North Cestrian School
Secondary · Free schools · Ages 11–18 · Altrincham, Trafford
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
1.892 miles
Published by Trafford Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Year 7 last distance offered, 2021–2026 (miles)
North Cestrian School is a secondary school in Altrincham, Trafford for ages 11–18 (free schools). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 20 November 2024. Trafford has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2021 to 2026 entry.
North Cestrian School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | 1.892 mi |
| Year 7 2025 | 1.162 mi |
| Year 7 2024 | 1.331 mi |
| Year 7 2023 | 1.149 mi |
| Year 7 2022 | 1.284 mi |
| Year 7 2021 | 1.7097 mi |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- Its Year 7 2026 last distance was 1.892 miles, 5th shortest of 12 Trafford secondary schools with a published Year 7 2026 last distance; the middle figure was 2.95 miles.
- The Year 7 2026 last distance was further than in 2025 and 2021, and the 2026 figure was the longest of the 6 years with a published distance.
- Year 7 2026 drew 112 first-choice applications for 175 offers; 89 offers went to first-choice families, and 23 first-choice families (21%) were not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 60% of pupils got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), and the Attainment 8 score was 54.2 (England 46).
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Trafford schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Dunham Road, Altrincham, WA14 4AJ
- Type
- Free schools
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sector
- State-funded
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Trafford
- Pupils on roll
- 799 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 16.5% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 16.4
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 20 November 2024
Strengths
- “The Cestrian Way and ABC toolkit provides a firm foundation for pupils to build character.”
- “Pupils eagerly take up the weekly character development challenges.”
- “For instance, pupils’ generosity of spirit is encouraged by performing acts of kindness such as writing appreciation cards to staff.”
To improve
- “The school’s reading curriculum is in development.”
- “Some of these pupils do not receive the support that they need to help them to improve their reading.”
- “As a result, this hampers how well they can achieve.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 20 December 2024 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 60% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 54.2 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 112 first-preference applications, 175 offers in total, 89 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Trafford.
- Loreto Grammar School 0.1 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Altrincham Grammar School for Girls 0.5 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College 0.6 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys 0.8 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Wellington School 1.0 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Altrincham College 1.3 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Saint Ambrose College 1.9 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Ashton-on-Mersey School 2.3 mi School remains Good Last distance published