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...
WHAT. A. DAY! A huge congratulations to our incredible athletes who represented The Howard School at the District Athletics Championships! Our students produced one of our strongest performances in recent years, bringing home an amazing 4 GOLD MEDALS alongside countless silver medal finishes! Their outstanding performances meant that The Howard School finished an incredible 2nd OVERALL – a fantastic achievement that reflects the hard work, determination, resilience and teamwork shown by every single student. Well done to all of our athletes from Years 7–10 who competed with pride, gave everything they had, and represented our school brilliantly from start to finish. A special shout-out also goes to our amazing Sixth Form students, BB and LC, whose encouragement, coaching and support throughout the day helped inspire our younger athletes to perform at their very best. We're so proud of every single one of you. You truly did The Howard School proud!
More incredible work coming out of Year 8 Art! These talented artists have been creating some absolutely stunning portrait prints, and the results speak for themselves! We have a feeling there's one person who might be secretly hoping these masterpieces don't get collected just yet... Mrs W loves them so much that she's quite tempted to keep them all on display! Don't worry though... we think they'll be making their way home very soon! Huge well done to all of our Year 8 artists for producing such creative, high-quality work. We can't wait to see what you create next!
YOUR VOICE MATTERS AT THE HOWARD SCHOOL At The Howard School, we believe the best ideas often come from the people who know school life best... our students! That's why we're proud to support the Medway Youth Council's One Big Question initiative, giving young people the opportunity to share their thoughts, influence decisions and help shape the future of our community. Every couple of months, MYC asks one important question, listens carefully to hundreds of young people across Medway, shares the results, and then asks the next question. It's all about making sure young people's voices don't just get heard... they make a difference. Last time, hundreds of young people shared what would help them feel safer in Medway. Their responses highlighted the importance of: Feeling physically safe Having welcoming, safe spaces to go Feeling respected, included and accepted by others This time, the question is: "What does a safe space look like to you?" Take a look at the posters below, scan the QR code and let your voice be heard! Every response helps shape future conversations and supports positive change for young people across Medway. Because at The Howard School, we don't just listen to student voice... We act on it.
HISTORY STARS OF THE TERM! A huge congratulations to our incredible Historians of the Term from Years 7, 9 and 12! These students have been recognised for their fantastic achievement and outstanding effort in History this term. Whether it's producing exceptional work, showing brilliant curiosity, or giving 100% in every lesson, they should all be incredibly proud! Year 7 Attainment: G.D. Effort: A.W. Year 9 Attainment: O.K. Effort: I.F. Year 12 Attainment: W.H. Effort: A.B. Your hard work, enthusiasm and dedication have certainly not gone unnoticed. Keep asking questions, thinking like historians and striving for excellence! Well done to all of our winners!
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.