Campaign Group Calls for Postponement of Whitby Schools Merger

A campaign group has said that the amalgamation of Whitby’s secondary schools should be postponed “to allow for proper, carefully considered options”.

As Whitby's secondary schools hold an open evening for new pupils tonight the Save Education Whitby group has called for the amalgamation of Eskdale School and Caedmon College Whitby to be postponed amid criticism that “there is no clear plan”.

In June, North Yorkshire Council’s executive committee approved the amalgamation of the schools “through ceasing to maintain Eskdale School” from August 2024.

The plan faced considerable opposition from both parents and politicians over concerns about the provision of choice as well as financial implications, but the authority said that it was “necessary due to low pupil numbers and significant financial challenges at both schools”.

In a letter to parents and carers earlier this month, the head of Whitby’s Secondary Partnership, said:

“We are conscious that the plans for the creation of the new school and the bringing together of our schools and communities that we have inherited are not as advanced as we would have hoped but we are now moving at pace.”

The partnership’s executive leader, Mr J. Britton, said he was “very aware parents are seeking clarification and certainty” and added that the partnership was “working hard to develop, consult upon and share a clear plan once we have gathered the necessary information”.

However, the Save Education Whitby group, which was formerly known as Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale, said in an open letter:

“There is no mission, no name, no values, no policies, no uniform.”

The group also hit out with concerns regarding the provision of subjects, large class sizes, catering provision, staffing, and funding at the new school.

It also raised the timing of partnership’s decision to undertake a review of the school sites to determine the capacity of the buildings and the specialist facilities available.

It asked:

“Why was this capacity review not done before the consultation period to ensure that the Caedmon site could safely accommodate the extra 400+ pupils?”.

The open letter added:

“We certainly don’t question the passion of the staff at either Caedmon or Eskdale as they continue to work under extremely difficult circumstances.”

Mr Britton, executive leader of the secondary partnership, said:

“Although like you we are keen to bring clarity quickly, we also have a unique opportunity and every decision must be carefully considered, to create a truly fabulous place for our children to learn, a thriving community and a school of which you will be proud.”

In a school newsletter article talking about tonight's open evening for parents of students of pupils in years 5&6 of their primary education the school said:

"For a parent the transition from primary to secondary school is one of those milestones in our child’s development and we know at this time you will be seeking clarity around the schooling that will be provided for September, along with parents who already have children at Eskdale School or Caedmon College. Be reassured this journey is underway and our new school will open in September 2024. We have started our consultation, are listening to parents and intend to create something very special for Whitby"

Writing in the newsletter Mr Britton said that the school has also launched a consultation to get parents views on the changes.

"I have since joining this community, found our children to be so very welcoming and kind. I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting lessons and speaking to individual pupils. It truly is a privilege to be part of this community and to be made to feel so welcome. I would especially like to thank those parents who have also written and emailed both schools to express their support – it is greatly appreciated.

Over the next few weeks and months, we’ll also keep you informed, as we work to bring our school communities together and launch our consultation about the new school mission, values, name, and uniform, plus finalise the physical site arrangements. In this time, we will keep you updated on all our exciting new school developments and share with you the brilliant work led by colleagues across the partnership. We will also be sharing our exciting plans for the school, following the consultation and with colleagues I look forward to making those necessary improvements in school, for the benefit of our pupils and Sixth Form students, as I am confident, we can work quickly to bring about the changes we seek.

To start this process, we would like to consult with parents and to gather your views on your child’s school and the quality of education they are receiving. In addition, we would also welcome your initial thoughts, along with those of our colleagues and children, on the proposed new school. We see this as only the first step and part of a larger ongoing consultation that we will undertake throughout the academic year.

As mentioned previously, we remain conscious of the strength of feeling within our community, the difficult decisions that have been made to date and the strong views expressed, but we cannot change the past or how you may feel about recent times. We can though, with your support, seek to take those next steps together, to listen and shape the future of education for our children in our beautiful town of Whitby.

Please complete our initial survey which you will find a link to on the next page. We expect the questions will take no more than thirty minutes to complete. We would be very grateful, conscious of the demands upon your time, if you could find time to respond and to identify those areas you would like to be prioritised. Please note, we will as the consultation progresses seek to address those common areas of concern and to also to recognise excellent practice."

The survey can be found at Whitby Secondary Schools - Parent Survey