Liverpool Football Club Academy
Celebrating a Decade of Partnership: Rainhill High School and Liverpool Football Club Academy
Over the past decade, Rainhill High School has been proud to partner with Liverpool Football Club Academy, marking a golden era in our shared history. This collaboration has not only enriched the lives of many young athletes but also solidified our commitment to excellence in education and sports.
A Legacy of Success
Throughout this partnership, Rainhill High School has been instrumental in nurturing the talents of eight first-team players for Liverpool FC, including luminaries like Raheem Sterling, Jerome Sinclair, Jordan Ibe, Sheyi Ojo, Ben Woodburn, Curtis Jones, Rafa Camacho, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Our halls have also been graced by the U17 World Cup and Golden Boot winner, Rhian Brewster, further testament to the calibre of students this program has produced.
Educational Excellence on and off the Pitch
Our school has been a beacon of academic and sporting excellence, providing comprehensive education for LFC Academy players aged 11 to 16, alongside Post 16 education for the U18 squad. In a groundbreaking move, September 2018 saw the integration of the Liverpool FC Ladies U18s into our Sixth Form, blending rigorous academic pursuits with elite sports training.
We've ensured our athletes don't miss a step in their education while on international duty, coordinating with FA staff across the home nations and facilitating GCSE exams abroad when necessary. Our commitment to excellence is mirrored in the classroom and on the field, expecting nothing but the best from our students.
A Foundation for the Future
Our Liverpool FC students have consistently excelled in their examinations, pursuing a broad curriculum that includes a robust selection of GCSEs and Post 16 options tailored to their strengths and aspirations. This holistic educational approach has paved the way for many to further their studies in prestigious universities both in the UK and the US, regardless of their footballing future.
Pastoral Care and Integration
The pastoral care at Rainhill High has been a cornerstone of our program, ensuring each student athlete receives the support needed to thrive academically and personally. Our dedicated staff have bridged communication between the club, home, and school, providing a safety net for those whose path may diverge from professional football.
A New Chapter
As we turn the page on this remarkable chapter with Liverpool Football Club Academy, we look forward to embarking on a similar journey of ambition and shared dreams with Robbie Fowler's FEFA Academy. This new partnership promises to continue our tradition of fostering young talent, both in education and in football.
An Everlasting Impact
The legacy of our partnership with Liverpool Football Club Academy will forever be a part of Rainhill High School's proud history. It stands as a testament to what can be achieved when education and sport unite in pursuit of excellence. We cherish the memories, achievements, and unbreakable bonds formed over the years and anticipate creating new ones as we move forward.
Here's to celebrating the past and embracing the future with the same spirit of dedication, excellence, and community that has always defined us.
The school provides education for the best of the LFC Academy players aged 11 to 16. In addition, it provides Post 16 education for all of the U18s. In September 2018, the first of the Liverpool FC Ladies U18s arrived at Rainhill. By September 2019, the entire squad will be educated in the Sixth Form, as well as completing all their training on site.
Many of the Liverpool Academy players are also schoolboy internationals. We work closely with the FA staff from all the home nations to ensure that they do not fall behind in their education whilst on International Duty. In the past, we have enabled our students to sit GCSE qualifications abroad due to European Championships. We expect the best of them in our classrooms as their coaches do on their pitch.
Examinations
All our Liverpool FC students have always followed a full diet of GCSEs. They all take:
- English Language
- English Literature
- Mathematics
- Trilogy Science Biology, Chemistry and Physics – worth 2 GCSEs
- History or Geography, or a Language
- Plus 3 other GCSEs
Over many years, their examination results have been excellent. Post 16 Liverpool FC students can study A Levels or BTEC Level 3 courses or a combination of both according to ability and aptitude. Those needing to improve their GCSE English and Maths results do so.
Pastoral Care
The school provides excellent pastoral care for all of its students. A member of Rainhill staff is there to manage the pastoral and academic pressures of life as a Liverpool Academy Player here at Rainhill High. This link tutor is responsible for the communication between club, home and school – an integral part of supporting these young people to achieve in the classroom and on the pitch. If a scholarship opportunity isn’t offered by the club, we as a school support them regardless of this decision. This includes helping to create time to go to trials at other clubs. If a football career is not possible, the quality of GCSE, BTEC or A Level grades has helped many to progress to university in Britain or the United States. Liverpool FC has an excellent track record in providing on-going pastoral and careers help long after they have released a player.
Integration into school life
All Liverpool FC students are fully integrated into life at Rainhill.
They are in normal lessons virtually all the time. They have friends who are not footballers and are completely mixed in. We treat them no differently from any other student. This includes prizes and rewards for excellent school work, trips and visits; as well as punishments e.g. detentions if needed. For us, it is important that the Liverpool FC students have as normal a teenage life as possible.
Progression
We know the ambition of every Liverpool Academy player is to make a career playing for the 1st XI at Anfield. We know the chances of playing regularly at Anfield for the 1st Team are slim. We will back these students to follow their dream.
If this does not work out, we are there for the students regardless. This includes helping to create time to go to trials at other clubs. If a football career is not possible, the quality of GCSE, BTEC or A Level grades has helped many to progress to university in Britain or the United States. Liverpool FC has an excellent track record in providing on-going pastoral and careers help long after they have released a player.
Attendance
Any absence from school is decided and authorised by the Headteacher. Any work missed has to be completed on time to the same quality we would expect from every student.
Admissions
Admissions of Liverpool FC students are managed separately and in addition to the available places for local children. The number of places under normal admissions arrangements are not affected by this partnership. St Helens Council provides the administration for our admissions.