Rainhill High School Catchment Area
Rainhill High School is an academy converter secondary school in Prescot, St. Helens , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1810 pupils, and a capacity of 1550 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
11-18
Age range
1,810
Pupils
1,550
Capacity
117%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
Rainhill High School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Rainhill High School?
The catchment area for Rainhill High School is the geographic zone St. Helens uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. St. Helens publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, Rainhill High School sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with St. Helens. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when St. Helens publishes the 2027 Rainhill High School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by St. Helens before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find St. Helens catchment area documents →Rainhill High School: heavily oversubscribed at 117% capacity
Rainhill High School has a published admission number of 1550 places. 1810 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 117%. At 117% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. St. Helens allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 15.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Prescot.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
St. Helens publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find St. Helens school admissions →
Rainhill High School: School Information
- Full address
- Warrington Road, Rainhill, Prescot, L35 6NY
- Local authority
- St. Helens
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 15.5% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 144326
Other Secondary Schools in Prescot
If Rainhill High School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Prescot are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Rainhill High School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Rainhill High School
What is the catchment area for Rainhill High School? ▾
The catchment area for Rainhill High School is the geographic zone St. Helens uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. St. Helens publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Rainhill High School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Rainhill High School currently has 1810 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 1550 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Rainhill High School? ▾
Admission to Rainhill High School is managed by St. Helens. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Rainhill High School cover? ▾
Rainhill High School is a secondary school in Prescot, St. Helens, serving pupils aged 11-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Rainhill High School? ▾
Rainhill High School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.