Rock Ferry opened in the 1920s and was a boy's grammar school originally until it became a boys comprehensive school, girls started to join in 1985, initially in the sixth form due to the relative strength of the teaching at sixth form level and later girls entered at lower school level.

On 13 April 2011, over 100 pupils aging 12–16 from RFHS began to protest over teachers redundancies and the merger with Park High School in central Birkenhead, it ended with police having to step in but there were no serious incidents apart from a few arguments.

[2] Campaigners set up a group to demand the protection of the site, in particular the Art Deco-influenced main school building.

[3][4] In September 2015 the council agreed to modify its plans for the site, with the Grade II listed Ravenswood building being retained and refurbished by the council and the school playing fields being retained for community use.

The rest of the school site is expected to be redeveloped for housing.