Trafford completes Loreto deal

The council has bought the former preparatory school site in Altrincham, setting in motion the expansion of North Cestrian School to help meet demand for secondary school places.

Trafford Council’s development team has been working alongside the local authority’s education team and Hamblin Education Trust to secure the Dunham Road site, pursuit of the deal having been signed off at executive level in March.

North Cestrian’s expansion would enable the council to offer a further 300 secondary school places, representing two more classes in each year group.

Loreto Prep closed in 2023. The site sits next to, but separate from, Loreto Grammar School.

A feasibility study is now underway, carried out by Trafford’s in-house estates team, to assess the works required to make the site ready to support secondary education.

Additional places are expected to be added from September 2027, with completion of the permanent expansion currently estimated for September 2028.

The prep school site is at the centre, next to the much larger Loreto Grammar. Credit: Google Earth

Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “This has been a fantastic team effort.

“Without our endeavours, the site of the old Loreto School could have been lost to education in Trafford forever. I am thrilled that we have been able to work together to secure a great outcome for our children.”

Tim Gartside, chief executive of Hamblin Education Trust, said: “From the beginning, we have shared with Trafford Council the vision of ensuring that the former Loreto Prep School site should remain as a site for the education of Altrincham children.

“As North Cestrian School begins its 10th year as a free school we look forward to working with the council during this exciting phase of growth so that all children from Altrincham can attend a local and highly successful school.”