The Howard SchoolLeigh Academy Rainham
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Gillingham.
Summary of the comparison
The Howard School and Leigh Academy Rainham are secondary schools in Gillingham.
The Howard School scores 62 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Leigh Academy Rainham scores 59 out of 100 (grade C, average). The Howard School is ahead on our composite score.
The Howard School was judged strong and Leigh Academy Rainham was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 47.3 for The Howard School and 44.5 for Leigh Academy Rainham.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at The Howard School (43.0 in 2021-22, 47.3 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | GillinghamThe Howard School | GillinghamLeigh Academy Rainham | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C62/100Stronger figure | C59/100 | |
| Local ranking | 8th of 20 in Medway Stronger figure | 15th of 20 in Medway | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy converter | Free schools | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-19 | |
| Gender | Boys | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,471 | 964 | |
| Capacity | 1,725 | 1,150 | |
| Location | Gillingham, ME8 0BX | Gillingham, ME8 8GS | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 47.3 Stronger figure | 44.5 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 36.1% Stronger figure | 29.5% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 60.3% Stronger figure | 58.5% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 219 | 224 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 90 | Not reported | |
| A-level average points | 24.8 | Not reported | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | D+ | Not reported | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 24.5 | Not reported | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 0.0% | Not reported | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,534 | 793 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 22.5% | 24.6% | |
| English as an additional language | 13.5% | 7.1% | |
| SEN support | 11.7% | 23.7% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.0% | 2.3% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 6.6% | 6.2% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 19.3% | 17.3% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Howard School
Leigh Academy Rainham
Full profiles: The Howard School · Leigh Academy Rainham