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...
📸🖤🤍 PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH IS BACK! 🤍🖤📸 Think you've got an eye for the perfect shot? 👀📷 This month's theme is... 🔥 BLACK & WHITE 🔥 Forget the colour 🌈 we want to see what you can create using light 💡, shadows 🌑, shapes 🔲, textures 🪨, reflections 🪞, people 👤, nature 🌳 and EVERYTHING in between! 🤩📸 Get creative 📱 Grab your phone or camera 👀 Look for something different 📸 Take your best shot 🏆 And get it entered! Your photograph could be selected as our 📸 PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH and featured on our social media 📲 AND in the school newsletter! 🌟🙌 📅 DEADLINE: 22ND NOVEMBER 📧 Send your photo as a JPEG to: bartyj@thehowardschool.co.uk 🏆📸 Could YOUR photo be the one that catches our eye? 👀🔥 🖤🤍 NO COLOUR. JUST CREATIVITY. 🤍🖤
📸🏆🍂 PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH! 🍂🏆📸 👏👏 A HUGE congratulations to JT in Year 9, our October Photographer of the Month! 🎉🥳📷 This month's theme was AUTUMN 🍁🍂🌰 and JT absolutely nailed it! 🔥🙌 📸 Mr Day selected this brilliant shot as the winning entry, loving the warm autumn colours 🍁🧡, the fallen leaves 🍂 and those shiny conkers 🌰! The colours 🌈, textures 🍃 and tiny details 🔍 capture everything we love about this time of year! 🍂🍁📷 🏅📸 A fantastic photograph and a very worthy winner! 👏 Well done, JT! 👏 Keep snapping 📷, keep experimenting 🎨 and keep getting creative! 🤩🔥 👀 Who will take the crown next month?! 👑📸 Could it be YOU? 🫵😎 📷🔥🍂🏆👏🌰🍁
🚨 YEAR 11... WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! 🚨 Sixth Form? 🎓 College? 📚 Apprenticeship? 🛠 Not quite sure yet? 🤔 There are LOTS of decisions coming up over the next few months and the Kent & Medway Careers Hub is running a FREE session to help you and your parents/carers make sense of it all! 🙌💡 📅 Wednesday 11th November 6.00pm 🎙 Online podcast-style session 💷 Completely FREE! They'll be covering 👇 🎓 The different Post-16 options available across Kent & Medway 🔍 How to use KentChoices to find courses and providers 📚 Revision timetables, techniques and exam preparation 🧠 Looking after your wellbeing during Year 11 📈 Predicted grades and entry requirements 📝 Why applying to more than one place can be a VERY good idea! 📅 The key dates and deadlines you really don't want to miss 🙋 PLUS a live Q&A to get your questions answered! Year 11 is a BIG year but you definitely don't have to figure everything out on your own! 💪💜 👨👩👦 Show this to your parent/carer tonight and get them involved too! 📱 Scan the QR code on the poster to BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE! 🚀 Your next chapter is coming... make sure you know your options! 🎓
SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING TOMORROW! Join us for our Sixth Form Open Evening at The Howard School on Wednesday 4th November, 5pm–7.30pm, to find out more about our Sixth Form and the amazing opportunities available. Come along to: 📝 Explore our A-level and vocational courses 👩🏫 Meet our teachers and Sixth Form students 📣 Hear from Principal Mr Johal 👀 Tour our Sixth Form facilities 💼 Find out more about life beyond the classroom Whether you know exactly what you want to study or are still considering your options, come along and discover what The Howard School Sixth Form has to offer. 📆 Wednesday 4 November | 5pm–7.30pm 📍 The Howard School, Derwent Way, Rainham, ME8 0BX Book your place on our Principal's Talks (5pm and 6pm) via our website.
Where you can find us
Sixth Form Open Evening
4th November 2026
Join us on Wednesday 4th November 2026, 5pm-7:30pm for our Sixth Form Open Evening!
- Hear from our Principal, Mr. Johal, as he shares insights into our Sixth Form’s vision, ethos, and the unique opportunities we offer.
- Chat with our Sixth Form students, who are ready to share their experiences. They’ll give you a genuine look into life at The Howard School, from A-levels and BTECs to our supportive community and diverse extracurricular activities.
- Visit our classrooms, meet our dedicated teachers, and learn about the wide range of A-level and vocational courses we offer. Whether you’re interested in the sciences, humanities, arts, or business, see how we support every student’s unique goals and learning styles.
- Take a tour of our state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced science labs, modern IT suites, creative arts studios, and dedicated Sixth Form spaces designed for independent and collaborative study.
You can find out more about our Sixth Form here.
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.