Welcome to The Howard School
Thank you for your interest in The Howard School at what I think is a very exciting time to be part of the school’s community. As part of The Howard Academy Trust, we are committed to a shared moral purpose; to make a positive difference to the lives of the young people in our community.
High Standards lead to High Achievement
The Howard School is a highly inclusive school community where every individual matters. High levels of discipline ensure everyone is expected to work hard and make a positive contribution to the learning environment. The school has been recognised as a Rights Respecting School at Gold Level by UNICEF, the only secondary school in Kent or Medway to receive such an award.
An "Exceptional" Rated School
"Pupils feel happy and safe. They are proud to be part of The Howard School community."
"Teaching is highly effective across the curriculum. Teachers are experts in their subjects."
- Ofsted, 2026
Our Curriculum
We endeavour to enhance the life chances of our young people by maximising their educational achievement. Our local and national reputation is one that continues to grow. The curriculum that we offer ensures all our students receive a solid academic education alongside a wide range of opportunities for personal development.
Ethos & Values
At The Howard School we aspire for all our students to gain the academic results and personal skills to make a positive contribution to society, both now and in the future.
House Points
Latest News
26/06/18 14:20:0818 Jun 2026
The Howard School receives the first Exceptional Ofsted Grading for a secondary school in Kent
The Howard School is today celebrating a monumental Ofsted result, having secured the first ‘Exceptional...
26/04/08 00:00:008 Apr 2026
The Howard School Welcomes Minister Sarah Jones to Discuss Knife Crime Prevention
The Howard School was proud to welcome Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire Sarah Jones MP and local...
25/12/19 00:00:0019 Dec 2025
Charity Drive
A MASSIVE festive THANK YOU to our incredible parents and carers! We have been absolutely blown away by the generos...
25/11/14 00:00:0014 Nov 2025
Real World Maths in Action
Today our Year 9 students took part in a special workshop exploring maths in everyday life, with a particular focus on t...
HUGE congratulations to some of our amazing Year 8 students who absolutely smashed today's Escape Room challenge! Working together, thinking creatively and staying calm under pressure, they cracked the clues, solved the puzzles and escaped in style! A massive thank you to our good friends at the Medway Youth Service for delivering another fantastic experience for our students. We always love working with you! Well done, everyone – you did The Howard School proud!
HUGE congratulations to two of our very own superstars... Mrs. D'Amiral and Ms. Martin! At the weekend, they swapped the classroom for the competition floor as they represented their cheer team, MCDA, at the K2 Arena in Crawley... and came away with an incredible SECOND PLACE! What an amazing achievement after all the hard work, dedication and training that goes into competing at such a high level. We love celebrating the successes of our students, but it's just as special to celebrate our amazing staff too. They really do lead by example and show that with passion, commitment and teamwork, great things can happen! A massive well done to both of you – we're all so proud!
We think it's time for a name change... Mr Cooper? More like Mr Forrest Cooper! A HUGE congratulations to Mr Cooper, who this weekend completed an absolutely mind-blowing 100-MILE ULTRA MARATHON! Setting off at 6:00pm on Friday evening, he ran 50 miles along the coast to Deal before turning around and running all the way back home again! That's... 100 miles Nearly 23 hours One incredible challenge! He had an amazing support team cheering him on throughout the journey, with fellow Howard teacher Mr Halsey joining him for the final 25km to help bring him home. Safe to say he's feeling the effects today... But every single step was worth it as he raised money for a fantastic cause. What an incredible example of determination, resilience and never giving up. We're so proud of you, Mr Cooper! https://www.justgiving.com/page/jon-cooper-3#sharePage
Huge congratulations to JT in Year 8! What an incredible achievement! JT has been awarded the End of Year Technical Progress Award for violin by the Medway Music Association School – a fantastic recognition of his hard work, dedication and talent! As if that wasn't enough, he has also been promoted to Junior Mentor from September! JT has been playing the violin, fife and ukulele with Medway Music for the past four years and performs in three concerts every year. His commitment, passion and perseverance are truly inspiring! We're incredibly proud to celebrate our students' achievements both inside and outside of school, and this is a brilliant example of what can be achieved through dedication and determination. A huge well done, JT – what a fantastic achievement! We can't wait to see what you accomplish next!
Where you can find us
Year 6 Induction Day
Thursday 2nd July, 9:15am – 2:15pm & Parents ONLY Induction Evening – Thursday 9th July 2026
Year 6 Transition Day – Thursday 2nd July, 9:15am – 2:15pm
We are really looking forward to welcoming all of our new Year 7 students for their Transition Day on Thursday 2nd July.
Arrival:
Students should arrive at the Main Derwent Way gate by 9:15am, where they will be greeted by staff.
What to bring:
Primary school uniform
A full pencil case
A packed lunch
A refillable water bottle
Collection:
Parents/carers can collect their child from the Main Derwent Way entrance at 2:15pm.
Important note:
Derwent Way can become very congested at drop-off and collection times. We kindly ask parents/carers to park considerately and not attempt to drive onto the school site.
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Parents ONLY Induction Evening – Thursday 9th July 2026
We are pleased to invite parents/carers only to The Howard School for our Year 6 Induction Evening. This is a valuable opportunity to meet the Pastoral Teams and learn more about the support available as your child transitions into Year 7.
Our SENCO will also be available throughout the evening to answer any specific queries.
To help manage numbers, we have allocated set times based on your child’s surname:
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6:00pm – Surnames A to I
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6:30pm – Surnames J to Z
On arrival at the school, you will be welcomed by student ambassadors who will direct you to parking and guide you to the main hall for the opening presentation.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing how we will support your child’s journey into secondary school.
Open Events
1st & 3rd October
Are you considering sending your child to The Howard School in September 2027? Join us at our Open Events for a chance to take a look around our school!
Open Evening
Date: Thursday 1st October 2026
Time: 4:30pm - 7pm. Bookable Principal Talks at 4:45pm and 5:30pm
Open Morning
Date: Saturday 3rd October 2026
Time: 10am - 12pm. Bookable Principal Talks at 10am and 10:45am
What to Expect:
- Tour our school grounds, and get a taste of the fantastic facilities we have on site
- Speak to our staff and students to hear about life at The Howard School
- Visit our classrooms to learn more about our exciting curriculum
- Hear from Mr Johal, our Principal, at a number of bookable talks
- Come and see our ‘Exceptional’ education for yourselves!
The Howard Ofsted Result
The first ‘Exceptional’ criteria grading for a secondary school in Kent
We are proud to share that The Howard School is celebrating a monumental Ofsted result, having secured the first ‘Exceptional’ criteria grading for a secondary school in Kent, under the new Ofsted framework.
This result comes amidst an overwhelmingly positive Ofsted inspection, which also sees the school receiving four ‘Strong Standard’ and two ‘Expected Standard’ judgements.
Inspectors judged Personal Development and Wellbeing to be ‘Exceptional’, a grade reserved for practice that is among the very best in the country. Inspectors found that the school’s work to support pupils’ mental health, character, and spiritual growth has a "transformational” impact, particularly for its most vulnerable learners.