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Academy converter · St. Helens

Rainford High School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,646Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 144327URN

Higher Lane, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 8NY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.4per place
0.3 above St. Helens median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in St. Helens

609 applications for 258 places · 2nd of 8 in St. Helens
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
50.2of 90
2nd of 8 in St. Helens
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 13 January 2026Published 28 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 13 January 2026
    Report card · 7 Expected standard
  2. 15 September 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
2.4applications per place, Year 7
0.3 above St. Helens median (2.1) close to England median (2.2)

609 applications · 258 places offered · 312 named it first

  1. 2026 2.4; St. Helens median median 2.1
  2. 2025 2.6; St. Helens median median 2.2
  3. 2024 2.3; St. Helens median median 1.9
  4. 2023 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.8
  5. 2022 2.3; St. Helens median median 1.7
  6. 2021 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.9
  7. 2020 2.2; St. Helens median median 2.0
  8. 2019 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.9
  9. 2018 2.1; St. Helens median median 1.9
  10. 2017 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.5; as the previous school
  11. 2016 2.3; St. Helens median median 1.5; as the previous school
  12. 2015 2.0; St. Helens median median 1.6; as the previous school
  13. 2014 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.6; as the previous school
More applications per place than the St. Helens median in 9 of 9 years.
  • This school
  • St. Helens median

Dashed bars: as Rainford High Technology College (URN 104826), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262586092.43121.21
Sep 20252636822.63231.23
Sep 20242706262.33201.19
Sep 20232756172.23401.24
Sep 20222676032.33221.21
Sep 20212836132.22851.01
Sep 20202786152.22911.05
Sep 20192886212.23431.19
Sep 20182855882.13181.12
Sep 2017 *2846372.23491.23
Sep 2016 *2686222.33351.25
Sep 2015 *2655192.02751.04
Sep 2014 *2705211.92931.09

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

287 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)50.22nd of 8 in St. Helens
Grade 5 or above in English and maths55%1st of 8 in St. Helens
Grade 4 or above in English and maths76%
  • This school
  • St. Helens median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.03
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)28750.255%76%–
2024/2528350.656%78%–
2023/2428947.848%72%+0.03
2022/2328850.453%77%+0.03

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
144327 · 342/4050
Trust
Everyone Matters Schools Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,650 pupils · 1,646 on roll
Free school meals
16.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2017
Replaced
Rainford High Technology College (URN 104826)
Address
Higher Lane, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 8NY
Local authority
St. Helens

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources