Report of a Post-primary Inspection - Drumglass High School
DE Ref No 521-0231
February 2026
1. Introduction
A. Background information
Drumglass High School is a controlled, non-selective, co-educational, 11-16 school situated in Dungannon, County Tyrone. The pupils come from the town and rural surrounding areas. The enrolment stands at 370 pupils, including 38 pupils in four specialist provision classes: two with designations for Learning and two for Social Communication/Autism. Just over one-fifth of the pupils have been identified as having special educational needs (SEN), 33 of whom have a statement of SEN. Approximately 20% of the pupils have free school meals entitlement.
The school has a long tradition of welcoming newcomer pupils; currently 21 different languages are spoken by the 88 pupils from 22 nationalities. Forty-four newcomer pupils receive support for English as an additional language.
Engagement with the Dungannon and Cookstown Area Learning Community (ALC) supports staff professional learning (SPL) and extends the curriculum. This year, a small number of pupils in key stage (KS) 4 access courses in another post-primary school and 58 pupils attend the South West College (SWC). The school is not in a formal shared education partnership but there are opportunities for joint working with pupils and staff from St Patrick’s College, Dungannon.
B. Views of pupils, parents and staff
The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) issued online confidential questionnaires to the pupils, parents and staff in advance of the inspection.
The responses to the questionnaires are referenced, where relevant, within the main body of the report. A high-level summary of the questionnaire responses, including any concerns raised, was shared with the principal and two representatives of the board of governors.
C. The process of inspection
ETI worked alongside Drumglass High School to consider how well the school:
- has identified and articulates its vision;
- prioritises actions to achieve the vision;
- overcomes the main challenges it faces;
- monitors and reviews progression to identify, celebrate and embed success; and
- grows and develops an inclusive community of learning.
2. Main report
A. Setting the vision
The staff, in consultation with all stakeholders, recently reviewed the vision to reflect better the school’s context. The vision of a community where everyone learns together, grows together and succeeds together is encapsulated in the motto, together we learn, together we succeed and promotes the holistic development of the pupils, with an emphasis on collaboration, inclusion and success for all. In our questionnaires most (89%) of the parents said they know about the school’s vision and all the staff agreed that they are clear about, and contribute to achieving, the vision. The core values of Determination, Hope and Success are evident in the pupils’ high levels of engagement with their learning and their sense of fun, both in and beyond the classroom.
The school development planning process is informed by a solid understanding of the school’s context and its richly diverse community and is underpinned by robust and honest self-evaluation and reflection with the whole school community. The school development plan (SDP) priorities focus on improving outcomes, KS 4 pathways, the preventative curriculum and digital skills, and align well with the school’s vision. There is some variation in the quality of action planning; some plans would benefit from a more evaluative baseline and measurable targets. In our discussions with staff, they were aware of what is working well and what they are developing further and improving.
The governors have strategic oversight of the opportunities and challenges facing the school and bring a wide skillset and range of experiences to their role. The governors who met with us expressed their commitment to ensuring the provision enables the pupils to contribute to society and experience success.
B. Implementing and improving to achieve the vision
Planning, teaching and assessment for successful learning was mostly effective, with pupils participating enthusiastically in active and engaging learning using a wide range of quality resources, including information and communication technology (ICT). The pupils were challenged appropriately; they applied their skills and knowledge to real-life scenarios and engaged well in paired and group activities. The pupils were given time to think and reflect so that they could recall and build on previous learning and give extended oral responses. Oral and written teacher feedback was aligned to success criteria which helped the pupils to reflect on and improve their work. Where learning was less successful, pupil engagement was limited by over‑directed teaching, insufficient successful feedback and low-level tasks. The views of pupils and evaluation of their learning could help to better inform departmental planning which requires more detail to include the adaptive strategies that work well for pupils and reflect the high-quality resources and effective practice observed in most of the lessons.
The school reports challenges (that are not solely limited to this school) in securing specialist substitute teachers during periods of staff absence, resulting in a lack of continuity in learning. This issue was also raised in the parent and pupil responses to the questionnaires, and in discussion with pupils.
The KS 3 curriculum is broad and balanced and includes a weekly discrete period of digital skills development. The KS 4 curriculum, which meets the requirements of the Entitlement Framework, is subject to ongoing review and has seen the introduction of three pathways better aligned to the pupils’ abilities, interests and aspirations, all of which include a GCSE (or equivalent) qualification in ICT. Collaboration within the ALC helps to extend the curriculum at KS 4, but with varying degrees of success in relation to pupil outcomes.
The school’s strong links with business and industry enhances the provision for careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG). We joined pupils from years 8 to 11 learning about career opportunities in local companies who are part of MEGA (Manufacturing & Engineering Growth & Advancement), a network of industries that promote manufacturing and engineering. The involvement of alumni who work for the companies made the potential pathways a realistic possibility for the pupils. Self-evaluation has identified the need for better progression in CEIAG and for more opportunities for the pupils to engage in work-related learning experiences. More strategic oversight of the provision will support this work.
The high priority given to emotional health and well-being is strengthened by the school’s participation in the Education Authority’s Being Well, Doing Well programme. Recent impactful developments include the establishment of the Wellbeing Hub, a calm space valued and used frequently by pupils, and SPL to help staff support pupils who experience bereavement. In our discussions, the pupils were clear about how they can access help, including sessions with the school counsellor, if they have any concerns about their well-being or safety. In our questionnaires, almost all (94%) of the pupils said that they are provided with regular opportunities to exercise.
The preventative curriculum, including relationships and sexuality education (RSE), addresses relevant and contemporary issues, including ending violence against women and girls, creating safer communities and challenging stereotypes, with a strong focus on building resilience. The pupils told us how they enjoyed making a video for their peers highlighting the importance of consent. The RSE provision has been mapped across the curriculum but is primarily delivered during registration class. The school recognises that this approach makes it difficult to monitor and evaluate progression and does not allow for appropriate depth and richness in learning in this important area of the curriculum. As set out in the SDP, work is underway to review the content and delivery of the preventative curriculum to ensure greater coherence. The inspection endorses this as a priority for development.
The pupils talked enthusiastically about their involvement in the varied extra- and co‑curricular provision, such as Scripture Union, the Angus Beef Programme, sport, music, art, gardening, and additional learning sessions where there is a tangible sense of community and fun, and dedication from the staff involved. These activities support well the growth and development of the pupils and enable them to develop new skills.
C. Building equity
Equity, diversity and inclusion are promoted through an ethos that recognises and celebrates the pupils’ diverse backgrounds. The pupils appreciate and respond positively to the creative range of initiatives, interventions and ongoing support to help them overcome barriers to learning, including the well-attended lunchtime drop‑in sessions, after-school revision classes and homework club where we observed pupils learning together and supporting one another.
The staff have a thorough understanding of how to use the Common European Framework of Reference to monitor newcomer pupils’ progress across the curriculum. We met with newcomer pupils who told us they enjoy school and value the way staff and pupils make them feel at home. In another discussion group, older pupils articulated the leadership skills they have developed through mentoring pupils who receive support for English as an additional language. The school works closely with local housing agencies and businesses who support good community relations initiatives and help make school and community life welcoming for newcomer pupils and their families.
The pupils in the specialist provision classes benefit from an inclusive curriculum which blends personalised learning in the specialist provision classes with regular interaction with their peers in the mainstream classes. The staff provide a calm and attractive learning environment; they know the pupils well, are attentive to their needs and provide close support. A particular highlight of the provision is Pablo, the therapy dog, who supports the pupils’ learning by helping them to manage their emotions and stay calm.
The school reported high levels of bureaucracy with the introduction of personal learning plans (PLP) for the pupils with SEN, and staff are striving to gain better consistency in the required consultation arrangements. The teachers take careful account of the needs of the pupils with SEN and deploy strategies that enable them to progress and experience success. The classroom assistants make valuable contributions to both informal and formal reviews of the pupils’ progress against the targets in the PLPs. Classroom assistants told us that their participation in SPL has increased their knowledge and understanding of how to help and support pupils.
The staff work closely with the teachers in the feeder primary schools to support a smooth transition into year 8, making effective use of assessment data and pastoral information to understand barriers to learning and to inform interventions and curriculum pathways.
The overall attendance rate is low, at 87.2%, for 2024-25. The school’s analysis of data demonstrates a clear correlation between higher levels of attendance and better attainment, underlining the importance of the school’s continued focus on improving attendance and harnessing the support of parents to support this work.
D. Embedding success
The successes of pupils and staff both inside and outside school, are acknowledged extensively through assemblies and on social media. A wide range of strategies and rewards are used by the staff to acknowledge good attendance, promote positive behaviour, boost motivation and engagement, and encourage pupils to value and celebrate the success of themselves and others.
The pupils are friendly, fun-loving and confident, engaging easily in conversation with staff and visitors. They ask questions readily to seek further explanation and use the feedback provided by the teachers to improve their work. The whole-school and consistent focus on the development of literacy and numeracy skills, evident in the lessons observed, is impacting positively on the pupils’ learning. They understand the importance of accuracy, paying attention to spelling and punctuation in their written work, and shared examples of how they apply their numeracy skills in practical situations, such as saving money.
The staff use a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data to set targets for pupils in KS 4, with a robust process for monitoring progress, including evaluating the impact of interventions. Over the past three years, in GCSE English and GCSE mathematics, the majority of pupils (68% and 69% respectively) attained at grades A* to C. In 2025, 55% of the pupils achieved five or more GCSE (or equivalent) qualifications at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics. Given that the attainment for five or more GCSE (or equivalent) qualifications at grades A* to C is very similar (60%) to when English and mathematics is included, the school, together with the ongoing curriculum review, has prioritised the further improvement of the outcomes at GCSE. The inspection endorses this work.
In 2025, almost all (97%) of the year 12 pupils progressed appropriately into education, training or employment, with most (85%) moving into further education or training.
E. Growing a community of learning
The school has created successfully the right conditions for an engaging, encouraging, kind and hopeful community of learning. High priority is given to equipping the pupils to participate and contribute meaningfully and creatively through the ‘pupil voice’ team and ongoing discussions with pupils, supported by Monty, the school mascot. This work has resulted in ways to reward attendance and positive behaviour, canteen queue management, revision workshops and develops the pupils’ social responsibility through fundraising and charitable support for others less fortunate than themselves. This successful approach to pupil participation could be developed further to inform learning and teaching, given that just under two-fifths (39%) of the pupil questionnaire responses highlighted that their teachers do not ask them about the types of activities that help them learn best.
SPL is aligned closely to the priorities in the SDP and involves staff peer-to-peer mentoring, drop-in workshops, learning walks, the sharing of wider research on effective pedagogy and engagement with ALC conferences. A small number of staff are participating in a ‘Conflict Awareness and Transformation’ programme in co‑operation with Springboardand funded by Housing for All Shared Housing Programme, exploring the impact of hate, division and inequality, with plans to disseminate the learning more widely across the school. The positive impact of SPL on developing digital skills, including the discerning use of artificial intelligence, promoting positive behaviour for learning and supporting specific learning needs was evident in the lessons observed. In our questionnaires, most (86%) of the staff said that they had benefited from professional learning opportunities.
The dynamic ‘teacher voice’ team organises staff socials, ways to celebrate creatively staff camaraderie and provides helpful solutions to staff in balancing competing demands in meeting the pupils’ needs. Most (82%) of the teachers who responded to our questionnaire told us that staff well-being is promoted effectively.
The pupils and staff learn and succeed together with others through meaningful collaboration as illustrated throughout the report. Further examples include joint art exhibitions and music performances with other schools in the town, dancing classes with the East Timorese community and Peace Plus-funded programmes exploring identity, belonging and diversity – work that could be extended through sustained shared education opportunities. Collaboration supports the holistic development of the pupils, enhances the provision, supports SPL and helps the school achieve its vision.
F. Child protection
At the time of the inspection, the evidence provided by the school demonstrates that the arrangements for child protection align to the current statutory guidance.
3. Next steps
The pupils in Drumglass High School are learning, growing and succeeding together in a vibrant and diverse community of learning that supports their holistic development. The staff are taking forward appropriate areas for development informed by the pupils’ needs and aligned to the school’s vision and values of Determination, Hope and Success.
As set out in the school development plan, the next steps for Drumglass High School are to take forward the following areas for action:
- ensure greater coherence in the content and delivery of the preventative curriculum; and
- improve further the outcomes the pupils attain at GCSE.
The District Inspector will monitor the school’s progress in addressing the areas for action, as part of ETI’s routine monitoring processes.
4. Appendices
Appendix 1: Quantitative Terms
In this report, proportions may be described as percentages, common fractions and in more general quantitative terms. Where more general terms are used, they should be interpreted as follows:
Almost/nearly all - more than 90%
Most - 75% - 90%
A majority - 50% - 74%
A significant minority - 30% - 49%
A minority - 10% - 29%
Very few/a small number - less than 10%
Appendix 2: Small Schools
In all post-primary schools where the enrolment number is below the minimum number of 500 in years 8 to 12, as set out in the Department of Education’s Sustainable Schools Policy, it will be important that the employing authority, school governors and the staff plan for, and manage, issues related to the sustainability of the school provision and school budget, in order to address the current and future needs of the pupils and the staff.