Cookstown High School

Overview

Cookstown High School is described as a school where the holistic development of pupils is central, with a strong focus on character education aligned with the motto ‘Virtus cum Scientia’. The report highlights that pupils are generally ‘friendly, well-behaved, respectful and ready to learn’, and that the curriculum effectively prepares them for future education or employment. However, the inspection identifies inconsistencies in teaching quality and a need for more rigorous self-evaluation to fully achieve the school’s vision.

Strengths

• Pupils are ‘friendly, well-behaved, respectful and ready to learn’ and work well collaboratively when given the opportunity.
• The Learning Support Centre is an ‘effective and valued hub’ that promotes inclusion and blends individualised support with mainstream interaction.
• The curriculum is ‘informed by the pupils’ abilities, interests and aspirations’ and prepares them well for the next stage of education or employment.
• Leadership ‘values learning both with, and from, others’, facilitating creative and collaborative approaches to staff professional development.
• Transition arrangements from primary schools are effective, with close monitoring of pupil progress from their individual starting points.

Areas to improve

• Improve ‘planning, teaching and assessment for successful learning’ to ensure consistently high-quality experiences for all pupils.
• Develop ‘more robust and rigorous arrangements’ for monitoring and evaluating the impact of improvement actions through enhanced self-evaluation.
• Ensure active, experiential learning is applied ‘consistently across all form and LLW classes’ rather than being limited to specific programmes.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘arrangements for child and adult protection align to the current statutory guidance’ and that pupils feel safe and know how to access support.