North Cestrian School is a mainstream secondary school in Altrincham, Trafford, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 84 of its 799 pupils (10.5%) were getting SEN support and 52 (6.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 799 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Trafford.
10.5% get SEN support
84 of 799 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
6.5% have an EHC plan
52 of 799 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health50
- Autism29
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia23
- Speech, language and communication18
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Free school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 799 (places for 755)
- Headteacher
- Mr M Dore
- Part of
- The Hamblin Education Trust
- Free school meals
- 16.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Trafford
- School reference (URN)
- 143104
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Trafford council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, March 2019; standards maintained (November 2024)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2019. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, November 2024).
Contact and getting there
Dunham Road, Altrincham, WA14 4AJ
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Oldfield Brow Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Wellington School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Pictor Academy Special school · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.5 miles
- Brentwood Community College Independent · Ages 19–23 1.7 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about North Cestrian School
How many pupils at North Cestrian School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 84 of the 799 pupils (10.5%) were getting SEN support and 52 (6.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at North Cestrian School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (50 pupils), autism (29 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (23 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at North Cestrian School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at North Cestrian School?
Through Trafford council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to North Cestrian School?
You can ask for North Cestrian School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does North Cestrian School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Oldfield Brow Primary School, about 0.9 miles away.
Where is North Cestrian School?
Dunham Road, Altrincham, WA14 4AJ, in Trafford.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.