:53

My daughter went to Alti Girls and had a great experience. I would definitely recommend it. She is currently a 3rd Year at University so left a few years ago, but the culture had improved massively under the new head.

She made a great group of friends, all successful academically. They are still close. The pupils are from a diverse range of backgrounds, more so than the local area. DD's friends liken themselves to United Nations. They are lovely girls.

The plus of the Grammar is that there is no disruption. The plus of all girls, for my DD, was that there are a lot more girls to be friends with.

All of my DD's friends are studying STEM subjects. The support is excellent. With no boys around there is no stigma about being a girl in science.

Both of my DC sat the Sale exams and went to the Open Days but preferred Altrincham. They just preferred the feel of the Altrincham schools.

whiteroseredrose · 22/02/2024 23:58

@yoshiblue I don't recognise your description of lots of girls self harming at all. That seems to be a popular myth.

whiteboardking · 22/02/2024 23:59

@whiteroseredrose my DC aren't in Trafford but tbh there's zero stigma re stem and girls at their large comp. I think that's over played. The more obvious one is boys not doing 'girls' extra curricular like choirs

yoshiblue · 23/02/2024 07:22

@whiteroseredrose my DH has direct contact with healthcare professionals who says the worst presentation of self harming comes from Alti Girls students so there is some truth in it.

The OP needs to visit the school along with alternatives to see if it’s a fit for her daughter. Both Alti Girls and Boys are so high achieving now, but that also comes with some negatives. It’s not a school that would appeal to us and we’re looking at the alternative grammar schools in the area.

ZenNudist · 23/02/2024 07:31

Are you Catholic by any chance. There is Loreto all girls grammar as well. Good school. Plus BTH is the Catholic comp which personally I'm not keen and will be looking at private first if ds2 doesn't get into grammar. The all boys Catholic grammar is my first choice.

AndThatWasNY · 23/02/2024 07:32

I know a couple of years ago the teachers were told not to use the word "girl" anymore but pupil as so many trans boys there. If that is something that would bother you.
I know 2 kids there it is highly academic and high pressured to achieve. Not great if they have any mental health issues.
Lots of well off kids which can be difficult if not well off (but sounds like you are given where you are looking to move to!).

hby9628 · 23/02/2024 08:19

@WahWahWahs as an aside, I've lived in the area all my life so if you have any questions I might be able to help. It's a great place to be.

whiteroseredrose · 23/02/2024 08:58

@AndThatWasNY that is true. It made headlines in the Daily Mail.

One of the art teachers was trans from what I remember. It was at a time when being trans seemed to be fashionable. I think there was a girl named Dave in the year below DD and a couple of others. They were very nicey-nicey about it.

I think they switched 'good morning girls' to 'good morning everyone' in morning assembly and that was all.

DS and DD are at University now and apparently it's a bloody minefield there.