The Rowans, Chatham

Ofsted's report card from its 9 December 2025 inspection grades The Rowans on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders prioritise and celebrate attendance at school."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have a detailed understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Staff at The Rowans are committed to changing the future life chances of all pupils who attend the school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have embedded a clear, shared vision for the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's relationship, sex and health education curriculum is well planned."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain the effectiveness of their work in all areas. They should seek continued improvement, overcoming barriers and challenges, in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils. This includes disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing".

In its own words: "At The Rowans AP Academy, we believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of the challenges they may have faced. Through a trauma-informed approach, positive relationships, and our core values of Kindness, Commitment and Resilience, we support pupils to re-engage with education, develop confidence and take positive steps towards a successful future."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I am proud and honoured to be Principal of The Rowans, a provision where every stakeholder works together with enthusiasm and purpose to ensure success for all. The Rowans AP Academy is a provision which enables young people to change the direction of their lives."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include STEM, cooking and gardening.

Across Medway, 80% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Medway lodged 534 appeals against secondary school offers; 489 reached a hearing and 135 succeeded (27.6% of those heard).

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Rowans are PGW Partnership of Greenacre and Walderslade (0.3 miles); Walderslade School (0.3 miles, Attainment 8 29.2); Greenacre School (0.4 miles, Attainment 8 29.4); and Holcombe Grammar School (0.8 miles, Good, selective, Attainment 8 59.8).

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

31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Rowans (as of April 2026): 84% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 43% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (84%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (43%).

Of the 9 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 56% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 56% to a further education college.

77.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 1.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%) and Mixed (13%).

In 2026, 15 pupils (27.8%) received SEN support and 39 (72.2%) 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 Rowans has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 89 places, 89 pupils on roll.

The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Malta Avenue (adjacent), 70 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Rowans stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

The primary schools closest to The Rowans are Wayfield Primary School (0.3 miles), Maundene School (0.4 miles), St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School (0.5 miles) and Oaklands School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.