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...
... ! This is a VERY special one for us... We are absolutely bursting with pride to share that former Howard School student and Gillingham-born footballer has received his FIRST EVER call-up to the senior Scotland National Team! What. A. Journey. Luis joined the Tottenham Hotspur Academy at just SIX years old and progressed through the ranks before making the incredibly brave decision to leave England and begin his senior career in Canada with Montréal. There he worked under Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry before earning a move to Italian Serie A side Bologna! His career has since taken him across Europe, representing Como , Coventry City and now Danish giants Brøndby IF – where Luis hasn't just established himself... HE'S THE CAPTAIN! © And now comes another incredible milestone... . . . . Luis has today been named in Scotland's squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Slovenia, Switzerland and North Macedonia. From a young boy growing up in Gillingham and walking the corridors of The Howard School... to playing professional football in Canada, Italy, England and Denmark... captaining one of Scandinavia's biggest clubs... and now being selected to represent Scotland at senior international level. For our current Howard students, what an example of where talent, courage, hard work and ambition can take you. Luis described his Scotland selection today as a "dream come true". We couldn't be prouder to call him one of our own. Everyone at The Howard School sends Luis a MASSIVE congratulations on this incredible achievement. Go and smash it, Luis! From to the . Now THAT is something special.
BEACH PROFILES... FIELD SKETCHES... ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS... TRAFFIC COUNTS... ...AND EATING CHIPS!!! It's all part of GCSE Geography! Our Year 10 Geographers have been out of the classroom today putting their skills into practice as part of their GCSE fieldwork. From collecting data and analysing the local environment to observing traffic patterns and creating field sketches, our boys have been getting some fantastic hands-on experience! And, of course, no Geography fieldwork trip to the coast would be complete without some chips! A brilliant day of learning beyond the classroom!
GERMANY TRIP – DAY 2! Another brilliant day for our boys in Germany! We started the morning by heading into lessons at our partner school, Otto-Hahn-Schule, giving our students the chance to experience what a school day is like in Germany After lessons, our German friends wanted to show the boys one of their favourite places to grab lunch, so it was off to the nearby town of Hanau! Hanau also happens to be the birthplace of the famous Brothers Grimm – the storytellers behind some of the world's best-known fairy tales! Our boys had some time to explore the town and take in the sights before heading on to the evening's activity... LASER TAG! The perfect way to finish the day, with the British and German students battling it out, having plenty of laughs and, most importantly, continuing to build the friendships that this trip is all about! Two days in and already so many new experiences, memories and friendships! Bring on Day 3!
FRANKFURT – DAY 1! What an EPIC first day in Germany! A 3AM departure kicked off our adventure, before an early flight to Frankfurt and there was certainly no time for resting when we arrived! First up, we headed straight into the city for an Open Top Bus Tour, taking in the sights and sounds of Frankfurt and getting our first proper look at this incredible city! Then it was time to head UP... and we mean REALLY up! Our students climbed to the top of one of Frankfurt's tallest skyscrapers for some absolutely incredible panoramic views across the city. What a way to see Frankfurt! We finished off a VERY busy day with dinner at a traditional German restaurant high on a hill overlooking the city the perfect end to our first day! All of this is part of our UK-German partnership programme, giving our students the opportunity to experience a new culture, make new friends and create memories that will last long after they return home. 3AM start... flight... sightseeing... skyscrapers... German food... PHEW! What a Day 1! Now for some much-needed sleep... because there's plenty more Frankfurt fun to come tomorrow!
Where you can find us
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.