Rainford High School
102%
Capacity
1,675
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About Rainford High School
Rainford High School has held a Good rating from Ofsted since its most recent graded inspection in 2015, and an ungraded visit in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.03, which places it comfortably above the St. Helens local authority average of -0.31. That means pupils at Rainford typically leave with slightly better GCSE results than students with similar starting points across the country, and significantly better than the average for their borough. The school ranks second out of nine secondary schools in St. Helens on this measure, putting it in the top quarter of the local league table. Attainment 8 sits at 47.8, and 72% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The school also enters a reasonable proportion of students for the EBacc, at 41.9%, with 33.9% achieving the full suite.
At sixth form, the picture is more mixed. The school has a Good rating for its sixth-form provision, and the average points per entry is 32.27, equivalent to a C+ grade. However, the value-added score for A-levels is -0.21, which is rated as below average, meaning students typically leave with slightly lower grades than their prior attainment would predict. The best three A-levels average out at a B- grade, and 14.3% of entries achieved at least an AAB. For a large comprehensive with 1,675 pupils and a 15.5% free school meals rate, the GCSE results are a genuine strength, while the sixth form offers a solid but less exceptional option for post-16 study.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 682 applications for 263 places, with 323 first-preference applications and 261 first-preference offers. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.59, so families need to be confident in their application. Facilities are strong for a state school, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, and dedicated sixth form centre. There are extensive SEND provisions covering ten categories, from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder, which suggests genuine inclusivity. Rainford suits families who want a large, well-run comprehensive with solid GCSE outcomes and a broad range of clubs including DofE, Young Enterprise, and Model UN, but who are realistic that the sixth form, while Good-rated, does not match the value-added performance of the top local peer, Carmel College.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Higher Lane, St Helens, St. Helens, WA11 8NY |
| Headteacher | Ian Young |
| Local Authority | St. Helens |
| Number of Pupils | 1,675 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,675 / 1,650 (102% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Sept 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (15 Sept 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 Apr 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.03)
1460th of 3,141
Nationally
151st of 445
In North West
2nd of 9
In St. Helens
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
38.5
'22/23
31.4
'23/24
32.3
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2327%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 289 pupils).
- Sixth form college40%
- School sixth form (stay)27%
- FE college19%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment3%
94% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2361%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 98 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
18%
Russell Group
31%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)61%
- Employment16%
- Apprenticeship9%
- Not sustained9%
- Further education3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- History16
- Computer Studies / Computing13
- Mathematics11
- Religious Studies8
- English Language7
- Psychology7
- English Literature6
- Biology5
- Geography5
- Physics5
- Art and Design (Photography)4
- Government and Politics4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed263
682
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
323 families put this school as their 1st choice (47% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:15
Source: rainford.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British93.8%
- Mixed2.3%
- White (other)1.9%
- Asian0.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Rainford High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Higher Lane, St Helens
St. Helens, WA11 8NY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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