Introduction
Founded in 1929, Urmston Grammar School is a co-educational school located in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Before becoming an academy in 2010, Urmston Grammar was awarded High Performing Specialist School status in 2007 and then Language College status in 2008. [1]
Rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, the school focuses its efforts on providing pupils with a well-rounded education. At the core of this is a varied curriculum, comprising everything from science, mathematics and social studies to art, RS and design technology.
Recent exam results show that, at GCSE, 75% of all the grades awarded were grade 9-7 and 49.3% were grades 9 and 8. These impressive outcomes are compelling evidence of the school’s unwavering commitment to excellence, while also reflecting the cohesive nature of its community, which plays an instrumental role in facilitating pupils’ accomplishments. [2]
Urmston Grammar not only encourages academic excellence, but also endorses participation in non-academic pursuits. Within the scope of its extracurricular programme, the school offers orchestra, drama, volleyball, Aeronautics Club, public speaking and many other options, including cross-border trips to destinations such as Iceland and Ecuador. [3]
In line with the motto ‘Manners makyth man’, the school’s ethos caters for a diverse community which directly confronts all forms of discrimination. In collaboration with parents, Urmston Grammar ensures that students develop both socially and morally, enabling them to access the next stages of their lives as global citizens, flexible in their response to change and proactive in the face of difficulty.
Urmston Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026
Address: Newton Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 5UG
County: Greater Manchester (Trafford)
Admissions info: office@urmstongrammar.org.uk, 0161 748 2875
School type: Co-educational grammar
Number of places in Year 7: 150
Open Day date: June
Exam date: September 2026
Pass mark: Aim for 75-80%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Exam type / Board: GL Assessment (FSCE from 2027 onwards)
Urmston Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Urmston Grammar is part of the Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium and is responsible for its own Year 7 admissions. All schools that belong to the Consortium use the same eleven plus test and admissions are based on performance in this assessment.
Urmston Grammar has 150 Year 7 places and actively encourages parents and children to attend Open Evening in June. At this event, you and your child can learn more about the school’s curriculum and overall provision.
In recent years, Urmston Grammar has been significantly oversubscribed for Year 7 places. In such cases, the school uses the following oversubscription criteria, giving priority to:
- Applicants with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) who have successfully met the entry requirements for the school
- Looked after, or previously looked after, children
- The top 20 scoring candidates in rank order
- Pupils entitled to Pupil Premium (approximately 10 places)
- Children with parents working at the school for 8+ years in continuous service
- Children who live closest to the school (approximately 120 places)
For more information about Urmston Grammar’s admissions policy, please visit the school’s website. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to Urmston Grammar School
To register your child for the school’s entrance examination, you must visit the Urmston Grammar School website and complete the online registration form. The deadline for this is in mid-June of the year preceding entry.
In addition to completing the registration form, parents also need to complete a Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF), where Urmston Grammar should be listed in ranked order of preference.
Urmston Grammar School Catchment Area
Does Urmston Grammar School have a catchment area?
Yes, Urmston Grammar School has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school.
Urmston Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
Urmston Grammar uses papers created by GL Assessment. The exam covers the following areas:
- Mathematics
- Verbal Reasoning (including Comprehension)
- Non-Verbal Reasoning (including Spatial Reasoning)
GL will be providing two papers, each lasting approximately an hour and testing all three skills.
The maths sections measure problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills and include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Verbal Reasoning sections are designed to assess logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary. These sections will also include Comprehension questions.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning sections measure the ability to understand, interpret and problem-solve, testing logic and intelligence rather than knowledge. These sections will include Spatial Reasoning questions, too.
Entrance exams for grammar schools that fall under the Trafford Grammar School Consortium will change to Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) from 2027 for first entry into Year 7 in September 2028.
In the meantime, we recommend starting with our FSCE 11+ Reading School Papers. Why? Reading School is a subsidiary of FSCE. These papers also cover English and Maths, which are core subjects and will be covered in the exam.
How to Prepare for the Urmston Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam?
As a starting point, our in-depth guide to studying for the 11 Plus exam covers all the essential information that students will need for creating a revision plan. We’ve also written specific posts about the individual tests, including:
- An 11 Plus Guide to Maths
- 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Exam Preparation
- 11 Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning Advice
When preparing for any exam, it’s always best to start early. We highly recommend using practice exam papers to get an initial overview of a child’s current abilities and to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
As a student’s studying progresses, we’d suggest using these practice tests to see how they are improving. Completing timed practice tests in the run-up to the real exam will get students used to answering questions under exam conditions.
The practice papers that we produce come complete with answers, enabling parents to accurately measure their child’s performance and track their improvements. We have several eleven plus practice papers that can help students prepare for entry to Urmston Grammar.
Urmston Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Grammars that belong to the Trafford Consortium have a standardised pass mark for 11 plus applicants. The standardised qualifying score for these schools is 334 or above.
Pupils who are able to score 75-80%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass the Urmston Grammar School 11+ test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this is a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the Urmston Grammar School 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.
Urmston Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers
The resources below will prove useful for children currently preparing for the Urmston Grammar School eleven plus exam:
The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the 11+ Trafford Test used by Urmston Grammar School. They provide excellent mock exam preparation, highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses:
Practice Papers
The following 11+ resources extensively cover the Mathematics section of the Trafford Test, allowing your child to thoroughly prepare for exam day:
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
To help your child master Verbal Reasoning (VR) and Comprehension skills in the lead-up to the Trafford Test, we recommend the following 11+ resources:
Practice Papers
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
Video Masterclasses
The following resources will help boost your child’s Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning abilities ahead of the Trafford Test:
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
Video Masterclasses
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Urmston Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about Urmston Grammar School is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the article.
Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Urmston Grammar School.