Rainford High School, St Helens
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Rainford High School does an excellent job of supporting all pupils, especially those who find learning challenging. Teachers use their subject expertise to explain concepts clearly and adapt lessons to meet individual needs. The school offers a wide range of activities to develop pupils' interests and talents, and has a particularly strong careers programme that helps pupils make informed decisions about their future.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well overall, with particular progress for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
- Behaviour is typically positive with a calm and orderly atmosphere throughout the school
- Well-designed curriculum that builds knowledge logically, taught effectively by teachers with secure subject knowledge
- Effective support for pupils who find reading difficult through phonics programmes and interventions
- Strong careers education programme that raises pupils' aspirations and prepares them well for next steps
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistency in checking pupils' learning and adapting activities across some subjects and key stages
- Leaders lack clarity about connecting information on attendance, reading ability and engagement to remove barriers for vulnerable pupils
- Some groups, particularly pupils with SEND, participate less frequently in enrichment activities
- Monitoring of some improvement strategies could be more rigorous to measure impact effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips, lunchtime and after-school clubs, art, music, basketball, football, debating society, reading groups, sixth-form congress, careers fairs, employer visits, girls in science technology and engineering events
Rainford High School is a very large secondary school where pupils achieve in line with national averages, with improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. The school has established a positive, inclusive culture with high expectations for behaviour and attendance.
At a Glance
16.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
23.0
Avg class size
70
Total classes
20 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Over capacity
1,646 pupils
1,650 capacity
4 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - St Helens
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for St Helens
Admissions Demand - St. Helens
Places available
2,109
Applications
1,879
Got 1st preference
96.9%
Got preferred school
99.5%
Secondary admissions across St. Helens (2025/26)
Inspection History(4)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.49975%
Overall absence
16.64439%
Persistent absence
1,496
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Rainford High School
Nearby Schools
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