‘Fundamentally flawed’: Campaigners criticise council ahead of upcoming decision on Whitby schools amalgamation

Protesting against the proposed closure of Eskdale School in Whitby.

Campaigners have warned that the “wrong decision could destroy the futures” of children in Whitby ahead of a meeting on Tuesday, June 20 that will see North Yorkshire Council’s executive vote on a proposal to amalgamate Eskdale School and Caedmon College Whitby “through ceasing to maintain Eskdale School” from August 2024.

Whitby Town Council, councillors, and members of the public have raised concerns about the plan and have called for a full review of secondary education in Whitby but the council has said it is “unclear who would conduct an independent inquiry”.

Campaigners have said that there should be two 11 – 16 schools based on the Eskdale and the Caedmon sites, with the old community college site sold to provide additional revenue and potential space for community use.

The MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Sir Robert Goodwill, also recently wrote to the council’s corporate director for children and young people’s services, Stuart Carlton, asking whether the authority would consider the “clear alternative” that was proposed by parents and other locals.

However, North Yorkshire Council declined to comment on the alternative proposals until the executive committee decides on the existing plan on June 20.

Terri-Anne Jones, a member of the Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale campaign organisation has also raised a number of concerns relating to the Caedmon College site, the release of information by the council and school governors relating to decision-making processes, funding, and the authority’s consultation process.

However, in a report prepared for the upcoming meeting, North Yorkshire Council has defended its actions and provided responses to many of the issues raised.

The report notes that it “complied with the legislation for publishing the statutory proposals and regarding consultation” and “has no concerns regarding the decision making from the governors” regarding the statutory proposal process.

‘Future proofing’

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting Service, on Tuesday, June 13, Ms Jones said: “The proposal is the only option they looked at from September last year, it was decided that if the amalgamation took place, this is the option.

“It should’ve been that we look at all of the options with an open mind, but they have gone into it blinkered.”

However, a council report prepared for the upcoming meeting states that a report in April “set out the other options that had been considered by governors and the reasons that this proposal has been brought forward for consultation”.

It adds: “No other option had been identified which addresses the core issues of low pupil numbers, financial challenges and an imperative to give the best education and curriculum to the young people of Whitby.”

Now retired, David Bradley who was a headteacher at Eskdale School for 14 years, said: “I think it’s a really poor decision and potentially a dangerous one.”

“The plan that they have put forward will bring the budget under control in the short term, so it’s an expedient decision rather than a correct and appropriate education decision.

“But what it won’t do is secure the future, because, in this plan of theirs, there is no future-proofing whatsoever.”

Mr Bradley added that he was considering initiating a judicial review into the decision-making process.

Asked how she felt about the upcoming decision of the council’s executive committee, Terri-Anne Jones said: “It is disappointing because you teach children to stand up for what they believe in and that if you follow the process, you will get the right result.

“And yet, they are teaching children that you don’t have to follow the process, you just ignore it and do what you want.”

She added: “It’s not what you want to teach children, they’re the decision-makers of the future.”

A report prepared for the upcoming meeting states that the executive committee can reject the proposals, approve the proposals, or approve them with a modification subject to specific conditions.