Academy converter · St. Helens

Rainford CofE Primary School

4–11Ages
230Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
148365URN

Cross Pit Lane, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 8AJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMay 2012

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.2 above St. Helens median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in St. Helens

71 applications for 30 places · 17th of 49 in St. Helens

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%met the expected standard

St. Helens 62% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMay 2012

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

Inspection history

28 September 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
10 May 2012
Graded inspection: Good · as Rainford CofE Primary School, URN 104790

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, Reception

0.2 above St. Helens median (2.1) close to England median (2.2)

71 applications · 30 places offered · 40 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.4; St. Helens median median 2.1
2025 2.1; St. Helens median median 2.0
2024 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.8
2023 2.2; St. Helens median median 1.9
2022 1.8; St. Helens median median 1.9
2021 2.5; St. Helens median median 1.6; as the previous school
2020 2.4; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
2019 2.0; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school
2018 1.7; St. Helens median median 1.8; as the previous school
2017 1.6; St. Helens median median 1.8; as the previous school
2016 1.7; St. Helens median median 2.0; as the previous school
2015 2.0; St. Helens median median 2.0; as the previous school
2014 1.9; St. Helens median median 1.9; as the previous school

More applications per place than the St. Helens median in 4 of 5 years.

This school
St. Helens median

Dashed bars: as Rainford CofE Primary School (URN 104790), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	30	71	2.4	40	1.33
Sep 2025	30	62	2.1	26	0.87
Sep 2024	20	38	1.9	20	1.00
Sep 2023	20	43	2.2	20	1.00
Sep 2022	27	49	1.8	26	0.96
Sep 2021 *	20	49	2.5	16	0.80
Sep 2020 *	21	51	2.4	21	1.00
Sep 2019 *	26	53	2.0	26	1.00
Sep 2018 *	40	69	1.7	35	0.88
Sep 2017 *	37	60	1.6	34	0.92
Sep 2016 *	41	68	1.7	35	0.85
Sep 2015 *	32	63	2.0	31	0.97
Sep 2014 *	27	51	1.9	26	0.96

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 77% · Writing 81% · Maths 70% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%17th of 52 in St. Helens

St. Helens 62% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard77%

St. Helens 76% England 78%

Higher standard44%

St. Helens 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard81%

St. Helens 76% England 75%

Greater depth14%

St. Helens 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard70%

St. Helens 75% England 77%

Higher standard28%

St. Helens 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
St. Helens median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	70%	9%	107	104
2023/24	64%	10%	107	104
2022/23	59%	7%	104	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

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

Rainford CofE Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School
0.5 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2023

3.9applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Rainford Brook Lodge Community Primary School
0.6 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2022

2.2applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Crawford Village Primary School
3.2 km · Lancashire

Remains Outstanding2022

2.8applications per place 92%met the SATs standard
Little Digmoor Primary School
4.1 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.6applications per place 32%met the SATs standard
Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School
4.4 km · Lancashire

Not yet inspected

2.4applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
4.4 km · St. Helens

Remains Good2024

2.9applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Bleak Hill Primary School
4.5 km · St. Helens

Outstanding2024

2.1applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School
4.6 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 7%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 148365 · 342/3205
Trust: Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 315 pupils · 230 on roll
Free school meals: 10.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 March 2021
Replaced: Rainford CofE Primary School (URN 104790)
Address: Cross Pit Lane, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 8AJ
Local authority: St. Helens

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources