The Howard School, Gillingham

Ofsted's report card from its 24 February 2026 inspection grades The Howard School on 7 areas: 1 exceptional, 4 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Exceptional. "Teachers are experts in delivering the transformational personal development programme."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a culture where attendance is everyone's business."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have planned an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that supports pupils to build securely on what they have already learned."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders identify the needs of pupils quickly and accurately."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas that need further work."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils at the end of Year 11 achieve broadly in line with national published outcomes."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "The curriculum in the sixth form is well sequenced and designed to meet students' needs."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should embed changes to the sixth-form curriculum, enabling all students to achieve consistently high outcomes".

From the headteacher's welcome: "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."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cricket, tennis, basketball, drama, chess, coding, Lego and STEM.

Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 5pm. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at The Howard School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.3, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.3 in Medway and 47 across England.

36% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Medway and 47% in England.

That is up from 45.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.24: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 44.7, against 47.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 3.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 229 families put The Howard School as their first choice and 523 named it as one of their preferences, for 243 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 19 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Howard School are Rainham School for Girls (under 0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.8); Rainham Mark Grammar School (0.5 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 63.1); Leigh Academy Rainham (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.5); and The Robert Napier School (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 30.2).

The Howard School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

The Howard School is one of 9 schools run by The Howard Academy Trust, an academy trust.

329 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Howard School (as of April 2026): 95% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 87% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (87%).

Of the 258 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

Of the 129 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 35% went on to university or other higher education, 12% to apprenticeships and 35% into work. 3% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

In 2026, 195 pupils (13.3%) received SEN support and 27 (1.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Rainham (Kent) Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bloors Lane (opposite), 340 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 160 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Medway (250).

In 2024/25, The Howard School issued 103 suspensions, 6.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Howard School are St Margaret's Infant School (0.5 miles), St Margaret's Church of England Junior School (0.5 miles), Thames View Primary School (0.6 miles) and St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.