Liberal Democrats warn proposed Altrincham Grammar admissions changes could disadvantage local children

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Jane Brophy and Broadheath councillor Ulrich Savary have formally objected to proposed changes to the admissions arrangements at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (AGGS), warning that they could disadvantage academically qualified local children.

Jane Brophy, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Altrincham and Sale West and councillor for Timperley North, has joined Cllr Savary in calling on Bright Futures Educational Trust to reconsider its proposals.

Under the proposed changes, pupils attending four designated primary schools – Acre Hall Primary School, Barton Clough Primary School, Elmridge Primary School and Lime Tree Primary Academy – would receive additional priority in the admissions process from September 2028.

All four schools belong to the same academy trust as AGGS.

The proposals have raised concerns that a girl living close to AGGS could lose out on a place to an equally academically qualified applicant living further away, simply because of which primary school she attends.

Academic ability, not academy trust membership

Broadheath councillor Ulrich Savary has written to Bright Futures Educational Trust questioning why attendance at a particular primary school should provide an advantage when applying to a selective grammar school.

Cllr Savary said:

"Grammar schools are founded on the principle of academic selection. Children who demonstrate the required academic ability should have a fair opportunity to secure a place, regardless of which primary school they attended. I fully support efforts to widen access to grammar school education, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. But I do not believe that membership of a particular academy trust should confer an admissions advantage at a state-funded grammar school."

Concerns for local families

Jane Brophy, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Altrincham and Sale West, has also submitted a formal objection.

Her daughter previously attended AGGS, giving her a personal appreciation of the importance of access to selective education for children from different primary schools.

Cllr Brophy warned that the proposals could disadvantage equally qualified girls living close to AGGS simply because their primary school belongs to a different academy trust.

Jane Brophy said:

"Parents choosing a primary school cannot reasonably be expected to anticipate that its organisational affiliation might subsequently determine their daughter's access to secondary education. This is particularly concerning for families whose children are already attending other primary schools."

Calls for transparency and evidence

Both councillors have asked Bright Futures Educational Trust to explain the justification for the proposed changes and demonstrate how they would improve educational opportunity.

They have also raised questions about the number of local children who could lose out on places, the impact on disadvantaged pupils and whether the proposals could increase school travel distances, congestion and emissions.

Jane Brophy has called for the Trust to publish evidence showing how the proposed admissions criteria would have affected applicants over the previous three years.

Liberal Democrats urge Trust to reconsider

The councillors have made clear that widening educational opportunity is an important objective, but argue that it should not come at the expense of other academically qualified children.

Cllr Savary added:

"There are fairer and more transparent ways of improving social mobility without disadvantaging children attending other primary schools. Every academically qualified child deserves a fair opportunity, regardless of which school they attended. We are urging Bright Futures Educational Trust to reconsider these proposals."

Both councillors have requested formal responses from the Trust and have asked for their objections to be considered as part of the admissions consultation.

The Liberal Democrats believe that access to grammar school education should be based on academic ability and fair admissions criteria, not membership of a particular academy trust.