The building of homes in the Rainworth area began in the second half of the 19th century. By the 1920s, the area had become so popular with young families that a new school was needed.
The land occupied by the school was purchased from the farmer Robert Finnick in 1925. On July 2, 1928 the new school opened its doors to 238 students and five teachers.
The original timber building, still proudly in use today, housed eight classrooms. The oval was hand-cleared during the Depression by men doing relief work. Extensions were built as the school population grew: the two-storey brick building was erected in 1933-34, the preschool in 1975, D block in 1983 and the Multi-Purpose building in 1998. All of Rainworth's existing buildings were completely refurbished in the 1980s.
Throughout its history, the school has maintained a strong sense of community ownership. Prior to the school opening, local residents cleared most of the surrounding land. Until the late 1960s, parents mowed the oval with a domestic push mower. During World War II, parents and friends dug air raid trenches for the children.
This strong community involvement continues to this day - although, happily for today's parents, the school now has a full-time staff member who cares for the school grounds.
In 2003, Rainworth State School celebrated its 75th anniversary. To commemorate the event, a group of parents researched school records and interviewed past students and community members to produce a school history.