Rainford High School, St Helens

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades Rainford High School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils achieve well, with attainment at the end of key stage 4 in line with national averages."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have successfully improved the design of subject curriculums so that knowledge builds in a logical way."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a positive, inclusive culture that meets the diverse needs of pupils."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, including governors, have developed a culture of high expectations in this very large school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The personal development programme is carefully designed for each year group and ensures coverage of all statutory content."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Students follow a well-designed study programme."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff improve their delivery of the curriculum by making adjustments in response to how well pupils have understood their learning"; "Leaders should ensure greater consistency in the delivery of the reading curriculum so that pupils routinely engage in reading for pleasure"; "Leader, including governors, should ensure that the implementation and impact of strategic priorities are overseen consistently well so that issues affecting their delivery are addressed swiftly".

From the headteacher's welcome: "As Principal of Rainford High and CEO of the Everyone Matters Schools Trust. I am passionate about making Rainford High the best possible school for the young people who come here. This school is an inclusive and continually improving school, we are moving towards our goal of achieving excellence."

In 2026, pupils at Rainford High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.9 in St. Helens and 47 across England.

55% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in St. Helens and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 50.6.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.03: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 37.3, against 53.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.8 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Spanish and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 312 families put Rainford High School as their first choice and 609 named it as one of their preferences, for 258 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 56 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Rainford High School are Up Holland High School (3 miles, Attainment 8 50); Cowley International College (3.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.3); Lathom High School : A Technology College (3.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.6); and De La Salle School (3.7 miles, Attainment 8 43.2).

Rainford High School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Rainford High School is one of 4 schools run by Everyone Matters Schools Trust, an academy trust.

189 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Rainford High School (as of April 2026): 88% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).

Of the 289 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 119 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 49% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 27% into work. 6% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

15.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 306 pupils (18.6%) received SEN support and 170 (10.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Rainford Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rainford High School Internal Grounds (adjacent), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 16 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in St. Helens (144).

In 2024/25, Rainford High School issued 270 suspensions, 16.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Rainford High School are Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary School (0.1 miles), Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles), Rainford CofE Primary School (0.4 miles) and Crawford Village Primary School (1.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.