Rainford High School
St Helens, WA11 8NY · St. Helens · secondary school
Check the area around this school
2nd of 9 secondary schools in St. Helens we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 800 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.9/10 among them, against 6.5/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 16 | 35% | 0.55 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 55.1 · 74 | 30% | 2.20 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.03 · 52 | 25% | 1.31 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 50.2 · 71 | 10% | 0.71 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Rainford High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 56.2% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 50.6, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.03 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly better than those nationally starting from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.1 out of 10 among them, against 6.7 out of 10 nationally. Ofsted inspected the school in January 2026 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join the Duke of Edinburgh award and visit Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, and Lille.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,646 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,650. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores relative to the national median? What specific support is available for students aiming to raise their Attainment 8? How does the new Ofsted framework affect current teaching priorities?
What Ofsted said about Rainford High School
Overview
Rainford High School is a large, welcoming community where pupils feel safe and are keen to learn. The report describes a school where leaders have established a culture of high expectations, resulting in positive behaviour and regular attendance. Pupils achieve well overall, with particular progress noted for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Strengths
- Pupils achieve well, with attainment at the end of key stage 4 in line with national averages, and gaps for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are narrowing.
- Behaviour is typically positive, contributing to a "calm and orderly atmosphere," with bullying being uncommon and resolved quickly.
- The curriculum is designed so that "knowledge builds in a logical way," and teachers use secure subject knowledge to explain concepts clearly.
- A "positive, inclusive culture" meets diverse pupil needs, supported by well-established systems for identifying vulnerabilities and strong multi-agency partnerships.
- The careers programme is "highly effective," providing timely, bespoke guidance that broadens pupils’ aspirations and prepares them well for next steps.
Areas to improve
- Staff should improve curriculum delivery by making adjustments in response to how well pupils have understood their learning, as this is not yet consistent across all subjects.
- Leaders should ensure greater consistency in the delivery of the reading curriculum so that pupils routinely engage in reading for pleasure.
- Leaders and governors should ensure that the implementation and impact of strategic priorities are overseen consistently well, as monitoring is sometimes not rigorous enough.
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 47.8 |
| 2024/25 | 50.6 |
| 2025/26 | 50.2 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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