North Cestrian School
Secondary · Free schools · Ages 11–18 · Altrincham, Trafford
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.
Open on the map Unlock with a pass · £9.99
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.
Last distance offered and catchment
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Last distance offered for Year 7 2021 to 2026, as Trafford published it, drawn on the map
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
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