Best Secondary Schools in St. Helens 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 9 schools across St. Helens. Updated with 2025–26 data.

St. Helens has 9 open secondary schools. On our composite Schools Near Me score, Rainford High School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in St. Helens follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

9
Total schools
0
Outstanding (historic grade)
0%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
62.7%
Avg KS2 SATs
30.1
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Rainford High School
Secondary
 Good 66 View school
🥈 De La Salle School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 60 View school
🥉 Rainhill High School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
4. The Sutton Academy
Secondary
 Good 56 View school
5. Cowley International College
Secondary
 Good 52 View school
6. St Cuthbert's Catholic High School
Secondary
 Good 45 View school
7. Hope Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 42 View school
8. St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 41 View school
9. Outwood Academy Haydock
Secondary
 Inadequate 39 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for St. Helens

Best primary schools in St. HelensTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in St. HelensTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in St. HelensPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in St. HelensReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in KnowsleyCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WiganCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WarringtonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HaltonCompare neighbouring authority

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in St. Helens?
There are 9 open secondary schools in St. Helens (closed schools are excluded). 0 of the 9 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in St. Helens?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in St. Helens is Rainford High School. The full ranked table above lists the top 9 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in St. Helens?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in St. Helens?
Primary and secondary applications in St. Helens are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the St. Helens council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.