Whitby secondary schools merger decision 'should be made by independent inspector,' meeting told

Noel Barrett, whose father Geoff Barrett taught at Eskdale all his life, from its opening in 1953, was speaking at the first of two public meetings at Whitby Pavilion on governors’ proposals to merge Eskdale and Caedmon, which would result in the closure of the Eskdale site in summer 2024.

Mr Barrett, who introduced himself a former clerk to the governors and a former pupil of the school, said the inspector should hear evidence from all the parties involved so they can then make fully informed decision for the future.

“This proposal is immense for secondary education in Whitby and the surrounding area – it’s the biggest decision that’s had to be taken since the opening of the Eskdale site in 1953,” he said.

"I wonder whether any of us are sufficiently experienced or equipped to make such a momentous decision.

"The decision will affect not just one year, or seven years, but forever for education in Whitby.

"I would question as to whether the brakes should be put on this inquiry.”

Dave Bradley, who was Eskdale Head from 1991 to 2005, was firmly of the view that two small 11-16 schools on the Eskdale and former Caedmon sites was the best solution to the long-term problem of surplus places, but without a sixth form provision.

He said Whitby youngsters were “haemmorhaging away” into places offering broader curriculums in Scarborough, Guisborough, Pickering and Teesside and said that he would fight the current proposals “as hard as I can”.

Trevor Parker, a former Eskdale governor, said he agreed with Mr Bradley, but with one difference – Whitby should also retain a sixth form, as some youngsters at 16 are not ready to travel daily, but it should be moved back on to Normanby site where it was before.

“What if students don’t fit in at one school [in Whitby], where would they go?”

Cllr Neil Swannick, who represents Whitby’s Streonshalh ward on North Yorkshire County Council, suggested a new 21st Century school, funded by the Government, should be built on the Scoresby site and once the consultation was over, it would “give us a year to work out the details of how we move forward.”

He said the costs of running three “1950s schools” was too much, whereas modern schools have lower heating bills and better facilities for modern education.

Parent Julie Noble, whose five children went to Eskdale, said one thing that had not been considered was the mental health of the children, teachers and parents and said her children were devastated when the merger plan was announced in January.

And another parent, Helen Collinson, said the merger plan was happening too quickly and that children had only just got settled again after Covid and the disruption caused by lockdown.

Earlier, the panel consisting of Whitby Secondary Partnership’s Executive Headteacher, Jamie Henshaw, Vice Chair of Governors Mark Taylor and Co-Chair of Governors Su Crossland and Christina Zanelli had outlined the reasons for their proposal to merge the two secondary schools, before the meeting was thrown open to questions from the public.