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...
AND THE CHAMPIONS ARE...!! WHAT. A. DAY!! After an unforgettable Festival of Sport 2026, the final results are in... and what a battle it has been! HOUSE POINTS & REWARDS CHAMPIONS – TURING HOUSE! FESTIVAL OF SPORT CHAMPIONS – PANKHURST HOUSE! THE PRESTIGIOUS LAUREL CUP WINNERS 2026... ATTENBOROUGH HOUSE! An absolutely HUGE congratulations to all three winning Houses! Your teamwork , determination , resilience and incredible House spirit throughout the year have been nothing short of outstanding! A special shout out to the amazing students pictured here, proudly representing their Houses as they collected their trophies from our Principal, Mr Johal. What a moment to remember! But today wasn't just about lifting trophies... It was about every sprint , every jump , every throw , every tackle , every laugh , every cheer and every student giving their absolute best for their House. That's what makes The Howard School so special. Congratulations to Attenborough , Hawking , Pankhurst , Tull and Turing for making this year's Festival of Sport one of the BEST yet! Until next year... who's ready to challenge for the trophies in Festival of Sport 2027?!
WHAT. A. DAY. WHAT. A. FESTIVAL! WOW! What an absolutely incredible Festival of Sport 2026 we've had at The Howard School! Throughout the day, you've seen our socials filled with podium finishes , champions and House victories ... but today was about so much more than medals. Giant inflatables Team sports Track & field events Throws & jumps Music pumping all day BBQ treats Ice cream in the sunshine Laughter, smiles and unforgettable memories! Most importantly, today was about coming together as a school community, representing our Houses with pride, encouraging one another, giving everything a go and making memories that will last long after the final whistle. A MASSIVE well done to every single student who took part today. Whether you were standing on the podium, cheering on your friends, competing for your House or simply throwing yourself into every activity, you made today truly special. And finally... THANK YOU to our incredible staff! From setting up before the sun came up to running events, refereeing, cooking on the BBQ , organising activities and keeping the energy high all day long, Festival of Sport 2026 simply wouldn't have happened without you. Here's just a small selection of some of the amazing moments captured across our school today... What. A. Day.
EXCEPTIONAL. OFFICIALLY. Today we're incredibly proud to share this special letter from His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver, recognising The Howard School's Exceptional Ofsted judgement. This isn't just a certificate... it's recognition that our school is among the very best. To our amazing staff – thank you for your passion, commitment and belief in every young person. To our fantastic students – your hard work, kindness, resilience and ambition are what make our school so special. To our supportive parents and carers – thank you for trusting us, encouraging your children and working alongside us every step of the way. This achievement belongs to every single one of you. Being recognised as Exceptional means creating life-changing opportunities, breaking down barriers, maintaining the very highest standards and making a genuine difference to young people's lives every single day. We're proud of what we've achieved together... but we're even more excited about what comes next! Thank you for being part of the Howard family.
YEAR 7 100M JOINT CHAMPIONS! You couldn't separate them... it was THAT close! A HUGE congratulations to MA representing Tull House and JO representing Attenborough House, who crossed the finish line together to be crowned Joint 100m Champions! What an incredible race! Both athletes showed outstanding speed, determination and grit, earning HUGE House points and sharing the top spot in a thrilling finish! Moments like this are what the Festival of Sport is all about – fierce competition, fantastic sportsmanship and unforgettable memories! Congratulations, MA and JO! You were both AMAZING!
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.