Appendix 5B Correspondence sent to the Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills

Ref	Correspondence received prior to the consultation period	Date received
1	I am writing in response to the proposed decision to close Eskdale school in Whitby. To hear this news has had a huge impact on our lives, as I am sure it has for many many other local families. I understand finances come into decisions, I am also aware that we have been here before. But, prioritising money over children’s education and emotional well-being, seems so very very wrong. Particularly when, as a town, we have entrusted those two important key factors, in our children’s lives, to Eskdale school. Over the last few years these children have already had to deal with the impact of  two school years being disrupted by covid. The negative impact on their education and wellbeing from that situation alone, is already evident. Not only in the stand by the education authority to waiver GCSE exams, but also in the sky rocketing mental health crisis within children, that is now at record numbers. To then propose to force these SAME children to move school, make new friends, meet new teachers, find their feet in a new building, fit in to another schools learning agenda and suggest this will not effect their learning or mental health is wrong. If this HAS to go ahead, then surely there is some way of delaying things to allow those children that have suffered through covid in Eskdale school and that have already had their education impacted and hugely disrupted, the grace to see out their education there. My ## will be 6 months off sitting her GCSEs at the date of the proposed change. After missing half of year 8 and 9 due to covid, she has finally caught up with the knock to her confidence and learning. Now, this is being thrown at her.  How much more are these children expected to take. We as parents have been told, and are now expected to reassure our children, that the school assures us that this will not affect their grades or education. This is the same school that has been telling those same children for the last four years that a weeks holiday in term time is detrimental to their learning and education. My ## is lucky in the fact she is academic and this move will hopefully not affect her learning, if from today, her teaching remains consistent up to the proposed closure. However, it is clear that the teachers will begin to leave and staff will now become thin on the ground, as they try to secure other jobs or lose faith in their employer and the system. So, unfortunately it is very likely the effects on a lot of children’s learning will begin from the moment the email dropped. But, I can assure you that  my ##s nerves around this move and the unsettling situation she will undoubtably be faced with, WILL hamper her ability to concentrate, revise and perform in exams. That is an absolute certainty. How do I explain to my child that it is acceptable for the one place that should be helping her achieve in education, is actually going to have a detrimental effect on her achievements? This is a place of education, where hundreds of parents have placed the VERY VERY important responsibility of their child’s well-being and education in the hands of this school.  We are now having to face the reality, alongside our children, that Eskdale’s policy of ‘every child matters’ isn’t really true.  And, that perhaps ‘money matters’ would have been a more fitting motto to have painted on the wall that is about to be knocked down. What a life lesson for them to learn! and how very ironic and disappointing that that lesson is now being delivered to them by the one place that was entrusted to help them flourish. I know you’re just one person, but I’m sending this email for my ##, ##. Who has worked so very very hard through some of the toughest few years and shown Faith, resilience and courage in the system and her school. And I’m asking you as a mum. Please don’t break her at the last hurdle. She, like every other child that has adjusted and shown resilience through the last few years really does not deserve this. This WILL break these kids and for some of them the effects of this decision will last a lifetime. If you have children, then I’m speaking as a mum to a mum. If you don’t, then I’m speaking to you from my heart. Fight for the kids please, they really do matter.	5/1/23
2	Dear Mrs Wilkinson, i am writing to you about the closure of Eskdale school and consider this a massive mistake. I know many families whose children and grandad children go to this school, many including my own that have problems such as autism, anxiety and many other disabilities. These children have settled into this school and have come on in leaps and bounds, they have settled and made friends and unlike the Caedmon sites the bullying isnt bad. Many children are already worrying about changing schools and are already worrying about GCSE exams ,i can envisage that if this closure goes ahead that many children will be pulled out of school. Children have always had the choice of secondary school and chose Eskdale for a reason,the percentage of children leaving school isn’t only down to the child not putting the effort in. One of my grandsons has excelled in his work since he moved to Eskdale and we have had nothing but support from the school. Surely if Caedmon can support the the entire secondary school age,how are they going to take in the numerous number of new pupils which will be brought in with the sale of all these new houses which are out of locals price range. It has always been known for several years that Eskdale is prime building land and that is what it will become without a shadow of a doubt. As Caedmon school on the bridge is to accomodate sixth formers, why not close that instead of Eskdale ? Eskdale is outdated so why not spend money on this school and give our kids a fighting chance instead of making their fears worse, some kids moved from Caedmon to get away from bullies and you are forcing them back there. It really is time that locals were listened to and supported in what is effectively our birth place, you are decreasing schools and we already no infrastructure such as drs dentists hospitals and police,you are taking away the childrens rights to be schooled in the school of their choice.	5/1/23
3	We received the letter to say about the proposed closure of Eskdale school. First of all, I am appalled that the children were not informed before the email! I feel you have forgotten who should be at the heart of all decisions. I found out from gossip before I even saw the email, the same as my child who this decision will have a massive impact on as she is currently a Year 10 pupil. This decision can only be something extremely negative for the whole of the Whitby Community on many levels. While I have an understanding that something needs to be done, I believe that the incorrect site has been selected and a lot of options have not had the consideration required to ensure all the children in Whitby are catered for. It also highly concerns me that the people making these decisions have their own children in the Whitby Education system and again I don’t feel they can make an unbiased decision about the future of these schools. The best option would be the closure of all three schools and build a new school fit for purpose on the outskirts of Whitby, but this will now probably be impossible due to cost and land. Therefore, it returns to looking at all three sites, all of which have positives and negatives. However, when you look at all the sites, Eskdale is the actual best site to provide world class facilities for all the children in Whitby. It is a large site with the largest ability to extend and build what the children of Whitby need. Not stating the most obvious fact that is Eskdale now has the best sports facilities in the whole of the area. An ever-increasing community uses them, and it is a pleasure to see. Your first thoughts should be the safeguarding of all the children, something key in the educational climate of today. Eskdale is the only school where all the facilities are on one site, where the children can be safely educated. The children access their transport from a safe designated area with no cars flying past unlike the Caedmon College site. I am able to pick my ## up safely from the layby near Eskdale disturbing no residents again significantly unlike what will occur if she must access the Caedmon College site.  The children have no reason to leave the site unlike those at the current Caedmon College school who must cross the A171 to access the sports pitch based at the Whitby Sixth Form site. The other main safeguarding issue is the proximity of the Caedmon College site to the back path near Beevers which can be accessed by an unsafe cliental. Other issues with the Caedmon College site are that there is nowhere really to add on to it. It is already bursting at the seams, most of this site was built for a Victorian generation and not the modern day, hence the creation of the original Caedmon College and Eskdale sites. Access for busses and collection of children is next to a major A road. It was only just before Christmas that a Pedestrian was involved in a collision with a car on the same part of the road that all the children will access. This area is very poorly lit making me ask how long before it is a child hurt on a dangerous road. Personally due to poor access and the limited site, this is the actual site I would sell off for building and place all the children back to the safety of the Whitby Sixth Form site. However as this would never be considered even though it is the worst site for access, I feel that the most logical thing to do to finally solve the issues with education in Whitby is the close the current Whitby Sixth Form site. Why this site is allowed to remain open for a very poorly supported Whitby Sixth Form is something I do not understand. Evidence from Ofsted data demonstrates that the sixth form had 323 pupils when inspected in 2010 and 2013, 260 in 2017, compared to 165 in 2022. An alarming reduction of pupils demonstrating there is no need to have a site purely for a depleting sixth form which really is not a financially viable option and the best for the future education of the town’s children. Whitby is spoilt by the fact that there are two excellent Sixth Forms in operation at both Scarborough and Guisborough who provide free transport to them both. Both sites offer not only excellent results but a much larger range of courses allowing our children to access a broad and balanced curriculum to the highest level. Whitby Sixth Form offers 17 A ‘levels compared to 25 at Scarborough sixth form and 30 at Prior Pursglove College along with a lot more BTECS and T level courses. My own ## chooses to attend the Scarborough Sixth Form College after visiting all the local Sixth Form colleges due to the range of subjects he could study. Due to the small number of pupils accessing the Whitby Sixth Form College, I would suggest relocating this back into a building on the current Caedmon College site, leaving the Eskdale site as a fully functioning school. I know you are now asking what to do with the current Whitby Sixth Form site as it has a lot of community use, again one amazingly simple answer. Move all the emergency services to the Whitby Sixth Form site. All are on sites with poor access to get quickly and safely to an emergency. Especially the fire brigade who must hope and pray nobody is blocking their way. The Whitby Sixth Form site is straight on to a major road and straight to where is required. You then have three sites to sell off to help fund the redevelopment. This would also allow you to create access round the back of the Whitby Sixth Form site to support local clubs. Removal of this site allows for both schools to run as 11 – 18 sites. I would suggest specialising in different areas. One a more vocational/ sports-based site the other a more academic route. All teachers should be able to deliver the skills and knowledge needed to support GCSE’s and A ‘levels. This then allows for the children of Whitby to continue to have a choice of what they want. Also addressing the argument of depletion of numbers at Eskdale. Looking at Ofsted data Eskdale had 317 pupils in 2006 and 2010. In 2013 there was 294 rising to 302 in 2015 and further rising to 415 in 2017. Current numbers according to the school information provided by get information from the government site is the current school numbers are 458 pupils with a school capacity of 510. This does not show a school with lacking numbers. It shows a popular school that is needed and wanted by the community. If you compare the same Ofsted Data for Caedmon College which included the sixth form numbers, it demonstrates a falling of pupil numbers from 1054 in 2017 to 784 in 2022. Caedmon college has a capacity of 1539 again proving that two site are not a viable option for Caedmon college and the removal of the sixth form site is the best option. Thus, giving Whitby a choice of two secondary schools allowing pupils and parents to select a school that is suitable for them. On a personal level my ## is going to be in the middle of her GCSE’s when this planned move is to happen. I feel you have forgotten that at the heart of this are children who are enthusiastic about their schools and their education. The current proposal makes the Eskdale children feel unwanted and that they must do all the compromising in their educational journey at a significant point in their life. My last question is this, why can’t Eskdale become the flagship school and shut the other two. Just a thought but they have the land to create what is needed in Whitby with decent access and out of town. I really appreciate your time and I plead with you to carefully consider the many other options than closing the Eskdale site. Also let’s give ourselves time to research and consider the options instead of a rushed decision. We only have one opportunity to get this right for future generations.	5/1/23
4	I write with the greatest concern regarding the proposals for secondary education in Whitby. I currently have two children attending Eskdale, one of which enters Y11 and one entering Y10 in September 2023. These are two very crucial years to be disrupted once again, im sure you agree. Not only have they missed vital stages of education due to covid it is now proposed to move my ## in her GCSE year  to a school she originally dismissed to attend in place of Eskdale. They are settled, learning well and flourish under teachers who despite covid have become great mentors and know their capabilities well. Im annoyed beyond belief that this is possibly set to change. How does Caedmon School have the infrastructure to accommodate four more year groups without disruption to children attending both schools? How will operating from two sites work? Class sizes surely would have to expand? Traffic wise, what will happen? The entry and exit entrance to both Caedmon sites are narrow and cause traffic congestion with the volume of children attending at the moment. What support will GCSE children have during the transition, having to familiarise themselves with new surroundings, new teachers and new classes/new classmates. Familiarity at this stage of education is surely best. The town is growing, the infrastructure is changing yet all the facilities and amenities and services are being decreased. Affordable housing is affordable to who? Surely People will relocate here, bring their families. Not all these homes can be purpose built as second homes and holiday homes. The town would never cope. The roads in summer are already overwhelmed with congestion. School numbers will surely rise and if so the capacity at one super school could hit maximum leaving no alternative closer than a 30+ minute drive. Its highly coincidental that all the land surrounding Eskdale is being built upon to provide dwellings. Is that to be the fate of the land upon which Eskdale stands? I certainly don't back the decision and urge you please to consider the detrimental affect it may have for future education in Whitby. To add to my previous email regarding this proposal. I would also like to stress that there would be many a teething problem in the early stages of such a huge school merger, one i'd prefer wasn't gambling with my ## and ##r's future education not to mention all their fellow students. They have as a generation in education lost so much already.	5/1/23
5	I am writing to you on behalf of the Whitby Community Network (WCN), a residents campaigning group wishing to inspire residents within our Villages and Town to come together to address the issues that impact on us. We have been contacted by concerned parents with regard to the proposed school closure and would like to invite you to speak at our next meeting on February 6th at The Coliseum Whitby on “the Future of Education in Whitby”, our meetings start at 6.00pm and we intend to once again invite our areas four NYC Councillors. We appreciate you have still to give approval for this decision at your meeting on the 7th February before the consultation process can begin, however we do see  this as an opportunity for the area, but would like to know more about the future of education in the market Town area of Whitby. It may also be a chance to coordinate other improvements such as Active Travel, improve  pupil transport, preventing the blockage of the main through route of Mayfield Road and traffic lights by school buses etc. Some of WCN Trustees met with the new Executive Head, Whitby Secondary Partnership - ## on 23rd September 2022 to discuss the opportunities for education in Whitby with the new team in place. We noted the lack of school numbers in the area, arising mainly from the lack of social housing/affordable homes, plus the very limited educational services on offer, particularly at senior/adult levels. We were concerned that the proposed Maritime Academy was to be installed in a new facility The Maritime Hub at a cost of £10M, when there are a number of under-utilised buildings in the area. This does not appear to fit in with NYC’s aim for Net Zero by 2030, and provides very little scope for training for local pupils. Surely £10M could make a massive difference to education and training services in Whitby rather than introducing a very expensive building into a sensitive conservation area  on a level 3 flood plain, that to our reasoning is not needed. We realise the closure of a school is a very emotive subject where parents and pupils are concerned, however the letter issued to parents, and the Facebook statement yesterday of one of the Councillors do read as though this is a “done deal.”  We are surprised at the way this is being handled bearing in mind the NYC Let’s Talk initiative, this does not give the impression NYC wishes to listen to residents and consider their views first. Surely the consultation period should have taken place first with the benefits highlighted and discussion over which school should be closed as I am sure most people can understand the economics involved. I personally would like to see NYC empowering and motivating residents & employees,” not demotivating them. I look forward to hearing from you.	6/1/23
6	Hello, Im still awaiting a response to my email loaded with questions and concerns over the proposed closure.	6/1/23
7	Hi, I am a pupil from Eskdale school in year 10. When i was in year 2 i got diagnosed with dyslexia and i struggled quite a lot  school  and still struggling know but i am getting a load of help from eskdale school i am also trying to get diagnosed with autism and i struggle a lot with change and moving school will make it worse like i won't be able to concentrate and it will really throw me off  we also have a GCSE's that year to and that will really set me back with my  work . I know me and a number of year 10s are worried because we don't think we are being given a fair chance to sit and pass GCSE's. This is because when we arrive at the new school we will have about 5 months to prepare and get ready to sit our exams. I know all students in eskdale have and always will try their hardest at school and to pass their exams . But with this disruption happening I don't believe we will getting the best advice or learn the best as everyone is worrying and panicking about what the future holds.	6/1/23
8	Hi I am a pupil from Eskdale school in year 10. I  had an illness in year 4-5 so I have missed a lot of school and still currently do with checkups. I know me and number of year 10s are also worried because we don’t think we are being given a fair chance to sit and pass our GCSE’s. This is because when we arrive at this new school we will have about 5 months to prepare and get ready to sit our exams . I know all students in Eskdale have and always will try their hardest at school and to pass their exams. But with this disruption happening I don’t believe we will be getting the best advice or learning the best as everyone is worrying and panicking about what the future holds.	6/1/23
9	Dear Cllr Wilkinson, I am emailing you about the proposal by our federation governing body to bring about the closure of Eskdale later this year. As someone who well remembers 7 years ago when a similar proposal was made,I  am astonished that Eskdale school is being sacrificed yet again without a doubt because of Whitby’s ailing 6th form college. This does not make any sense as when the college was at it most successful it was on the Whitby community college site where they had double the numbers they have now. WCC now Caedmon college has the capacity to house them all leaving the sixth form site free to be sold off. . After all when they talk about cutting costs as all 3 schools are in the red seems the obvious thing to do as there are so many minor accidents on the main  road  junction on to that site. Caedmon college has a separate learning centre building which could be easily adapted as a hub for the six form . Currently I believe there is around 130 students in a building which once held 600, now that is a waste of resources. So please I urge you not to let this proposal go any further, make then look at more sensible options that don’t upset the students any further, after all they’re  just readjusting to life after covid. This is all just too much for not only the school communities of all 3 schools but also the wider community. Whitby is very quickly having hundreds of houses build , we have a massive potash mine which when completed will need permanent staff who will settle here with their families .Shoe horning all 11-16 students into one school will very quickly just make another problem and the Caedmon site just hasn’t got the capacity to expand . A split site school didn’t work last time either. We were assured when the schools federated that that neither of the 2 secondary schools would be affected if the sixth form didn’t make a success of things. Please Cllr Wilkinson don’t let this proposal go any further	6/1/23
10	To whom it may concern my name is ## a very concerned parent of two lovely ##s one of which attends eskdale and the other who attends caedmon the reason why they attend different schools is because i and my partner gave them the freedom of choice.to choose the school which they felt they would be happy in. now i read that my children's choice and happiness is more than likely going to come crashing down in front of my eyes. And the only thing i can do about is write letters and emails to people who i do not know that get to make decisions about mine and hundreds of other peoples children's education. you do not know there needs there personality's or anything about them other than the facts and figures that land on your desks . you do not  know whats best for them. but there parents/careers do . were  we asked our opinion or views by the governors that put this forward. No we were not. why do a few people get to make the choice of around about (1500) children. shouldn't it be the towns people choice. I THINK IT SHOULD. CAN WE AS A TOWN NOT COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY.are there no different solutions than tearing down a much needed school and packing our children in one school like sardines. how will that work. how is the school going to cater for them all .how are the school going to manage two different curriculum's as i believe they do different at them moment. how many kids to a class. what about logistics what about the health and saftey of our children. may field road is a nightmare normally without doubling the amount of children trying to cross there.how many staff will be in school. will eskdale staff be taken on at caedmon. what about kids with extra of special needs. in my opinion the school will be over crowded and more and more kids will fall through the cracks. ALL IN  ALL HAS OR WILL THIS BE THOUGHT ABOUT PROPERLY AND TAKE IN TO CONSIDERATION PARENT AND CHILDREN'S THOUGHTS . I HOPE FOR MY KIDS SAKE THAT IT IS. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS AND I HOPE TO HERE FROM YOU SOON I DONT BY ANY MEANS HAVE ALL THEN ANSWERS BUT THERE MUST BE AWAY TO # SAVE ESKDALE SCHOOL	6/1/23
11	Please find attached the message which I sent re the proposed closure of Eskdale school. Given as no decision has been made yet as whether or not to commence the consultation might you please explain why Barratt Homes already have plans for new homes which clearly show them being built on the Eskdale site? It would appear that someone has jumped the gun, it would be beneficial to the taxpayer to have it explained who has the authority to sell land to Barratt homes and how a decisions to close the school without consultation has been made. Dear sirs,  Who determined closing the Eskdale site, rather than enlarging it and servicing a single modernised site was more efficient than retaining two split sites? Which authority will benefit from the sale of the Eskdale site? What oversight will be in place to ensure that none of the governors, authority members and or their families or associates benefit financially from the sale of the site?  When the 'partnership' was initially proposed one of the key points was cost saving. I asked for examples of the cost saving measures and they weren't forthcoming, the consultation resulted in no feedback and the 'partnership' going ahead. Are the Children going to be working in prefabricated buildings during the enlargement or modernisation of the two remaining sites? Prefab buildings do not make for good learning environments, avoiding their use should be paramount. Will their be an open meeting held where your decision making processes and motivations can be examined in public?  Forgive me for being a little cynical as to the reasons behind this proposed endeavour. Unlike my previously ignored questions around the partnership I'd like some answers. As a parent and tax payer. Shocker, looks like Barratt Homes already have plans for the school. Yet, that was already known, wasn't it.	11/1/23
12	I am emailing you as the Executive Member for Education and Skills, as well as arranging to meet Councillor Philip Trumper, with regard to the proposal to close Eskdale School in Whitby.  A key question that needs to be fully addressed as soon as possible is where will all the 900+ 11-16 students be educated ? The current proposal to close Eskdale will not benefit any 11–16-year-old whether currently at Caedmon or Eskdale. Undoubtedly the closure would significantly reduce the cost of education provision in Whitby as well as removing unnecessary student places. It would create a 1200 (11-18) place split site (Normanby and Scoresby) comprehensive school, but it would not improve education for any of the 900+ 11-16 students. No current site could comfortably educate all 900 11-16 students thus making split site education the only option. Split site 11-16 schools have consistently failed. Caedmon College also recently abandoned such an arrangement as it did not work. Large schools are not always the best solution when deciding on 11-16 education. Yes, large schools are more cost effective than those of 500 students but with size comes other serious issues especially on split sites. Size does not guarantee improvement in educational provision and there are many good or outstanding small 11-16 schools in the County.  Parental choice, in Whitby, would be lost as would any competition and comparison. Getting to know and understand all the students would be more difficult for staff and safeguarding and disciplinary issues could possibly increase as well as class sizes. Without a new build and given the three current sites, Whitby must have two 11-16 schools so not as to endanger educational provision in the Town. Why not close either the Normanby or the Scoresby site rather than Eskdale? This would leave Caedmon as a 700+ 11-18 school on either site with Eskdale for 450/500 11-16 students.  No disruption or additional buildings except maybe a small 'vocational' block if the Scoresby site was to be used. Perhaps then NYCC would see the cost benefits without affecting the quality of education for our 11-16 students. The scope of any consultation surely needs to be widened.	11/1/23
13	Thank you for your very prompt reply. It is much appreciated. I understand what you are saying but thought I should email now as I firmly believe any consultation should be widened and not solely focus on amalgamation. There is already a partnership which can still work. Could an alternative option, which I believe would achieve most of the Council's objectives, be considered ie closing another site as opposed to Eskdale ? Of course, the added complication in Whitby is one you have already experienced in Bedale. That of 6th Form provision. Small 6th Forms are problematic to say the least. Whitby's is so small.  360 at the most but always likely to be nearer 250 with many students already travelling to Scarborough,Guisborough or Middlesbrough to benefit from the facilities and options on offer. However 6th Form decisions hopefully should not have any bearing when discussing the best educational provision for 11+ students. I will as you say look for any developments and engage in any consultation.	12/1/23
14	Dear Co-Chair of Governors Proposal to NYCC to Close Eskdale School. We are mindful of the assertions that finance, pupil numbers and educational opportunities have been the driver for the proposal to close Eskdale school. However, we have a number of concerns regarding this proposal, namely; •           Seemly indecent haste in the decision and consultation process •           Lack of consultation with parents and the wider community •           Lack of transparency over the decision making process •           Lack of present sixth form and skills training available necessitating  70% of pupils travelling for education, some outside North Yorkshire •           Appointment of three Head Teachers in the last year In light of these concerns, we have a number of questions to which we request your written response; 1.         What role has the Local Authority played in the process thus far? 2.         What statutory guidance is being followed in this process? 3.         What review of 11-19 education in Whitby has taken place in recent years, and if any, how has this influenced the decisions made? 4.         What is the business case for this decision and what makes it viable? 5.         What are the predictions for future pupil numbers aged 11-19? 6.         What is the long term plan for education and skills training in Whitby & District? 7.         How does the possible formation of an Academy under the proposed "Schools Bill" fit with this plan? Whitby Community Network look forward to hearing from you in response to the questions raised above, as we believe this information should be available to all pupils, parents and residents of the school catchment area. An open and transparent process is necessary for residents and in particular parents to make an informed decision on an issue which will affect the sustainability of this area for many years to come.	16/1/23
15	We would like to request a full and transparent review of the future of education in the Whitby catchment area. Whitby is the ninth largest town in North Yorkshire, an urban settlement situated in a sparsely-populated rural area with very limited educational and skills training for the over 16’s, and very limited public transport. We wish to ensure a fully informed proposal can be made, prior to any school closure being recommended if this is deemed necessary. Further to a previous Whitby Community Network meeting with NYC Let’s Talk Community much was made of the siloisation of current NYCC departments, therefore can you please confirm in writing the following issues have been addressed to ensure the sustainability of the town and the educational facilities in the Whitby & District area, before any consultation is considered. 1.         What long term planning has been carried out for education and skills training in the Whitby catchment area, including the possibility of academisation of the schools? The proposal to close Eskdale school has now arisen on at least two occasions in the last ten years,  around 70% of sixth form pupils have been forced to seek education elsewhere - some with additional transport costs to the family, and adult education has all but disappeared from this area. Why was the University Technical College built in Scarborough, rather than considering a new school and/or improving the educational facilities in Whitby? Why has no action been taken previously bearing in mind the reports prepared on or behalf of NYCC and our MP’s comments made in 2018? (see note1) and the funding available to schools particularly for skills training? How many times will the schools need to change the name and uniforms, bearing in mind the call for academisation? If school expansion is required in the future, will there be any provision to allow for this, bearing in mind the very limited land availability for development due to the surrounding National Park? What forecasts are there for additional pupils based on proposed housing development, the opening of the polyhalite mine, and the possible reduction in second/holiday homes possibly leading to families returning to Whitby? 2.         Has the health and well being of our young people been considered and evaluated? Health in Coastal Communities is already considered poor (see Note 2 - CMO Annual Report 2021), and following two years disrupted education due to the Covid pandemic, is a school closure the answer, particularly one much loved by parents and pupils as demonstrated by the high ratio of pupils? 3.         Has an assessment been carried out with regards to possible increased traffic congestion if the present proposal is progressed? Caedmon - Normanby site has no coach parking, Mayfield Road the main access road through Whitby, near the traffic lights, is used for parking coaches? 4.         The closure of a school could have a massive impact on green spaces/playing pitches in Whitby ( see note 4), what assessment has been made to counter these losses and to meet well-being, playing pitches, Active Travel and biodiversity requirements?  Green spaces are already below the national level, with further SBC plans for housing  developments on three green spaces, part of the golf course, and a playing field site has been proposed for a new cemetery, with the adjacent one recently developed for housing. - all very much against local residents' wishes. The proposal would also lose some excellent sports facilities particularly for the east side of Whitby where major housing developments are taking place and there is presently no Leisure facility available. 5.         Has an assessment been made on the risk to the Esk Valley train line? This brings pupils to the school, by a form of public transport that should be fully supported by the new Council, yet this line could be put at risk if further children opt out of a North Yorkshire school  due to lack of choice. 6.         Has the effect of the changes proposed been reviewed against the York & North Yorkshire’s Routemap to Carbon Negative (see note 6)? Will continued loss of children to this area through lack of  educational facilities, housing, public transport etc., lead to increased movement of children to other schools, reducing the chances of the Combined Mayoral authority achieving its proposed aim for Net Zero? 7.         Has digital connectivity to our catchment area and schools been reviewed to ensure full advantage can be taken of future technology? The likelihood that future technology / on-line courses will offer the potential for the Whitby schools to become a "hub"  offering secondary/higher and adult education /retraining across the full range of subjects both technical & academic needs to consider. 8.         Whitby has a lack of community halls, schools are very under-utilised, therefore can they not be multi-purposed to provide further community facilities? New playing pitches adjacent to Eskdale school utilise changing facilities from the school, also the larger housing estates on the outreaches of the town do not have any community facilities or playing fields. 9.         What are the Council and our MP’s doing to ensure fair funding is available for education and skills training in North Yorkshire, particularly in the more deprived areas? North Yorkshire secondary schools are placed 140 out of 150 local authorities in terms of funding level per pupil. On average, a school in North Yorkshire will receive £5,713 per pupil in 2022-23 compared to a national average of £6,213 (see note 9) 10.       Has a review been carried out on the validity of the Maritime Hub, and whether this money would be better invested in educational and skills training (including a Maritime Academy) benefiting all local people, and utilising an existing school building? The proposed development area is at present subject to Court proceedings, located on Level three flood plain, in a key conservation area, a building of this type  would not be in keeping with recommendations made by  the report  'Celebrating our Distinctive Heritage' (see point 10). The whole of Endeavour Wharf is built on unstable, reclaimed land with a history of subsidence and the piles for the foundations of any building would need to go down over 60 ft before they reached "solid" ground. There is a need for NYCC to look at the whole future provision of education in Whitby and District, which we suggest must be carried out before taking any decision about the future of Eskdale School, or in fact any school, to ensure the long term sustainability of this area. We believe this should be an open and transparent process for residents and in particular pupils and parents of the schools catchment area, to make an informed decision on an issue which will affect this area for many years to come. Notes: 1.         NYCC reports on Education •           North Yorkshire School Improvement Strategy 2019-2020. Building Capacity Accelerating Improvement See: https://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk/sites/default/files/School%20improvement/77590_NY%20School%20Improvement%20Strategy_2019-20%2027%20March.pdf •           North Yorkshire’s Rural Commission 2021 report See: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/north-yorkshire-rural-commission •           Skills Strategy 2021-2026 - Empowering people for a greener, fairer, stronger economy.  Y&NY LEP See: https://www.ynylep.com/Portals/0/adam/HtmlNewApp/aIp63QUlDkWDb9UTrkEQ4A/ButtonLink/83179-LEP-Skills-strategy-brochure-A4-2021-2026_LANDSCAPE_v3.pdf •           Revitalising Rural, Realising the Vision  RURAL FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND SKILLS  See: https://rsnonline.org.uk/images/revitalising-rural/rural-fe-training-skills.pdf •           NYCC minutes of "Scarborough & Whitby Area Constituency Committee" from Sept. 2018 stated:“The Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP said that, at present, there were not enough children in Whitby to support the schools there. This meant that the schools competed for children. The schools that were not able to keep the numbers up faced significant budgetary pressures. He noted that the expansion of housing in and around Whitby and the opening of the Potash mine would both help the situation in the medium term.” See: https://edemocracy.northyorks.gov.uk/Data/Scarborough%20and%20Whitby%20Area%20Constitue ncy%20Committee/20181212/Agenda/01%20Scarborough%20&%20Whitby%20ACC%20Minutes%2026%20Sept%202018.pdf  2. Health in Coastal Communities  CMO Annual Report 2021: Health in Coastal Communities update for Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee Friday 23 September Presenter: Natalie Smith (Head of HAS Population Health Planning) and Dan Atkinson (Public Health Manager) “Pockets of high levels of deprivation are found across North Yorkshire but they are most highly concentrated in the coastal towns. 43% of the neighbourhoods (LSOAs) in the coastal towns of Filey, Scarborough and Whitby fall within the most deprived national quintile of the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019.” 4. SBC Green Spaces/Playing Pitches Supplementary Planning Document Nov. 2014 See: https://www.scarborough.gov.uk/sites/scarborough.gov.uk/files/files/Green-Space- Supplementary-Planning-Document.pdf Scarborough Borough Local Plan Green Space Audit May2014 https://www.scarborough.gov.uk/sites/scarborough.gov.uk/files/files/Green-Space-Audit.pdf SBC Playing Pitch Strategy July 2021 https://www.scarborough.gov.uk/sites/scarborough.gov.uk/files/files/PPS_Stage%20D_ Main%20strategy%20document.pdf Scarborough Borough Playing Pitch Strategy/Appendix A: Site Action Plans 2021 https://www.scarborough.gov.uk/sites/scarborough.gov.uk/files/files/Scarborough% 20Borough%20PPS_Stage%20D_Strategy%20Appendix%20A_Site%20Action%20Plans_June2021.pdf 6. York & North Yorkshire’s Routemap to Carbon Negative See: https://www.ynylep.com/routemap 9. Schools Funding: North Yorkshire County Council Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee 25 November 2022 Schools, Educational Achievement and Finance Report https://edemocracy.northyorks.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1229&MId=5125&Ver=4Schools, Educational Achievement & Finance  PDF 521 KB View item 7. as HTML 270 KB  10. 'Celebrating our Distinctive Heritage'  jointly commissioned by Historic England and the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership See: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/celebrating-distinctive-heritage/ We note from  the Scarborough News that Scarborough Council has approved an additional budget of £900,000 to  progress the planned Whitby Maritime Hub to pre-construction RIBA stage  4. The Maritime Hub as far as we can ascertain is a massive office block with a small Maritime training academy.  The original aim of this project according to the Whitby Town Deal Town Investment Plan October 2020, highlighted the issue of “Low levels of educational attainment and aspirations of young people” and stated a Statement of success “By 2035 Whitby is the place where people and businesses achieve their potential. The town offers high level skills and training pathways, vibrant startup and co-worker space along with modern workspace for businesses building the tech of the future. There are excellent opportunities for development, growth and sustainability. The jewel in our crown is the Whitby Coastal and Maritime Training Academy which attracts students and professionals from around the globe who wish to live and develop their careers in one of the finest places in the world.”	16/1/23
16	I find myself writing to you now as there are so many questions that have no answers I'm hoping you may be able to help. I know the Governors of Whitby Secondary Partnership(WSP) have approached NYCC and not the other way round like the previous time, but on the attendance record for December 2022 where I'm guessing the decision was made only 4 governors were present. This is a massive decision for so few to make. We have requested the minutes from WSP and all that has happened is the ones from 2019-2021 have been removed, we have had to send a FOI request for them. There are numerous problems in Whitby Secondary education, but I find the ways and reasons the Governord are using to be incorrect. The reasons : low pupil numbers the problem with this arguement is pupil numbers in the area have been stable in primary and secondary schools since 2018, the low number at Eskdale is due to deliberate mismanagement, and lack of interaction with the primary schools. Finances: until last year Eskdale had a revenue reserve, while since 2018 Caedmon College at one point has a revenue reserve of -600,000 Educational standards: one school with no completion for 21 miles? How is that going to drive standards up, like business the only way is healthy rivalry and competition. After the last consultation it was decided that Whitby needed 2 11-16 schools and the 6th form would have a chance to be free standing, hence able to attract students from both schools and other a wider range of courses, so children would be less inclined to go to other colleges. Unfortunately this has not happened, you have a site with the capacity of over 500 with 168 students. If the governors get their wish and Eskdale is sacrificed for Caedmon, they will still be 300 pupils short on capacity, what's next in a couple of years they want to add a primary school or two to make the books balance? If this is a well thought out plan by the Governors, with everything thought out, why wasn't the plan released with the letter? Why are we fobbed off with it will be released in consultation, it there a plan, have they bought themselves a month to find a plan? The children have all been through enough turmoil with there education with Covid, without a ill though out plan, cllr Swannick has said that the decision will be made if consultation goes ahead on June 20th, 6months of uncertainty in torture for these children, for 11 years to have no idea which school there are going to, for year 8s to not know which options they have. For staff to not know if they have a job in the middle of a cost of living crisis. We agree that Whitby Seconday education needs looking at but not in a rush, it need serious though and multiple options explored in detail, and unfortunately the 6th form needs to be evaluated, and the idea of a hub or being absorbed back in to caedmon college are real options. This is not about one school in a little sea side town, this is about long term education in the town now and for generations to come. We don't want any more quick fixes, we don't want to be back here again mentally torturing more children.	17/1/23
17	I am in the process of preparing the agenda for our next meeting and was wondering if you are available to speak to Whitby Community Network members on the “the Future of Education in Whitby & District.” This has obviously become a "hot topic" in the area, and to get some facts and figures and hopefully some direction from our Council for the future of education in this area would be really useful as we very concerned with regard to the sustainability of the town  and district with the present housing issues and lack of young people in the area. I look forward to hearing from you.	17/1/23
18	HOW WILL THIS PROPOSAL BENEFIT ANY 11–16-YEAR-OLD? It will potentially harm all current and future students accessing 11-16 education. It will create a large 11-16 1000+ school on split sites. Split sites have been shown to fail on too many occasions. It will be more difficult for teachers to know all their pupils and could result in increased bullying, with more disciplinary and safeguarding issues, as well as larger class sizes. It removes parental choice and competition, and comparison. It will create traffic chaos at the beginning and end of the school day with the extra pupil and traffic movements. In fact Caedmon College, unbelievably, have just put out a message on their Facebook page highlighting the current issues being faced!! More parents/students could also be forced to look outside the town for educational provision. Most will fully appreciate the problems you as our MP, Councillors and NYCC Officers have re costs and the extra student places in the town. There must be another way and there is. Close one of the other sites (the Normanby site?) and leave the town with two 11-16 schools. Small schools can be as successful as any large school. I hope you might at least consider what I am saying and hopefully widen any future consultation.	20/1/23
19	I am more than concerned re the proposed closure of Eskdale School in Whitby. Can you advise me why the governors are prepared to rush into this proposal without any thought for the young people of this town? We will have no choice, there will be no competition,increased class sizes, more bullying, more safeguarding issues as it is well known that there is a drug problem at Caedmon College site. At Eskdale school the teachers know the children well and are passionate about their learning and their wellbeing, which is what I didn't find in my experience with Caedmon College. Many of the children at Eskdale come from smaller communities and that is why they chose Eskdale School, they feel safe in the environment. In large classes many average and below average pupils slip through the net. I know this as a fact.there are many children who find themselves in isolation and detention at Caedmon and this does not allow them to reach their full potential. Many children will look outside Whitby for their secondary education and this could well have a knock on effect regarding the bus and rail services which may well be withdrawn, a disaster for our community in town and in the villages. At the beginning and the end of the school day there is already traffic problems both in Mayfield Road and Stakesby Vale and Beevers car park, fully admitted by the governors. It is beggars belief that they are willing to introduce another 500 students into the mix. This is an accident waiting to happen. Moving between schools for lessons is a complete waste of learning time, knocking at least 20 minutes off an hour lesson. Over 38 weeks, the school year, this is a lot of learning lost. Why not amalgamate the Normanby and Scoresby sites which worked really well when I was at the Grammar School, why change when its not broken!!! We need a school 11-16 on each side of the town. Our children need choice. Our children need safeguarding. Our children are the future generations for this town. Please do not close Eskdale school. Think before you make this unfair decision for our children. If this decision goes ahead our children will only have four weeks from 20th June for transition. This is no good for either school. A very Concerned Carer	23/1/23
20	Please find a screen shot of a Facebook Post caedmon college Whitby issued today 20th January 2023. If these are the problem experienced now how much worse is it going to be if the amalgamation goes ahead? Have you seen any reports from highways? Have you been to see these sites yourself and how heavy the traffic is on Mayfield Road? Have you seen how this plan is actually going to work with the final decision on being on June 20th, how would any road alterations take place at the hight of summer?	24/1/23
21	please find a copy of the letter sent to the whitby secondary partnership governors. from The keep choice in whitby & save eskdale group. thank you To the Headteachers and Governors of Whitby Secondary Partnership (# (executive head), # (Caedmon College head), # (Eskdale head), Co chairs of the board of governors ##and ##, ##, ##, ## and ##. At 4pm on January 4th 2023, the first day back following the Christmas break, without prior notice or consultation, the staff were called to hear your decision to close Eskdale School.  Stating that the way forward as you saw it, was to amalgamate with Caedmon College.  Taking a whole 47 minutes to explain your controversial decision, the meeting finished at 4.47pm where emails were promptly sent out to parents and guardians of students forcing them to break the news and explain that the governors of their school wished to close it WHY NOW? On the outside, this looks like a similar fight to last time - to save one of the town’s beloved secondary schools, but underneath it is very different and with many more disturbing issues than previously. We ask if this decision is at the end of a well thought out period of research and planning, if so why isn't this plan on the table in front of everyone in Whitby and District to view? Why is it that when asked where this plan is, the only response we recieve is that all the details will be part of the six- week consultation period? We are not against change, but expect it to be done with time, planning & discusion.  We do not want a rushed through quick fix that is set to failure, repeating last mistakes and deal untold damage to hundreds of children. Our children have already lived through unprecedented times and lost so much of their education. WHY THE RUSH The timescale might look good on paper but how is it going to work in the real world? The final decision will be made on June 20th 2023. How are you going to transition all the children in a month including many with Special Educational Needs before they break up for summer? We guess the reply we might receive from you is that it will be in the consultation document but surely a well considered plan would have been presented at this proposal to limit the upset and disruption caused to all the children. The poor Year 6’s of our local primary schools. No matter what school they have chosen, if this goes ahead, they won't be getting the one they picked. A 1,000 plus secondary school was not one of the options presented to them at the time. The children will also get the added bonus of having to wait an extra three anxious months for a decision as to whether they will have a place. The move from primary to secondary is a massive jump normally without the unknown playing on their minds. What about the pupils already in both schools - Caedmon and Eskdale? They are at the schools for a reason and they have chosen them. Seven years ago it was decided by North Yorkshire County Council that the town needed that choice. Lowering pupil numbers has been blamed, but Eskdale has only recently experienced lower pupil numbers due to issues with higher management and less advertising of the school. Caedmon College together with its 6th Form has been running at just over 50% capacity  since at least 2018/19 with the 6th Form students averaging 165 pupils enrolled in total per year.  If Eskdale is amalgamated into Caedmon College, there will still be a 300 shortfall in pupils compared to capacity. What happens when your quick fix fails? Do the children get forced on to one site? Do we amalgamate some primary schools? Anything to keep the dream alive? Have the decision makers among you considered the irreversible effect a quick ill-thought out move will also have on children with Special Educational Needs (SEN)? Some of these children have Educational Health Care Plans (ECHPs) which are designed especially for the educational settings they are in. Your plans are already causing significant distress to these children. Since 2021 between the two secondary schools they have had an astonishing total of eight headteachers. These being made up of actual heads, acting heads, associate head, interim head and our current executive head. How is this constructive for a settled educational environment? How are staff meant to have good working conditions when they don't know who is going to be in charge every few months? There is clearly a problem further up the management ladder. It was mentioned by a local county councillor on social media that the new school would have a new name and a new ethos. However, in real terms this would mean parents of children in the Whitby area footing the bill for its new identity. This includes paying for the cost of a full new uniform and PE kit before the start of the new school year in September 2023 - just two months after a decision. We want there to be a transparent and in-depth look into Whitby Secondary Education. We do not want any more short term fixes and name changes (of which there have been many) and no more short sightedness. However, this all takes time and kids are worth your time to get this right. More than one option needs to be explored in depth with the whole community allowed to see the plans for themselves. We have written this letter to you now before the decision is made whether your plan to shut Eskdale will be consulted on because we feel the children, staff and wider community deserve answers. Our children deserve a well thought out, well led and well funded secondary education provision which can be achieved if you work together in partnership with the community. If you do not get this right now you are failing our children and future generations. From the members of the Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale School Campaign Group	24/1/23
22	Is there more than one option to be considered at the forthcoming consultation ? Hopefully yes, as there is now the opportunity to provide the very best educational provision that our students need and deserve. Only when all the information is freely available and a proper, thoughtful, and meaningful time-frame is in place should any consultation be undertaken. Parents and students must have total confidence in the procedures being adopted. As you are aware a quick fix to reduce costs is certainly not what is required. At present there appears to be only one option for any consultation but I trust this is not the case. With such a life changing decision ahead for the current and future students in our town, I would hope that there is no predetermined view and the merits of any other option will be considered. Yes, everyone agrees cost savings need to be found but surely not at the expense of our students. OPTION 1 (Governors current proposal?) Close Eskdale School and amalgamate Caedmon and Eskdale on the two remaining sites - Normanby & Scoresby. There are 900+ places at the Caedmon College (Normanby Site), which is the smallest (4.5ha), but there is no play area, limited sports fields, and is without road access for coaches. However, this proposal means shoehorning all 900+ 11-16 students into a confined space whilst leaving 350+ available spaces on the Scoresby (6^th Form) site OR creating a split site school ie 11-13/14 on one site and 13/14-18 on the other. A large 11-16 1000+ school on split sites could be created but split sites schools have been shown to fail in North Yorkshire and more recently in Whitby. This proposal is all about money rather than the students. Teachers, in a larger school, will find it difficult to know all their pupils and this could result in increased bullying, with more disciplinary and safeguarding issues, as well as larger class sizes. Parental choice and competition, and comparison would be lost. Traffic chaos at the beginning and end of the school day with the extra pupil and traffic movements will increase. Caedmon College (Normanby site) have just asked parents to help in reducing the traffic chaos at that school at present whilst the Governors are proposing an increase with their proposal. Current and future students accessing 11-16 education will potentially be harmed. Educational chaos could ensue. Many parents and students could be forced to look outside the town for educational provision as they do at 16+. Is it right that 6^th Form considerations are allowed to distract from the best provisions for any 11–16-year-old? OPTION 2 Allow both schools to apply to become separate Academies. There are several outstanding small Academies in North Yorkshire and further afield. OPTION 3 Build a new, fit for purpose, 11-18 comprehensive school on the Caedmon site. This would be designed in such a way to reduce the impact of a large school for students eg smaller blocks with defined outside space. Whilst the Caedmon (Scoresby Site) was redeveloped Eskdale would remain as an 11-16 school and Caedmon as an 11-18 School on the Normanby site. When the new school was built the remaining two sites could be sold to reduce the overall spend. OPTION 4 Reconfigure the Scoresby site to accommodate 900+ 11–16-year-olds. Thought would again be needed to lessen the impact of pupils moving to a large school.    Whilst building work was undertaken Eskdale and Caedmon (Normanby site) would remain. When completed either of the other two sites could be sold with the other to be used as the 6^th Form. As a site maybe Eskdale could offer more (3G pitch etc) and have fewer available spaces or could it be possible to use the old St Hildas RC School, with an additional building, as a small 6^th form. OPTION 5 Move the 6^th Form to the Normanby site with the added space used to create a Marine Training facility which is also being proposed for Whitby. More technical/mining/ and/or adult courses could also be offered, as well as possibly creating a community hub. The opportunities are endless. This would again leave two sites (Eskdale & Scoresby) for 11-16 students, each with 500 students. An enlarged 6^th Form could be in partnership with the 11-16 schools, as a stand-alone school or could even possibly be operated as the Whitby Campus of another larger education provider. OPTION 6 Leave Eskdale as a stand-alone 500 place 11-16 school or working in partnership with Caedmon (Scoresby site) as 11-18 750 place school with the addition of an additional teaching block (costings required). How much investment would be needed at Eskdale to improve facilities in the long term for 500 students? All could be achieved with the revenue from the sale of the Normanby site. The Normanby site (Caedmon School), which doesn’t have the added complication of a floodlit all weather 3G pitch to be included in any sale, could then be sold.            The 3G pitches at Eskdale and Scoresby (6^th Form) are subject to the legal sale restrains which were put in place when the funding was given. The Mayfield Road site could be very attractive to developers in providing houses, apartments etc close to the Town Centre OPTION 7 Close Whitby 6^th Form (Scoresby Site), which diverts funding from the 11-16 schools, and provide free travel to the student’s choice of school for post 16 education. Move Caedmon School to that site leaving the town with two 11-16 schools Caedmon and Eskdale. Small schools can be as successful as any large school. Again this would leave the Normanby site to be sold.                                    --------------- There of course may be other options that you are considering and which will be outlined in any forthcoming report/consultation. Our students depend on you to provide the best educational opportunities going forward. I look forward to reading the report and hearing from you all at the consultation.	27/1/23
23	Hello Councillor Wilkinson,  I realize that your emails must be heaving over with messages from concerned parents regarding the Whitby school closure of Eskdale.  I am unable to apologise for adding to the pile you've got to burn through. What I can do is be very direct in my needs from you.  I am looking to understand what will be on offer specifically to SEN children, should (and most likely) this merger go through.  My choice was made to use Eskdale specifically because of its smaller size and attention to detail and success with other SEN children.  Larger class sizes will not benefit my autistic child-due to additional noise and distraction in and out of class.  1-1 care will be needed as per my child's EHCP and I am concerned that the teething pains of this amalgamation will make my child's additional needs less manageable or attended to due to staff shortages or complicated staff scheduling with such  high demand of staff per child.  My child could 'just' manage in a mainstream school, but not the one that I think, is being proposed.  Please can you let me know, how if any provisions are being put in place to secure the needs and interest of SEN children starting their year 7 in a new place that will be in tumulus transition all ready? Many thanks for any hope you can provide,	27/1/123
24	Dear Cllrs and Secondary Partnership, We write to you with the greatest of concern regarding the proposals for secondary education in Whitby. We currently have two children attending Eskdale School, one of which is entering Year 11 and the other Year 10 in September 2023. These are two very crucial stages of education, I'm sure you will agree, just to be disrupted once again by uncertainty and upheaval. Not only have they missed vital stages of their education due to the pandemic, it is now proposed to unsettle them once again in a move to a school they originally dismissed in favour of Eskdale School. They have just settled back into their school routine and are coping well despite a very turbulent couple of years. They are now flourishing and learning well in what was thought to be their final years at Eskdale School after a bleak start. They are familiar with all their teachers and regard them as mentors who are able to judge their capabilities well. We are annoyed beyond belief that after all these setbacks, they now have a proposed merger thrown at them to add insult to injury. We find it most distressing that the proposals are to be rushed through in a very short space of time. How, if the decision is to be made to go to consultation on 7th February, with a consultation lasting six weeks with a final decision to be made on June 20th, do all the powers that be in making these decisions think this is an adequate time frame to merge not just two schools but in effect three including the sixth form? How does Caedmon School have the infrastructure to accommodate four more year groups without any disruption or structural changes? How if run as a split site school will the day to day operations of moving either teachers or children work? Surely class sizes will inevitably have to be larger than average? Surely dining rooms at both Normanby and Scoresby sites cannot be in any way equipped or large enough to cope with such large volumes of children all at once? What will happen with regards to the traffic situation? Both of the Caedmon sites are situated on the two busiest main roads passing through Whitby. The Normanby site has very poor accessibility with a very narrow entrance to enter and exit the site into a very busy flow of traffic at highly congested times of the day, not to mention its lack of coach parking, which is completely non existent and surely makes this site a logistical nightmare, with students being collected and dropped off on the roadside contributing to much larger volumes of traffic at peak times. When more country children transported by coach and car are added to this already chaotic daily routine, it will increase the dangers of this road highly. The Scoresby site is also situated on a highly busy road, with the junction turning into the school known for many a collision from cars turning and having the only 40mph zone passing through Whitby. What extra support will the GCSE students receive during the transition to make the most stressful year of their school life more manageable? Having to familiarise themselves with new surroundings, new teachers, new class sizes, new routines/timetables and new classmates can only add to the building anxiety of Year 11. Surely, familiarity for these students as with many other students and those with special needs or poor mental health is key. What also would be the fate of the 3G sports facility on the land at Eskdale? The two sites at Caedmon do not offer any where near as good a sport facility as the all weather pitch. Caedmon's Scoresby site sports facility is a hockey surface and Normanby's site only has the gym and the grass pitches. Both these schools also offer no playing yard either. Why is this proposal of Amalgamation being rushed in such a short period of time? The time frame that is being proposed from the final decision on June 20th leaves only 11 weeks to get the preparations for housing all these extra students underway; it really is not enough time. Surely the process of these kind of things take much longer to prepare? Something just does not sit right in this whole situation. We understand that both Eskdale and Caedmon have a short fall of students creating deficit, however the greatest deficit is the Sixth Form due to having the greater shortfall, surely? Is it not more of a logical decision to provide two Secondary schools offering 11-16 education in Whitby by keeping both Eskdale and Caedmon, running Caedmon from the Scoresby site also offering Sixth Form education within the same site? Whitby has never been able to compete with the wider range of courses offered elsewhere. If the proposed merger does go ahead, are we right to believe the capacity will not be at maximum still resulting in shortfall and deficit, which in turn does not fix the huge educational headache in Whitby? Split site schools are also known to be unsuccessful, as the merger between Raincliffe and Graham Schools have proved. Whitby as a town is forever expanding, attracting many to relocate here. Many housing estates seem to be getting approval for development. Not all these houses can be predicted to be second homes. They are being built and advertised as family homes as well as affordable housing - affordable to who? Locals are being outpriced by people from other areas. Whitby is fast becoming a victim of its own success. As amenities, services and facilities are being cut back in the town, the housing estates still expand. Is that the fate to be of the land upon which Eskdale stands? There is currently lots of developing surrounding that land. We urge you to consider all options and hopefully the schools on either side of the town can prosper and have a successful future if the Sixth Form college and Caedmon unite on the one site. Eskdale should not be sacrificed for a failing Sixth Form college. The Ethos of Eskdale and the sense of belonging as well as the reasons many children have chosen this smaller school environment will be lost within this huge proposal not to mention the children of Caedmon who chose their school for a reason too, they are also affected by this whole situation. We as a family oppose the proposal and are deeply saddened it will fall right on our ##'s most important year as well as all the other children who have worked so hard to claw something back from covid and home schooling. Many thanks for taking the time to read and trying to see it from a perspective of concerned parents of which we are just a couple.	31/1/23
25	Thank you for your reply. Everyone wants to ensure the best educational provision for all students whilst acknowledging that cost savings are required. No one needs a quick fix with so much at stake. Hopefully all options will be considered to ensure the site(s) chosen is(are) fit for purpose.	31/1/23
26	As Secretary of local football Club Whitby Fishermen's Society FC , i would like to voice  strong concerns regarding the possible closure of Eskdale 3G football facility along with the school. We as Club rely heavily on this facility to provide football for over 200 junior players across 14 teams plus 60 adult players over 2 teams. We use this facility for both training during the week and match play at the weekends.  If this facility was to be removed it would impact greatly on us delivering at our present levels and in turn on the subsequent physical and mental health of the people of our town . For the Town, getting to the point of actually having its own 3G facility has been a long and hard fought journey over many years,  to have it taken away after less than 2 years of  opening would be an absolute tragedy.	2/2/23
27	Written submission for the CYPS Executive Members and Corporate Director meeting 7 February 2023 “Choice is a marvellous thing; it can change so much, it can alter the future” - The choice you make today will alter the future of thousands of children, and generations of Whitby Families.  The “PLAN” for the amalgamation of Eskdale School and Caedmon college, is an insult to yourselves, the parents, the wider community and most of all the Children. Where is the Planning? Where are the other ideas which were discounted? - It has already been proven that this is not a well thought out plan with the date being pushed back a year, as logistically it was impossible to do for September 2023. This is another short-term fix for Secondary education in Whitby, sacrifice a school and give the new one a fancy new name, new logo and new uniform - BUT the problems are still there, and we will be back here in a few years. It states that the Governing body has requested this, in fact it is four out of seven members.  This is the Governing body which NYCC has spent thousands of pounds and man hours since 2019, trying to teach them to run it correctly. The same people who between two schools have had 8 head teachers in various forms since January 2021. Industrial action was planned by the unions because of bullying, adverse management practices affecting the workload, health, safety and wellbeing of staff and failure to consult properly. Both schools as stated in the plan would be downgraded to Requires Improvement if a graded inspection was to be carried out, to merge two schools in that position is asking for a disaster- look at Graham School.  The Split site idea has been tried and it failed, either moving the children or the teachers’ valuable teaching time is lost, or timetabling is a nightmare and children are left unsupervised. One of the main published reasons is low pupil numbers. Since the academic year 17/18 Caedmon college has operated on two sites with on average 51.3% capacity, this is going to lead to financial issues, the 6th form is situated on a site which can hold nearly 500 but this year has only 140 pupils enrolled. Eskdale School taking into account the changing PAN number and the Capacity now being 510 on the Get information about schools’ website in the same period Eskdale have run at on average 88.2% capacity. The new school would only have 77% capacity in 24/25 dropping to 66% in 34/35.  Finances are always going to be difficult, but the governors have put Eskdale in the Financial difficulties by getting it to pay towards the 6th form from its budget.  We know it cannot stay the same, but our children deserve a well-planned, well led long term plan for secondary education in Whitby - no more quick fixes.”	2/2/23
28	Please can I ask a simple question if pupil numbers are falling continously until at least 34/35 like in the plan put forward by the Governors of Whitby Secondary. WHY do we need a school with 1600+ places which would only be 77% full at maximum? Wouldn't 2 schools at 95- 100% capacity in 24/25 be a better option? Then when numbers fall both schools would be able to survive, and this can be put in to budgets. Both schools could be under a fair federation who nurtured the differences in both schools, and an Executive head or two heads who understand that difference is good when you are 21 miles from the next nearest school. Whitby needs choice, it needs a long term fix that will last the test of time and this does. You have 2 purpose built schools each capable of holding 600 pupils, both have excellent sports facilities and serve both sides of town, each have a turning circle for buses, away from the main roads, so less congestion. The college site, was an old hospital that has had so many bits added to it, some were temporary in the 1980s, and yet still stand now, there will be asbestos in these buildings. It has hardly any playing field left, no 3g pitch, no turning circle or even a layby on the main road in to Whitby. Why the governors are blinded by one vision is beyond me, when it will lead to more problems, schools at capacity are financially more secure, it's a win win and no more quick fixes that are doomed for failure. Please look at the governors, the ex head of Caedmon, the current Co chair and the new exec head are all on the board of Yorkshire Endeavour Academy Trust, they have run Eskdale in to the ground by making it contribute from its budget to keep the 6th form afloat. This isn't the best choice for whitby. 2 well funded, well attended schools near capacity with amazing sports facility's and SEN provisions is. I don't need the automated response, we need you to stop the quick fixes, to think long term, and actually fix this situation. THIS IS THE CHANCE  make the right choice.... to give the kids choice..	3/2/23
29	Thank you for your previous response. Would it be possible for a member of Whitby Community Network to attend the Children and Young Peoples Service - Executive Members & Corporate Director’s Meeting at 1.00pm on 07/02/2023 to present the Whitby and District's community concerns with regard to the proposal to amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School, and to close the Eskdale site highlighted in my previous email? This is a critical decision affecting the future of education in this area, the future employment opportunities, the training and up-skilling of adults, with a critical factor in this urban settlement set in a sparsely-populated rural area is the distance needed to travel to learn. The local community of Whitby & District hold very strong views on this subject, and we do not wish to see the backward step taken returning to a two tier educational system of 11-14 and 14-19 year old pupils. This area has had a turbulent time in senior/adult education over the last decade, including the loss of virtually all sixth form and adult education, various school name changes, issues with leadership and governance, with the latter still not fully rectified, and the proposal made appears at least questionable as to its validity. I have attached a list of the possible proposals that could be made to improve education in Whitby suggested by previous School Governors and Head Teachers, as we all appreciate financial savings need to be made, but we wonder why none of the attached suggested proposals have been considered and consulted on - is this yet another sticking-plaster approach to education in Whitby & District? I look forward to hearing from you. Whitby Senior Schools Reorganisation Proposal Jan 2023 NYCC has the responsibility and the opportunity to provide the very best educational provision that our Whitby and District students need and deserve. Only when all the information is freely available and a proper, thoughtful, and meaningful time frame is in place should any consultation be undertaken. OPTION 1 (Governors current proposal?) Close Eskdale School and amalgamate Caedmon and Eskdale on the two remaining sites – Normanby & Scoresby. There are 900+ places at the Caedmon College  (Normanby Site), which is the smallest (4.5ha), but there is no play  area, limited sports fields, and is without road access for coaches. However, this proposal means shoe-horning all 900+ 11-16 students into a confined space whilst leaving 350+ available spaces on the Scoresby (6th Form) site – OR creating a  split-site school  – i.e. 11-13/14 on one site and 13/14-18 on the  other. A large 11-16 1000+ school on split sites could be created but  split-sites schools have been shown to fail in North Yorkshire and more recently in Whitby. Parental choice and competition, and comparison, would be lost. Traffic chaos at the beginning and end of the school day, with the extra pupil and traffic movements, will increase. Caedmon College (Normanby site) have just asked parents to help in  reducing the traffic chaos at that school at present whilst the  Governors are proposing an increase with their proposal. OPTION 2 Allow both schools to apply to become separate Academies. There are several outstanding small Academies in North Yorkshire and further afield. OPTION 3 Build a new, fit for purpose, 11-18 comprehensive school on the Caedmon (Scoresby) site. This would be designed in such a way to reduce the impact of a large  school for students eg smaller blocks with defined outside space. Whilst the Caedmon (Scoresby Site) was redeveloped Eskdale would  remain as an 11-16 school and Caedmon as an 11-18 School on the Normanby  site. When the new school was built the remaining two sites could be sold to reduce the overall spend. Why has this not been considered before - the newest school Caedmon (Scoresby) was built in 1963, and we note Sleights school has been awarded funding for rebuilt/refurbisment - from a finacial point of view this would make the most sense. OPTION 4 Reconfigure the Scoresby site to accommodate 900+ 11-16-year-olds. Thought would again be needed to lessen the impact of pupils moving to a large school. Whilst building work was undertaken Eskdale and Caedmon (Normanby site) would remain. When completed either of the other two sites could be sold with the other to be used as the 6th Form. As a site, maybe Eskdale could offer more (3G pitch, etc.) and have  fewer available spaces or could it be possible to use the old St Hildas  RC School, with an additional building, as a small 6th form. OPTION 5 Move the 6th Form to the Normanby site with the added space used to  create a Marine/Adult Training facility which is also being proposed for Whitby. More technical/mining/ and/or adult courses could also be offered, as well as possibly creating a community hub. The opportunities are endless. This would again leave two sites (Eskdale & Scoresby) for 11-16 students, each with 500 students. An enlarged 6th Form could be in partnership with the 11-16 schools,  as a stand-alone school or could even possibly be operated as the Whitby  Campus of another larger education provider. OPTION 6 Leave Eskdale as a stand-alone 500 place 11-16 school or working in partnership with Caedmon (Scoresby site) as 11-18 750 place school with the addition of an additional teaching block (costings required). How much investment would be needed at Eskdale to improve facilities in the long-term for 500 students? All could be achieved with the revenue from the sale of the Normanby site. The Normanby site (Caedmon School), which doesn’t have the added  complication of a floodlit all weather 3G pitch to be included in any  sale, could then be sold. The 3G pitches at Eskdale and Scoresby (6th Form) are subject to the  legal sale restraints which were put in place when the grant funding was  given. The Mayfield Road site could be very attractive to developers in providing houses, apartments, etc., close to the Town Centre - ideal older persons village type development retaining the old Grammar school building. OPTION 7 Close Whitby 6th Form (Scoresby Site), which diverts funding from the  11-16 schools, and provide free travel to the student’s choice of  school for post-16 education. Move Caedmon School to the Scoresby site leaving the town with two 11-16 schools Caedmon and Eskdale. Small schools can be as successful as any large school. Again this would leave the Normanby site to be sold.	3/2/23
30	As a former governor of over ten years of both Eskdale school and the federated body of Whitby schools I feel I need to offer a view on the proposal as it stands. Firstly there is no doubt that something has to change in the town to offer both students and future students an education system in  Whitby that is fit for purpose, financially sound and acceptable to the vast majority of families in the town. When the schools first federated and the sixth form was moved from the Normanby site to the to the Scoresby  site we knew on the governing body that it was an ambitious move but also high risk for if we didn't attract numbers then the finances would be a drain on the other schools. But it was agreed that we would never let that happen and if that were the case then it would be the sixth form that would have to move back to the Normanby site (where it did very well in the past). Over the next few years a mixture of bad appointments by the governing body, not holding those appointments to account by being a critical friend, has cost Eskdale in particular a great deal of financial cost in pay offs to staff, costs in a top heavy leadership team for such a small school, costs into financially supporting an underperforming 6th form and cost into replacing bad leadership appointments with replacements whilst those leaders were put on gardening leave. All of which occurred under this very small governing body. To be Frank the governors don't have the towns confidence. But I do as I have said realise that change needs to happen. The 6th form has around 130 students rattling around a building that used to house 600 plus . Without massive investment to attract students from Scarborough and Guisborough it can never draw the numbers needed to match the offer from 6th forms in those areas, that is why many of our towns students (including my son) travel. Whitby can be quite insular and a lot of students find that mixing with other students in those areas post 16 can be a stepping stone toward university. But also I realise that some students are not ready to travel at that age and prefer to stay in Whitby Post 16. So without a doubt Whitby needs a sixth form with room to grow. As for secondary education we have Eskdale and Caedmon, they are two different schools that offer students choice, there is a big element of students changing from one to the other for a host of reasons we're things haven't worked out. If Eskdale closes the nearest school at secondary is 30 miles away should the new large amalgamated school not appeal or work for them. Eskdale up until the last leadership appointment was high on numbers and always financially well run. Normanby as a secondary with a large in house sixth form was always financialy well run. Scoresby the biggest site in town with by far the fewest numbers with some classes having 3 students has become not only a millstone around the other schools neck but it has turned into a governors vanity project. I believe that if we are to sort out education once and for all it should be well thought and costed out looking at multiple solutions that the stakeholders in whitby have an input into. What we have is one badly thought out plan that packs all secondary students into the smallest site, falling numbers at secondary and in particular 6th form and once it's done we would still have the millstone of 130 students rattling around the biggest site and with all its upkeep costs. By all means let's run a consultation but let's do it properly.	5/2/23
31	as a Whitby Town Councillor I have been asked by various Whitby residents to put various points to you re the proposed Merger of the Whitby schools, a lot of Eskdale parents are understandably concerned that Eskdale School is being used as a scapegoat for the failure of the sixth form school, others are concerned at the cost of new uniforms etc. The concerning matters that have arisen are that a lot of people have asked me to ask you why procedure has not been followed and because of this that the merger proposal is therefore invalid. The main reason being given is that as the governors of both both schools are the same, then each governor should have excused themselves from voting on the merger as they had a conflict of interest as the interests of Eskdale school and that of the other school are not the same. Can you please look into this possible serious breech of the regulations. There seems to be a general sense of agreement that the whole system of education in Whitby needs looking at but this cannot be done with a six week consultation as there are many other factors other than school places that need looking at especially with the new ideas that the new Unitary Council want to introduce which seem to have not been included in the process that has been set out. I have attached a set of ideas that has been sent to me that seem to contain a lot of valid points that need discussing when setting out the future structure of Whitby schools and just as importantly that of the whole catchment area that always seems to be ignored. I am passing on these ideas that are not necessarily my own opinions put that of various Whitby residents, thanks ##. The people of Whitby strongly support the call for a strategic review and assessment of all options for the local provision of education and training to meet the needs, both current and future, of the whole community of Whitby and district.   The proposed closure of Eskdale School site by merging it with the two other Whitby schools is being hastily pushed through before any such assessment has been made public, if it exists.  Surely the £10 million that is being given for a glorified office block under the guise of a Maritime Training School that is basically going to accommodate the existing Whitby Fishing School and some extra short courses does not justify this amount of money being spent on it when if attached to the existing Whitby Schools could make a much better and more cost effective use of this money. All future options should be assessed and widely consulted upon before any restructuring or proposed school closures, whether at primary, secondary or higher levels. The youngsters of Whitby and district need and deserve a properly-structured, sustainable future. The social and economic impacts of climate change must be taken into consideration. Changing how our children are educated is not just about the numbers of children attending each of our schools. Factors that must be considered include: •           transport (the new North Yorkshire Council aims to reduce private car travel by 48% by 2030) •           the lack of affordable homes for families •           increased flood risks and extreme weather events affecting both Whitby town and the Esk Valley .These are but a few of the most significant reasons why a detailed evaluation needs to be undertaken. There are many more. Such a decision should not be made in haste. Whitby people therefore call upon NYCC to ensure that the proposed closure and merger in its present form is postponed until a thorough assessment of all possibilities has been completed. All local residents across the whole area should and must be consulted properly, openly and fairly.	6/2/23
32	I thought even though it's not a objection as such but it is back ground to what we as parents have been up against, since the announcement on the 4th January. First off there was no respect for staff or parents the way it was announced again, sent staff and children's anxiety levels through the roof. Us as parents shell-shocked that we are back to this point again. Then the mysteries really began.... MINUTES July 2019 - Dec 2021 were on their website... we requested copies of the minutes up until Dec 22 - told the request had been passed to chair of governors - the would be on the website. 2 weeks pass the website is updated - minutes all removed now available on request - a request is made for a full set of minutes july 19 until dec 22 - passed to governors.  Website updates again.. minutes from sept 21- sept 22 are there not the ones previously... request made for earlier ones - aventually informed they will be available February - asked 2nd feb for a timescale of when they will be available not acknowledged. Still not on the website. FOI - CONFIDENTIAL MINUTES AND A FULL SET PAN NUMBER After reading that the PAN had been reduced to 95 in the minutes looked on the Eskdale website, not there phoned the school they didn't know it, emailed the Clark, got told it was on the website, phoned NYCC and DfE, not on the website they both checked... asked Clark for directions to it on the website..  it appears. GOVERNORS WSP, Caedmon, Eskdale and the get information about schools website all had different information. By the get information about schools website the schools, aren't federated WSP does not have a UID group number and the schools have different governing bodies, different chairs etc. For some reason ## (Co- chair) and ##(Governor) stepped down as LA and Parent governor (not end of term) to be co-opted straight back on. ## (Governor) being the ## or the ex vice chair this was only declared on one website. ##(Governor) was on the governors at the last consultation ## (Exec headteacher) was made a Trustee of YEAT 5 days before the decision was made, ## is CEO of YEAT ## (staff member) is down as a co-opt member but is actually the associate assistant Head Teacher at Caedmon College. ## is the staff member ATTENDENCE OF MEETINGS ## (governor) is down as attending 3/4 meetings when in the minutes she attended 1 And the abbreviation WEF is used. Emailed the Clark for confirmation of these issues and what WEF stands for - waiting for acknowledgement. Information that should be in the public domain is either missing or contradicting. Yet these are the people who have put forward a biased case for Eskdale to close, for personal gain and not for the best of children's education or the Whitby people. Keep choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale campaign group	6/2/23
33	Please find attached the short responce document in relation to the proposed closure of Eskdale school Whitby. Please  can it be be put with the evidence to go to the executive. KEEP CHOICE IN WHITBY & SAVE ESKDALE  CAMPAIGN GROUP SHORT RESPONCE DOCUMENT (FEBRURY 9TH 2023) PURPOSE OF REPORT (1.0) As in 2016: This in essence, is biased and assumes a predetermined outcome! This report should consider a wide variety of options on how to improve secondary education standards in Whitby.  Not just the LA’s long-standing view of closing Eskdale School.  BACKGROUND 2014 Caedmon School & Whitby Community College merged, due to finances & low pupil numbers! Caedmon College receives the budget for the 6th form, falling under their DfE number.  Eskdale school contributes towards it from their budget as dictated by the governing body. With current intake numbers an issue, the lag between recent major housing developments & pupil numbers have not been consider, with proposed figures inaccurate. Federating was supposed to offer stability to secondary education in Whitby.  However, since January 2021 the schools have seen 8 head teachers in various forms -  Heads, interim head, acting head, associate head and finally an executive head. This is a clear failure in the purpose of the federation! Both schools can achieve academy status once the finances are in order.  As their current state shows, closure & merger is not the long term fix that is needed to enable this to happen.  “the Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership decided” This Governing body was made up of 4 members of 7! The instrument of government states the governing body should be made up of 13!  “Whitby Secondary Partnership recognise that it would need to resolve its finances before any future application to join a multi-academy trust” Is that why the governing body has a very incestuous relationship with Yorkshire academy Trust? ## (co-chair) is CEO. ## (headteacher) was made a trustee 5 days before this decision was made. ## (former headteacher) is a trustee. ## (governor) was meant to be an independent appointment on the board in a staff situation yet is Chair of YEAT! CURRANT CONCERNS Low pupil numbers and financial challenges have been part of Caedmon College since it was formed in 2014 The capacity of Caedmon College in total over the two sites is 1539 The Scoresby Site has a capacity of 500+ For the current academic year 2022/2023 it is heavily under enrolled with only 136 pupils. Within its first year it was only operating at 70% occupancy and with predicted failing numbers, another amalgamation attempt was no surprise in 2016 as the 6th form site had already swallowed most of Caedmon Schools money, dragging them into financial problems. By the time the federation was formed Caedmon was at 55.5% capacity and Eskdale was at 90.7% Capacity 3.1 Eskdales Capacity has been changed numerous times in recent years, with the extension of education to include 11-16 years, raising capacity from 330 – 550. Noted in the minutes of WSP the PAN was lowered to 95 pupils per year. On the “Get information about schools” website capacity is now listed at 510, meaning the PAN has been lowered again to 85! However, getting a straight answer as to why numbers have been lowered, clearly causing intake numbers to appear considerably detrimental on paper is proving tough, as the governors are not forthcoming. Even in the current year 2022/2023 Eskdale School is at 79.6% capacity over Caedmon Colleges 50.9% (across both sites) FINANCES 2018/19 Eskdale had an end of year surplus of £70,326 while Caedmon College had a deficit of £557,746 2019/20 Eskdale had an end of year surplus of £52,814 while Caedmon College had a deficit of £441,553 October 2021 The federation creates the “Whitby Sixth Form-Memorandum of understanding” – confidential minutes (which we are still waiting for a FOI to be returned). At this meeting it was predicted that Eskdale would have an end of year surplus for March 2022. Why the drastic change in circumstances? After the formation of the federation the schools finances changed by 21/22 Eskdale have an in year deficit of £70,718 and Caedmon have a Surplus of £210,874 yet are running at 50% capacity. Caedmon college have been in a financial recovery plan since November 2021, after a notice of financial concern was issued earlier. This did not effect Eskdale. In The minutes of March 2022 Eskdale’s finances are recorded as confidential. WHY? Eskdale were served a notice of financial concern in July 2022 After making the governing body aware on numerous occasions that the contributions to the 6th form were going to be hard to make. STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM  Higher standards and broader curriculum That is what was promised with the 6th form, but has failed to happened. Commuting between both the Normanby & Scoresby sites, either by the students for sports facilities & lessons, or by the teaching staff for lessons, time is lost. Standards are lower and staff morale is diminished. Graham school, Scarborough is an example of how split sites do not work. Where is the mention of SEN children? There are a number of children at both schools who are at that one because the schools, atmosphere, ethos and practises suit them children more than the other, same with mainstream children. You can’t ask a fish to climb a tree or a snail to swim in the ocean. This is the reason for choice. Whitby 6th form, why cant it be absorbed back in to Caedmon College? It was like up until recently and worked financially as a small add on. It will never be like Scarborough 6th form or Middlesbrough college, the numbers simply aren’t here. 3.4 Standards would be lower. On currant evidence, Caedmon would be rated Requires Improvement 3.5 Eskdale would also be rated as requires improvement. However, since the last Ofsted Eskdale have lost a lot of experienced long term staff, due to the issues with upper management and the governing body, this resulted in six days of planned strike action for 2022, which was resolved with the dismal of the currant head and several members of the governing body stepping down over the following year. THE GOVERNING BODIES PROPOSAL Why now? Why Eskdale? When Caedmon College has been in financial problems since 2018 This feels very much like a school bully in the playground. The bigger school (the bully) Caedmon College, forcing Eskdale School to compensate for the bully’s failings. The Numbers are on Eskdale side. You can’t bully you way out of the ink! If the partnerships proposal is approved, then the new school, over split sites would have a capacity of 1698. Meaning 2024/25 would be at 69.8% and that does not take into account the children who opt to move elsewhere or be home-schooled. By 2034/35 dropping to 59.8% Where is the 10 year plan? Where is the 20 Year Plan? The Projected figures are not a fair representation with both schools sharing a catchment area, which has recently been altered! They do not take into account the fluctuation in popularity. How is a school running at maximum intake, totalling 70% occupancy, going by the projected figures, financially viable and the best for education? Logic remains that Two schools, one on either side of the Esk. Not only limits the movement of children and disperses traffic (as desired by 2030). Both with excellent sports facilities, to which are near capacity now. Allowing any decreases to be handled with PAN numbers and do not result in another school being thrown into the mix or another site closing. Both schools can have Brilliant SEN provisions and all children will be able to have a hot school meal if they wish something that does not happen now. Current issues with Caedmon’s abilities to provide adequate dinning facilities and to accommodate all students with in the allotted time are already documented. Even though the Scoresby Site and Eskdale School are aging buildings, they are at least purpose built schools, not an old hospital with temporary buildings added in the 80s which are still used today. They both have sports fields and 3g pitches. Not a proposed green space field to be used as a bus drop off! One fair and Strong federated governing body that nurtures the differences between the schools, the friendly rivalry that is part of their history & drives up standards, allowing the children and staff to reach their full potential as past shows us. This proposal is a quick fix, for a problem the governing body has created, on top of previous quick fixes. Which is set to fail like those before, costing money, the mental health of its teacher and damaging a generation from our town. This is about a long term solution where all ideas are considered. This will take time, but in the end the result will achieve an academy the feeds and nurtures the town. Something that we can be proud of.	7/2/23
34	As a very concerned Whitby local and mother i urge you to reconsider the closure of Eskdale School. This is the second time my family has been through this. In 2016 the whole town pulled together and fought the powers that be. Eskdale became an 11-16 age school and the people of Whitby were elated and very much relieved. The merge of the two schools means a new name and new uniforms. In the middle of a cost of living crisis parents who are already struggling will not be able to afford this. Will uniforms be provided for all? The parking on the Mayfield Road area at Caedmon College is already a disaster area. Caedmon College sent correspondence only last week with the concerns of children's welfare, not to mention the angry residents nearby. Over 1200+ children on the main road at teatime and an estimated 16 buses will be added to the carnage if the two schools merge. Eskdale School already has its own bus turning area which was built purposely for this. Dinner time, how will that work? Over 1200+ children all want to be fed in the allocated lunch hour. Parents with pupils already at Caedmon are complaining their children are hungry when they get home, due to hardly anything being left. How much of school time will this take up? What about the SENCO  side of things? Eskdale has the highest SEN intake as it provides the best for children with special educational needs. These children that are often left behind are thriving at this school. Parents have looked in to this deeply and Eskdale provides the best. What about the mental health of all these children in both schools, has anybody thought about this? The threaten of closure in 2016, then the pandemic, home schooling, anxiety, not knowing what is going to happen to you, where  will you be taking your GCSE's etc. These children were just getting back to normal. Eskdale has just had a brand new sports facility built, 4g pitch plus parking for away teams. It brings business from all over Whitby and the surrounding areas. These clubs use Eskdale Schools changing facilities. I agree if money is being lost something needs to be done, but not this way. Caedmon School needs to go back to its original site at Whitby sixth form. Why on earth they changed it in the first place is beyond me. Close Caedmon Mayfield Road site. This is your main money worry. With the money you would save from there you could build a new sixth form on the Caedmon site. This is just another option to consider. Whitby needs choice. Surely a school on both sides of town makes more sense. Children then would be able to keep their uniforms. There are other options. Children speak with passion about their school and their choice. What suits one child may not necessarily suit another, please do not take this away from them.	8/2/23
35	I am writing to you about the proposal to amalgamate Caedmon College and Eskdale School, Whitby.  The end result being the closure of Eskdale School.     I have worked in schools for more than 36 years, 24 of those as a member of the support team at Eskdale.  As it happens it will be my final year before I retire so it is not for personal benefit that I ask that you refuse to allow this proposal to proceed any further.  Eskdale forms a large part of the community Whitby as you may know is a town of 2 halves.  The east side has Eskdale, the west side has Caedmon.  In the past things have been tried to bring both together and it just hasn’t worked.  Only some 6^th years ago the town came together to fight a proposal to close Eskdale and it was in a letter from the chair of governors that that said the decision made to keep it open would be respected (2021).  I as do many others feel the decision made by governors to ask for this to happen feels rushed and ill though out.  For example closure should it happen has been moved from September 2023 to September 2024.  What other errors have been made in the haste to bring this proposal forward. Currently in Whitby there are approx. 600 new homes either being built or have planning.  We have the Anglo-America potash mine on our doorstep with promise of permanent jobs.  Surely closing Eskdale will just mean further problems will be created later as the Caedmon site becomes overcrowded.  The students from both Eskdale and Caedmon deserve better than this, Eskdale School students are used to a smaller school will become part of a much larger school.  Caedmon students will also have their education disrupted; you can’t put 400 students into a school without it having an impact!  A number of ex educators have suggested that there are better ways of solving this issue without the closure of Eskdale.  Have the other ideas been properly explored given the rush.  Even though Eskdale & Caedmon are part of the same Whitby Schools partnership they both have their own individuality which the governors have previously acknowledged.  What seems clear to myself and others is that we are paying the price to keep the sixth form going.  It has approx. 136 students attending and is on a separate site which could house several hundreds more students.  I am no way against having a sixth form but feel it should go back onto the Caedmon site which could easily accommodate it.  Lady Lumleys School at Pickering have the same set up which I hear works really well.  Just in the last couple of years Eskdale gained a fantastic 3G pitch which is used by the school and the wider community.  Student numbers expecting to attend Eskdale are I believe up from last year.  We had a lot to look forward to after Covid.  One question I would like to know is how have both schools found themselves in such financial strife, if things were so bad why employ an executive head?  If I could end with a quote from a former headteacher ‘If the Management of Change had been studied they would know this approach to a problem is completely wrong.  Young peoples and their carers have been treated with contempt and it will take time to restore trust.  It could easily have been avoided’.  Thankyou for taking the time to read this letter.  I hope Eskdale has a rosy future.  The students of Whitby deserve to have a choice.	9/2/23
36	From keep choice in Whitby & Save Eskdale Facebook page With the most important 6 weeks in Whitby Secondary Education coming up here is a look at why the 6th form is not mentioned in the proposal, some of the links between the Governors, and how some decisions have not been in the best interest of any child in Whitby. LETS BEGIN IN 2018 The governors at the time of both schools decide to Consult on forming a hard federation. Maintaining separate schools but creating a new sixth form centre funded by NORTH YORKSHIRE COAST OPPORTUNITY AREA. On the board of this were, amongst others, Stuart Carlton (Director of child services), ##, and ##. 2019 - Whitby Secondary Partnership is formed - but the process is not fully followed so the ‘Get information at schools Website’ which is government run does not recognise the schools as being federated, and if you check Whitby Secondary Partnership does not exist. 2021- MARCH 2021 -There is a proposal put forward to NORTH YORKSHIRE COAST OPPORTUNITY AREA for support for Whitby 6th Form - it was trouble…. OCTOBER 2021 - The governors now including ## pass a motion for Eskdale school to pay contributions to Whitby 6th form…Eskdale is not in financial trouble at this point BUT Caedmon College (with the 6th form) is. DECEMBER 21/JANUARY 22 - Industrial action is planned for 6 days by the teaching union at Eskdale because of BULLYING AND ADVERSE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AFFECTING THE WORKLOAD, HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF MEMBERS AT THE SCHOOL AND FAILURE TO CONSULT PROPERLY Yet these teachers turned up every day with a smile and continued to teach our children who were none the wiser about how hard every day was. There is a trend with the Governors not communicating openly and correctly. 2022 8th DECEMBER 2022 – ## Executive headteacher is made a Trustee of Yorkshire Endeavour Academy Trust - The same Trust that ## (co-chair) is CEO, and ##( former headteacher), is also a Trustee - Head of Caedmon who mysteriously resigned in 2021 13th DECEMBER 2022- 4 Members of the Governing body attend a meeting where the decision to propose the closure of Eskdale school is made: 2023 24th JANUARY 2023 - When there has not been an official meeting of WSP governing body since December and the next one was 7th Feb - ## (governor) was CO-OPTED on to the board (same one who was on the board, which Funded Whitby 6th form with ## (Co-chair) and Carlton) These are the People we have placed our trust in to look after our children’s interests, anyone who has cared or does care has been silenced or removed. They are linked to each other and therefore not able to make fair and unbiased decisions. The 6th Form does not work in the current form, it is a money pit, created by the Governors, and they have used money for 11-16 education to cover up their mistakes, YET the only ones to Suffer are the CHILDREN and STAFF! From Keep choice in Whitby & Save Eskdale Facebook page. The governing body of WHITBY SECONDARY PARTNERSHIP Following on from yesterday's post you might notice some things about the Governing body. ## (Executive headteacher) has failed to mention he's a trustee of YEAT ## (governor) - NOTHING TO DECLARE  But is the associate assistant Head of Caedmon College ## (Co-chair) - resigned as a parent governor after 14 months of a 4 year term to be CO-OPTED straight back on - she was NOT replaced as a parent governor. - she also forgets declare that she's the ## of ## - Ex vice- chair of WSP. ## (governor) - Resigned as Local Authority governor, to be CO-OPTED straight back on - why?? ** she was a Governor of Eskdale School at the time of the last consultation ** What gains are made by these people being co-opted rather than parent or local authority???? The INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT-  (What the council says the governing body should be made up of) states : 1 Head 2 Parent 1 Staff 1 Local Authority 8 Co-opt 13 in total - ***reminder that 4 made the decision to propose the closure of Eskdale School*** WHY - on this Document that is a legal requirement to have displayed on the website does it state that 3 HEAD TEACHERS  are Governors??? NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS LET THIS HAPPEN, THEY HAVE NOT QUESTIONED ANYTHING THE GOVERNING BODY HAS DONE. Please question NYCC - Please question WSP - OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER	17/2/23

Ref	Correspondence received during the consultation period	Date received
37	Cllr Wilkinson, I think that you should clarify in your report what savings will be made to Eskdale School if a merger takes place, these should not include savings that NYCC will make (premise costs) which are costs to NYCC and have nothing to do with the cost of running the education in the school. What has been put in the report is very misleading and does not reflect the current costs of running Eskdale School. Furthermore, why should some of the budget allocated to Eskdale School be diverted to help subsidise the 6th form at Whitby School, this is another factor putting pressure on the Eskdale School's present resources? Finally, what are the costs across all of Whitby Schools of the ridiculous situation of having so many Head masters and deputy Head masters and way are they all necessary? Looking forward to your reply	20/2/23
38	, thank you for your reply, but the problem is that you have put out incorrect information on your consultation document which could well influence people in how they respond to your consultation. How can I have this information corrected as it unfair to have misleading information advertised by yourself which would obviously favour the proposal to merge the schools. Thanks	20/2/23
39	Dear Sir / Madam Please find below, the interaction between myself and Whitby Secondary Partnership. Screenshots of the governors from Eskdale Schools Website Friday 17th Feb (please not the first email is dated the 15th) and the updated on from 20th Feb. These corrections have only been made due to very public posts on Facebook and Twitter. Where is the acknowledgement - the transparency they have only corrected them because they have been questioned, it is a legal requirement that the members of a governing body are displayed yet they have been hiding information and displaying false information. There are many unanswered questions - like resigning to be co-opted why co-opt someone going into amalgamation when you have not in 2 years?	20/2/23
40	Please do not destroy our children's education prospects by closing eskdale school. You do not understand how poor caedmon school is and how much damage you will cause if these proposals go through.	20/2/23
41	We are having lots of comments about how difficult it is to access the response doc via the websites. And instructions are not clear. Also I have highlighted the issue that the consultation document does seem very biased, as people are directed to the WSP website for FAQ. When you click on consultion tab people are greeted with a link to the consultation, and a vision on the new school... then FAQ which apparently there any. The consultation is on the proposal, facts and figures not a vision that's just a pipe dream with no factual evidence	20/2/23
42	The current proposal to close Eskdale seems to be highlighting one major concern – an excess ( 900+) of school places at secondary level. However, if it goes ahead there will still be excess of 450 additional places, so this short term fix does not properly address the problem. Is there is another way to address these concerns ? Rather than close Eskdale why not close Caedmon College on Mayfield road ? This is the smallest site with little outside space and traffic issues but ripe for development. That option would immediately remove 1000 spaces. Yes, we would be left with two smaller schools but there is no evidence to suggest that small schools can't be as successful as any larger school. There are already many schools proving exactly that point in the County Working in partnership and with the appropriate use of space, Eskdale could be 11-16 and Caedmon (on the Scoresby site) 11-18. If planned properly, this option deals with the current concerns whilst still giving parental choice, better overall sizes to deal with disciplinary/safeguarding issues, smaller class sizes and two 'family friendly' schools. NYCC has the opportunity to ensure Whitby has  sound, financially viable, educational provision rather than just another short term fix. I hope my views may be taken into consideration in the consultation.	21/2/23
43	Why are people directed to a vision ie sales pitch from the governors?? No other school consultation has one Why are the FAQ on the schools website when all others school consultations they are on NYCC website. This is a clear attempt at biasing the consultation.	21/2/23
44	thanks for your response, could you just clear up how funding is allocated. Each pupil is given an allocated amount of money for their education, does this include an amount for operating costs towards the school or is this a separate budget and if so where does this budget come from and is it a set amount per school. thanks	28/2/23
45	so just to be clear, the £128K goes to the school and would not be transferred to the other site on a merger taking place as it would already be receiving a lump sum for school running costs? Thanks	28/2/23
46	I trust this e-mail finds you well. I'm contacting you today due to your position on the Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee. My name is ##. I am a mother of 4 children, 2 of which attend West Cliff and Caedmon. I am writing to you, not just as a mother but also as a member of the Keep Choice in Whitby & Save Eskdale campaign group which has been formed after the announcement that Eskdale would be potentially closed and amalgamated with Caedmon College. I am sure you are aware of this campaign and the proposed plans. In December 2022, the Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership asked North Yorkshire County Council to commence a consultation process to amend the structure of Whitby Secondary Partnership, that amendment being the technical closure of Eskdale and an amalgamation of Eskdale and Caedmon from September 2023. This has since been changed to September 2024. The Governing Board set out three factors as the reason for their proposal to amalgamate; pupil numbers, finance and curriculum. Throughout the consultation paper there is no mention of the impact this will have on the children and young people who attend Eskdale or Caedmon nor does it mention the impacts on the families. There are concerns regarding mental health, wellbeing, financial pressures, transport pressures and the ever-increasing issue of bullying. There has also recently been a culture of inappropriate sexual behaviour unearthed at Caedmon with my own ## being subjected to awful actions and language that is wholly inappropriate. The school dealt with this issue, but it does continue in pockets and my fear is that this behaviour will only escalate with more pupils. My main concern is surrounding the lack of safeguarding of children, especially those who have been bullied. Under the proposed amalgamation, children who have moved from Eskdale to Caedmon (or vice versa) due to bullying will be forced to face their abuser on a daily basis. This, to me, is totally unacceptable. If a child went in to their school setting and said that a parent or guardian was bullying them and safeguarding was a concern, then there could be steps taken to prevent this. The board don't seem to have thought about this. I'd have expected concerns like this to be mitigated in an Equality Impact Assessment, but the board have no plans to release one during the public consultation period. There are so many more issues relating to this proposal but for now I will leave it at my main concern of bullying and victims being forced to face an abuser. I wonder, given your position on the Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, if you could perhaps contact the Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership to ask questions surrounding safeguarding of pupils should this amalgamation go ahead. For your information, there is actually a public meeting at Whitby Spa Pavilion on Wednesday 8th March as part of the consultation on the proposed amalgamation of Caedmon College and Eskdale School. There are TWO meetings 12.30pm & 6.30pm. It would be a real boost for morale for the parents and children if you attended.	3/3/23
47	Email sent to: Cllr.Annabel Wilkinson, Cllr. Linda Wild, Cllr.Carl Les, Cllr.Phillip Trumper, Cllr.Simon Myers, Cllr.Michael Harrison, Cllr.Keane Duncan, Cllr.Janet Sanderson, Cllr.Greg White, Cllr.Gareth Dadd,  Cllr.Derek Bastiman,  Cllr.David Chance, Cllr.Clive Pearson, robert.goodwill.mp  Dear Sir / madam Please find attached a copy of the song and Video for the Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale. It was Writen by a very talented year 11 student, produced by a local artist ## and the video was made by a Caedmon students mum, using photos provided by the community. Eskdale unofficially opened 70 years ago this year. We would like to request like the previous meetings in 2016, they are played at the beginning of the meetings. If this is not permitted we would like a full written account of why not. Kind Regards	6/3/23
48	Annabel, Good evening. After leaving the meeting, I felt that my few words of thanks to you may have come across as a little perfunctory - a mere gesture of courtesy. That is not so. You have perhaps gathered (or been forewarned?) that I am never reticent when it comes to scathing criticism of elected members (or Officers of Paid Service) if they fall short of my (perhaps old-fashioned) standards. I mention this to give context to these additional words of thanks. I attend a lot of meetings. I observe many Chairs. So please allow me to say that you were exceptional this evening. So I thank you again for your even-handedness and gentle touch, especially with the kids, who were a great credit to their parents and teachers. Pure integrity. I shall try to honour them in my forthcoming article. If I can assist you in any way in your deliberations, either formally or over a coffee, please consider granting me that opportunity. And please give some consideration to other options - former Eskdale Chair ## (we are not related) has published an ad hoc list of runners and riders, here. On that note, I will bid you goodnight. Yours, with very kind regards,	8/3/23
49	Following the meeting tonight yourself and ## Council officer both promised the problems with in the schools at the moment would be investigated and you would work with the schools to resolve them. These being: Lack of food at lunchtimes on the Caedmon College site ( we have had this reported a lot, with concerns that more children will intensify the problem ) Drugs/vaping on school sites - also alcohol or turning up drunk or on drugs. Toilets being locked during lessons - this is a basic human need, and teenage girls are especially effected. Bullying/ fighting - its not just the actually acts, children are filming them. Please can we be notified of the out come of these investigations and actions if any which are taken. Also can we have reassurances that they will not be white washed over. If these problems exist now, how bad could the future be. Kind regards	8/3/23
50	Good morning Councillor  I hope this email finds you well  I would just like to take a minute to say thank you for listening to all the questions presented at lasts meeting as I said last night we have a lot more which I will send straight after this. Is also like to say thank you again for listening to our children’s questions, thoughts and views and most of all feelings on the consultations and what is currently going on in our secondary schools. I will be putting down in writing some children’s voice case studies this week and sending them on before the 31st march for your viewing. Can I please ask that they are read by you personally.  Thank you  Parent of an Eskdale student and a Caedmon student	9/3/23
51	Good afternoon councillors Ihope this email finds you well i am emailing this list of questions from the keep choice in whitby & save eskdale school group. i will also do this through the correct channels. but just want it on record that i have sent it . i will endeavour to get you the list of children's questions and the list of problems mentioned by from the children in both schools by tomorrow evening at the latest . kind regards keep choice in whitby & save eskdale school group    Consultation questions  (My ## is current year 8, she knows what she wants to do as a career and currently caedmon don't offer the gcses she needs. September 2024 will be when she chooses her options so this is a big concern to us). Q1 will they still offer the gcses that eskdale currently offer.  SUCH AS-BUISNESS STUDIES ,PERFORMING ARTS-DANCE AND SPORTS SCIENCE Q2   I want to know how the school would deal with traffic management to make it safe for children arriving to and from the proposed new site  Also the impact on pedestrians walking to airy Hill school and wooden horse nursery as they will also be affected by the extra traffic on the roads. Has this been taken into consideration? Q3 Currently eskdale and sixth form are the 2 sites that offer the best access so I'd like to know how they plan to allow for extra traffic in an already heavily congested location Q4 WHY DO WE NEED AN EXEUTIVE HEAD WHO COST A HUNDRED THOUSAND  PLUS A YEAR WHEN WE HAVE A HEAD AT EACH SCHOOL.  Q FOR ## (Co-chair) Q5 WHO PAYS THE EXEUTIVE HEAD AND HOW LONG IS HIS CONTRACT FOR Q FOR CZ Q6 WHO WILL RUN THE SEN PROVISION AT CCW IF THE ALMALGAMATION GOES A HEAD AND HOW MANY OTHER STAFF ARE ON THE TEAM.  Q FOR ## (Co-chair) Q7 IS IT TRUE THAT SOME OFF ESKDALE SCHOOLS BUDGET HAS BEEN FUNDING THE 6TH FORM AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SEPRATE BUDGETS. Q FOR ## (Co-chair) Q8 WHY? DO YOU NEED 6 LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT BEFORE YOU GET TO TEACHING STAFF IN THE CLASS ROOM ?? Q FOR ## (Co-chair) Q9 THE  NEW TARGETED MAINSTREAM PROVISION WHY DOES IT ONLY PROVIDE 8 PLACES  AND WHY IS IT NOT OPEN YET AS IT WAS SET TO OPEN IN JANUARY 23. Q FOR ## (Co-chair) Q10 IN YOUR VISION FOR A QULITY FIRST EDUCATION IT SAYS YOU CAN OFFER A BROADER MORE DIVERSE RANGE OF OPTIONS WHAT EXECTLY ARE THESE OPTIONS.  Q FOR ## (Co-chair) Q11 ESKDALE WAS IN A GOOD FINACIAL STATE AND HAD ROLL OVER MONEY WHEN THEY JOINED WHITBY SECONDARY PARNERSHIP. WHY NOW DO THE SCHOOLS HAVE NO MONEY Q12 HOW MANY TEACHERS ARE OR WILL BE SEN TRAINED Q13 AS THERE WILL BE ONLY 8 CHILDREN IN THE TMP HUB WHO WILL BE TAKEING CARE OF THE REST OF THE CHILDREN WITH SEN NEEDS. Q14 WILL THE NEW SCHOOL BE SUBSIDING THE COST OF THE NEW SCHOOL UNIFORM AND PE KITS AS A RESULT OF THE AMALGAMATION WITH ACOST OF LIVING CRISIS PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT Q15 WHERE WILL THE NEW UNIFORM BE SOLD AS LAUGHING WHALE WONT BE SELLING IT ANY MORE? Q16 GETTING OUT AND RUNNING AROUND IS VITAL FOR MEANTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING ESKDALE SCHOOL AND 6TH FORM HAVE THIS SPACE BUT NORMANBY SITE NOT SO MUCH WHERE ON NORMANDBY SITE ATRE A 1000 + CHILDREN GOING TO DO THIS?? Q17 MOVING ON FROM OFSTED VISITS LAST YEAR BOTH SCHOOLS WERE TOLD THAT IF A FULL  INSPECTION TOOK PLACE THEY WOULD BE MOVED DOWN TO RI CAN YOU  EXPLAIN THE INPACT ON TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP TEAMS HAVE HAD WHERE YOU HAVE 6 LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT BEFORE YOU GET TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS? WHERE COULD THE EVIDENCE BE FOUND Q18  WHY CAN WHITBY SECONDARY PARNERSHIP NOT GIVE CORRECT, CORRESPONDING OR AGREE ON FIGURES FOR EACH SITE. Q19 THE GOVERNING BODY OF WSP SAID THAT THEY DID EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS BUT THEYWERE NOT VIABLE . WHAT ARE THESE OTHER OPTIONS AND WHY ARENT THEY VIABLE? Q21 HAVING RECENTLY SPOKEN TO THE OWNER AT BEAVERS AND RESIDENTS AROUND THAT AREA. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO STOP PEOPLE PARKING IN CUSTOMER PARKING AT BEAVERS AND OUTSIDE OF PEOPLE DRIVES.  THIS IS RESULTING IN LOST OF  BUISNESS, CONJESTTION AND  A SAFTEY ISSUES IN THE TUNNEL .IE NO PATHS. ALSO CHILDREN USING BEAVERS LOADING BAY AS A PLAY GROUND Q22 WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ESKDALE THATS SET TO CLOSE AGAIN? WHERE THE OTHER OPTIONS? Q23 HOW MUCH OF THE SENCONDRY SCHOOLS MONEY HAS GONE INTO 6TH FORM AND HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOU DECIDE TO PUT IN BEFORE YOU ADMIT YOU ARE WRONG AND IT IS FAILLING OR WILL YOU JUST KEEP THROWING OTHER SCHOOLS MONEY AT IT JUST TO KEEP YOUR PRIDE. Q24 CAN YOU CONFIRM IF ANY WHITBY PRIMARY SCHOOL AMALGAMATIONS ARE BEING PLANNED IF FINANCES ARE THE REASON FOR THE ESKDALE/CAEDMON AMALGAMATION THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE SAME POSTION Q25 WHY HAS THE CONSULTATION NOT BEEN PUBLICISED PROPERLY PARENTS HAVE ONLY HAD ONE EMAIL FROM SCHOOL  ABOUT IT NO SOCIAL MEDIA POST NO LETTER HOME  WHY? Q26 A NUMBER OF STAFF APPERED AS WITNESSES IN A HEARING,WHERE THEY OPENED UPABOUT THE BULLING AND MALPRACTISE THEY WITNESSED BY A PREVIOUS HEAD TEACHER TOWARDS A NUMBER OF STAFF AND CHILDREN.THEY WERE IGNORED,OR DISBELIEVED BY OUR THE  GOVERNORS AND NYCC REPRESENTATIVES. HOW CAN THEY NOW TRUST THE SAME PEOPLE (WHO IGNORED SERIOUS MISCONDUCT AND BULLYING) TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHIOCE FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF WHITBY WHEN THEY HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE WILLING TO IGNORE WHATS RIGHT IN FAVOUR OF SUPPORTING ANOTHER INCOMPETANT MAN THAT THEY HAVE APPOINTED WITHOUT DUE DILLIGENCE? Q27 WILL THE POST OF EXEUTIVE HEAD BE REMOVED IF THE AMALGAMATION GOES AHEAD Q28 WHY HAVE NYCC STOPPED STUDENTS COMING TO ESKDALE IN SEPTEMBER 2023 WHEN THEY HAD PUT ESKDALE AS A FIRST CHOICE? IS THERE A PLAN TO HAVE ALL YEAR 7S ON THE OTHER SITE THIS YEAR? Q29 WHEN MIGHT WE KNOW ABOUT WHO KEEPS THERE JOB AND WHO WILL BE LEADING THE SCHOOL IF IT AMALGAMATES?ALSO WILL THEY START IT WITH YEAR 7 AND WILL THEY START SENDING TEACHERS OVER FROM ESKDALE SOONER IF NEEDED AND HOW WILL THAT FIT WITH THERE CONTRACTS. HAVE YOU ACTUALLY CONSIDERED OTHER OPTIONS Q30 WHERE HAS THE MONEY BEEN SPENT? IS IT BECAUSE GOVERNORS PAID THE PREVIOUS HEAD, AND EXISTING DEPUTY HEAD TO STEP UP AND AN EXTERNAL LEADER TWO DAYS A WEEK AND BRINGING IN THE EXEUTIVE HEAD IN A TERM EARLIER THAN THE POST WAS ADVERTISED Q31 WHY IS THERE NO RECRIUTMENT HAPPENING WHEN WE KNOW ESKDALE WILL HAVE NO  SCIENCE DEPARTMENT IN SEPTEMBER AND DONT HAVE A HEAD OF SCIENCE. WILL ALL SCIENCE BE TAUGHT OVER AT CCW? Q32 Bullying within the educational setting can make a child feel unsafe, unwelcome and can impact learning and concentration. A school has a responsibility to provide a safe learning environment free from harassment and bullying. There have been pupils within Caedmon and Eskdale who have had to move schools because they have been victims of persistent and unacceptable bullying. With this proposed amalgamation, you are now forcing victims to face their abuser on a daily basis. If a child went into their school setting and said that a parent or guardian was bullying them and safeguarding was a concern, then there could be steps taken to prevent this but what steps can we take against the board and their seemingly cavalier approach to the wellbeing of children who have since settled in to their new educational environment and are flourishing? I'd have expected concerns like this to be mitigated in an Equality Impact Assessment, but the board has no plans to release one during the public consultation period. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires schools to act in a manner that is compatible with human rights. So how will Whitby Secondary Partnership work within the Human Rights Act 1998 to ensure that every child is kept safe from mental, emotional and physical violence? Q33 Can we ask for a proper answer to choice - ie choice in terms of school availability not curriculum and Why no vision for 6th form curriculum- they have the worst choice of courses for a town the size of Whitby and the lowest number of students wanting to do them!!? Q34 YOU  added GCSES run at Eskdale on YOUR  new ‘curriculum offer’ without any solutions as how they intend to fit into timetable or how they will run them!! Might be more options but the limited blocks will not give students a wide choice - just more disappointment when they don’t get their choices!! Q35 IS IT TRUE THAT MEMBERS OF STAFF WERE FORCED TO LEAVE DURING  THE BULLING OF THE PREVIOUS HEAD TEACHER FROM ESKDALE AND WERE FORCED TO SIGN A NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT? WERE THIS TO BE TRUE SHOULD THEY NOT BE NULL AND VOID TO ALLOW A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF SCHOOL GOVERNANCE ALONG SIDE THE CONSULTATION PROCESS IF ANY DECITION TAKEN WERE ULTIMATLEY FOUND NOT TO BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE SCHOOLS WOULD IT NOT CALL INTO QUESTION THE DECISION CURRENTLY UNDER DISSCUSION? WERE SOME OF THESE TO HIGHLIGHT FAILURES OF GOVERNANCE TO SAFEGUARD THE STAFF AND PUPILS IN ONE OR BOTH SCHOOLS LEAD TO QUESTIONING THE CREDABILITYOF THE GOVERNORS IN UPHOLDING THE BEST INTERSTS OF THE COMMUITY TO ENSURE THE TRANSPARENT PROCESS ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE OPEN TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO NEFARIOUS ACTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN XXXXXXX CAN YOU ASK THIS ONE PLEASE	9/3/23
52	Following on from last night's consultation meeting at Whitby pavilion regarding the proposed amalgamation of Eskdale school and the Caedmon federation, I would really like to reiterate what I said last night. My name for the record is ##, I spoke first at the meeting when the public were given chance to air their grievances and concerns. Those concerns are as follows:- Bullying was a subject to have been brought up many a time in last night's meeting. This poses a huge concern as it happens not only between pupils but also staff. What measures will be put in place to ensure this type of behaviour is not accepted within the school environment, keeping not only the pupils safe but also staff? Only just this week there has been video footage of a XX year old boy being set upon by a much older XX circulating on social media, this incident was at Caedmon college and I have seen the footage myself. I was also privately messaged by a parent of a child at Caedmon school who's son had been absent from lessons most of the day playing truant and was only notified by the school not long before home time, indicating safeguarding issues, I'm sure you would agree. These are just a couple of examples. Then there is the matter of vindication between staff at Eskdale school. It is to my knowledge that a strike was planned to take place at Eskdale school where the staff were due to walk out due to the actions of a senior member of staff. I'm also under the illusion that this same member of staff was put on gardening leave on full pay for two terms before finding alternative employment elsewhere. I'd like to know how these events going on at this school were allowed to happen and why were staff being mistreated? I raised a concern of mine with the previous headmaster, ##, as to why five teachers were all leaving in such quick succession, as well as several governors, which was around the same time that Caedmon's headteacher stood down due to personal reasons. I spoke to ## when he contacted me to discuss the issue and tried to reassure me it was the Whitby rumour mill working at its best and when having 50 members of staff on the payroll, five leaving was nothing out of the ordinary. I'm not sure I was convinced by this as in my own previous experience at school there were teachers there that had been there years and taught my family before me I think five leaving within quick succession is a little odd. Why had the governing body and NYCC not acted sooner with regards to ## or the apparent financial difficulties within the school. There is then the matter of the merged governing body creating the partnership, which then put a super head in charge of the two existing headteachers, undermining on their behalf, surely? Also, why was there a need for a joint partnership and who called for it? Do the parents of the children who attend both of these schools not get a say, or the staff and to vote this through? Pupils and parents alike look around these schools as part of the transition period and choose a particular school for a reason, whether that be for it's ethos, facilities, location or it's environment. One school does not fit all! It was also suggested last night that the closure of Eskdale school could save £85,000 a year, yet we currently have an executive head overseeing the two schools (who already have headteachers in place) on a salary in excess of £100,000. I really feel the joint partnership is a needless requirement, as is the executive head, as these schools should function separately. They have functioned just fine alone in the past. The Caedmon college site and Whitby sixth form are the largest financial burden on secondary education in Whitby and Eskdale school is being sacrificed to save a sinking ship. Two is company and three is a crowd as the saying goes. There are absolutely no guarantees that this will be a success. A school run across two split sites is a disaster waiting to happen, proven in the past that it doesn't work. The capacity for one overall school will still have a huge shortfall, resulting in huge deficit accumulated quickly over the next few years. As was pointed out by a gentleman yesterday, the new Woodsmith mine will eventually have a work force of over 1000 employees, not all will be from within the local area itself and will probably look at relocating here, bringing their families with them. Then there will be the baby boom of lockdown, which never got a mention yesterday, so in nine years time or so there will be an influx of eleven year olds requiring a secondary school place. We have new builds shooting up rapidly on every green space possible and not all will be sold solely as holiday lets or second homes. As mentioned last night my ## enters y11 in September 2023, the most crucial year of her education which despite the huge disruption to her education has worked really hard throughout the years. I fear that is now in jeopardy due to the whole uncertainty surrounding this latest crusade to close Eskdale School. Should a closure be announced in June there are no guarantee's that anyone can give that reassures us as parents that this school in its final year will be invested in as these children and staff so rightfully deserve. No one can also predict whether staff will remain or look for alternative employment leaving this GCSE year group in complete chaos. My ## also had his options evening two weeks ago in which he has chosen GCSE physical education as his priority number one subject losing the opportunity to use the exceptional facility in the 3g all weather pitch. The proposed site for 11-16 education just off Mayfield road offers only a couple of football pitches and an outdated sports hall. Where is the sense in that? To suggest walking the children over to the Scoresby site to use the astro turf is nothing short of ridiculous and a waste of their physical education lesson. Talk of perhaps bussing the children to use the 3g is ridiculous and not practical. There would be hire charges of this facility that would incur surely as well as the cost of the busses to hire in a time when we are encouraged to cut our carbon footprint. A perfectly good school already has this facility on offer in its grounds. The fact that no one at last night's meeting had any idea how any of these problems would be solved at this stage of the proposal is disgraceful and incompetent. Not to mention the chaos that surrounds lunch times which lacks space and sufficient amount of food to go around ,adding more pupils to this in a site not big enough to cope with such numbers is alarming. There is the Scoresby site big enough to house several hundred children with roughly 160 children enrolled on its 6th form courses leaving all that space within the school unutilized as well as enormous field space and the astro turf. It would make much more sense to merge the 6th form and Caedmon college on this site as it has scope for expansion and would still have enough green space for all it's needs offering education for 11-18 year olds leaving Eskdale as an 11-16 year secondary school. I'm a 80's secondary school child and the only offer of further education back then was Scarborough or Middlesbrough, travelling out of town has always been the norm at a later stage of education but should this amalgamation take it's course there will be a greater loss of pupil numbers due to parents of bullied, nervous, quite children that just don't settle around huge numbers looking elsewhere. Same as with the very worried parents of special needs children. There is mass cause for concern as the lack of answers given last night and information withheld just fuels the concern of parents that not enough is being done behind the scenes or any care given to what the future might hold or any other avenues explored except the imminent closure of Eskdale which coincidentally happens to be right in the midst of a vast housing development and the land probably valued at quite a considerable sum. Please take into account all issues raised. The children of this town deserve nothing but the best, we already face many challenges being as rural as we are	9/3/23
53	Good afternoon I hope this email finds everyone well I am in search for answers to some questions Who is the governors clerk as far as I know it is not ## anymore hope she is better soon . And who decides on who answers what questions that we send if we could get clarification on this as it was asked at the consultation meeting yesterday with no answer received as is usually the case Keep choice in Whitby & save Eskdale School group	9/3/23
54	A number of parents and people in the community have asked me to contact you. They would like to know what happens with the unanswered questions from the two meetings, will there be answers?? Have they just disappeared in to the consultation? Will they be in a very long FAQ? I would direct this at the governors but as you have seen answers are not very forthcoming, even though they have had since January to prepare. We feel its important that there is more transparency to this consultation and the circumstances around the decision making. Kind regards	9/3./23
55	I worked for NYCC Careers/Guidance Services and Connexions before joining Eskdale School as Careers Coordinator and latterly Careers Leader, leaving in 2019 due to the ‘problems’ with ##. My observations are based on in-depth knowledge and fact. I strongly believe in choice for our young people and have the following questions/observations following the meetings yesterday. A lot of the audience were unable to ask their questions and receive valid and pertinent answers rather than regurgitated information from the slides produced for the event. 1) Purpose of meetings? I thought this was a consultation process not one proposal. The presentation was one sided and biased. Consultation is defined as “The process of discussing something with someone in order to get their advice or opinion about an issue”  That was not what happened yesterday- at the first meeting the WSP governors were asked about all the options they considered - they could not answer and were asked to bring back any relevant information relating to this, to the evening meeting- they did not and I presume because these alternatives were never discussed? Furthermore, ## (Co-chair) stated a number of times during the meetings that they had no choice which is a lie - no other options have clearly been explored. ## (Executive headteacher) said ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ on a number of occasions when referring to the ‘proposal’ before being challenged - too many times for a slip of the tongue!? 2) The financial evidence presented Based on the figures on the slides Eskdale has the highest percentage of students in their year groups. Caedmon blame Eskdale for going 11-16 and taking ‘taking’ their students - this is competition and choice and raises standards but clearly CCW haven’t moved on and instead of positively responding to the situation they have done nothing but moan! As for the figures for the last year 7 group that they are using as a stick to beat Eskdale with - this was an isolated year which was a direct result of ## headship and his reputation in school and the community! The issues with ## were first reported in 2019 and yet NYCC and the Governors failed over a period of 3.5 years to remove him from the post. As a result many parents finally spoke out against him in 22/23 by not choosing Eskdale. This year after ### departure the numbers are back up. You cannot use a one off year as the norm in a fair presentation. It is also interesting to note that 2023/24 figures should be higher if all first choice preferences had been allocated- some students have been allocated Caedmon despite asking for Eskdale? Why? Capacity has been suggested as a reason, but how can this be when Eskdale is undersubscribed? What is going on? As for the 6th form figures - these are the real issue. These have consistently been dropping in the period covered by the slide. From 324 in 2011/12 to 140 in 2022/23 - that is a drop of 60% over a period of time when the 11-16 student population has only dropped by 13%.  We can’t assess total percentage destinations from year 11 - 12 as we are being refused the relevant information!!  Whether or not Eskdale are paying towards the 6th form, this lack of students in a large site is not financially viable!! If the 6th form population had dropped in line with the 11-16 population there would have approx 282 students this year which is a conservative loss of over £650k, 7.5 times the gain the Governors suggested would be made in closing Eskdale!! The simple fact is the running of the 6th form is haemorrhaging money and nothing has changed over many, many years and the Governors have done nothing to stop it! The Federation did not stop the rot and the closing of Eskdale will not either. Close the Normanby site which is prime development land and is no longer fit for purpose. Move the Caedmon students back to Scoresby. In addition the money wasted on an Executive Head which is not needed in an 11-16 school at a cost of over £100k pa plus recruitment expenses, an appointment which was clearly encouraged by NYCC as minutes of Dec 2020 state ## council offcicer was disappointed when the decision was put on hold at that point. The number of staff employed at Caedmon compared to Eskdale is completely out of proportion to the number of students in the respective schools. Seven layers of management - a ridiculous waste of money when they have severe financial problems. Rather than streamlining the original six layers in 2022, the Governors (approved by NYYC) decided to add another very expensive layer - the Executive Head. This is financial negligence to say the least, when the college had an already large deficit? Then there are the shared staff that CCW charge Eskdale for, but interestingly teaching staff work at the College as part of their contract? In addition to this expensive management structure there are the substantial payoffs made due to mistakes directly caused by the mismanagement of ##’s behaviour. Payouts to 1) the member of staff wrongly accused by ## and later exonerated 2) ## ###### - at least two terms full pay 3) the cover that Eskdale was allocated during the interregnum - acting headteacher and consultant There will also be payments for cover for staff who had mental health problems as a result of ##’s behaviour who then went on sick leave as well as sick pay for affected staff and any other severance payments etc. for staff who were forced to leave. These financial issues, I presume are just the tip of the iceberg but once again lack of transparency prevents the community from knowing all the details? 3) Maladministration from Governing Body The mismanagement and duplicity of the governors over a sustained period of time led to years of bullying within Eskdale without this being stopped. I can confirm that subsequent chairs and vice chairs were fully of the issues and have evidence to back this up. A situation that was supported by NYCC HR. Both the Governing Body and NYCC made huge errors that resulted in mental health issues for those affected ( I was one such member of staff) and ultimately in huge wasted financial payouts for Eskdale School which has directly contributed to the problems they now find themselves in. If the Governing Body had not allowed the ## situation to continue, if they had properly investigated the case against ## and had believed the witnesses then they would not have had to make a very expensive payout - we wait to see exactly how much it affected the school budget. Then the Governors and NYCC paid off ## himself at what cost? The situation was totally mishandled from start to finish and the money wasted is as a direct consequence of its mishandling! The unions shared their concerns when calling the strike that finally prompted action from the Governors and NYCC but not until the situation had caused far too many problems both financial and psychological. This situation with ## also led to the low numbers in the Year 7 at Eskdale which are now being used as a reason for the amalgamation! Totally wrong! 4) Open and honest discussions? The NGA code which WSP purports to adhere states Governors should be accountable, ethical and effective. This Governing Body has consistently not acted in this way since the partnership began in 2019. That is the reason for so much movement on the GB to an extent they were down to four governors including the head after the departure of ## for reasons they have continually tried to hide.  The governors are now refusing to present the community with information that will help them understand what has been happening over the years in an effort to hide the ongoing issues that have brought Eskdale to this point. I requested a FOI to see the confidential minutes and not only did I have to remind the Clerk that they had not been received on the 20th day but the reply came from ## (Executive headteacher) who is not in a position to respond. He used a delaying tactic of ‘considering’ a PIT but even the Ministry of Defence recommends the following “Withhold information ONLY where the harm in releasing is GREATER than the public interest in disclosure” ## (Executive headteacher) has continued to be obstructive in releasing information requested by various parties, information that in many case should be in the public domain eg where is the destination data for students leaving Eskdale Year 11 for the last three years - it is not on the website as it should be and ## (Executive headteacher) says it requires a FOI request!  This not the case and NYCC should have the data but don’t so why aren’t they checking that this is not available? If this is an open and honest discussion and does not have a predetermined outcome then why all the secrecy and the need to hide vital information from the public? The young people of Whitby, now and the future deserve more than this and the truth will come out eventually one way or another! On he subject of honesty ## (Executive headteacher), in the second meeting, lied about the drugs problems at Caedmon, he said there wasn’t one yet two grandparents sat near me both independently confirm their grandchildren talk about the drugs problems and bullying at the college. It is bad enough the problem continues without solutions but to blatantly deny it, is a reflection of the executive head and a reflection of the governing body as a whole! ## (Co-chair) failed to introduce her ## and her friends as the students she asked to comment on the 6th form, I am sure some independent students would have been prepared to comment if there was nothing to hide. The audience just wanted their questions to be answered rather than repeating the prescribed script and wanted honesty from those who purport to want the best for education in Whitby- this is not happening. Why are we being failed? 5) Promoting / selling a broader curriculum? The ‘proposal’ talks about raising the number of GCSEs to 23 subjects ie joining together the current subjects at Caedmon and Eskdale, which are already on the school websites as offers. However this does not clarify that it would only be subject to the blocks on the timetable which will therefore only be an element of choice based on how those choices fit into the finalised blocks. As for the promotion of Ebacc at a time when it is not achieving its targets due to the restrictions it makes on the choices a student has! So these two aspects of the ‘the plan’ are diametrically opposed and simply a smokescreen to push a point home! The slides also assume that students want to follow a transition path from GCSE to advanced level and will not still take advantage of all the alternative options available to them. The facilities at the Scoresby site despite the considerable monies from Opportunities fund and the Normanby Trust continue to fail to attract students and reintroducing courses that didn’t work in a previous decade will not plug the hole! Once again no other options were explored or presented. Please confirm receipt of this email as I want to ensure it has reached you.	10/3/23
56	Well done for allowing the questions and comments to flow and for the extension to allow the children to speak after Councillor Swannick s party political speech encouraging children to sacrifice their choice for a fantasy new school. I was encouraged to ask my question again for the benefit of the bigger audience but declined to as others needed a chance, unlike Councillor Swannick. It was the first time I have attended such an event and feel it was presumed both audiences were aware of the protocol, I certainly wasn't. We are all capable of reading so could have read the slides ourselves instead of having the Governors reading them for us. They were there to answer questions. I stand by my observation that both The Governors and NYCC are not putting any information out or answering any questions. As an event organiser I put all my events on Social Media and encourage people to share them and always get excellent turnouts. The only posters I saw on Social media were generated by the Campaign Group and Whitby Network - was it part of the plan to have no one attend ? The question I asked on line is nowhere to be viewed, it wasn't acknowledged and I haven't a copy of it. Do the questions get answered or are they simply used as part of the consultation. If they are answered , how do the people who only gave their name at the 2 meetings get their answers. I tried yesterday to find out off NYCC Highways what plans are in place and of what time frame is involved from identifying a need and completing the project and finally a very helpful lady told me the only way forward was to put the question in on line as part of the consultation or she could give me the address to write to it I couldn't do it on line . The only reason I was asking was that one of your part of the 9 on stage had said very few extra coaches would be needed and students would be encouraged to walk and cycle. Would the cyclists as young as 11 be on the busy main road or sharing the pavement with the walkers if the proposal goes ahead as unlike numerous town and cities  I visit especially abroad Whitby has very few if any cycle lanes. Did the man or indeed all of your colleagues know anything about the traffic lay outs close to the 3 sites and did they take the opportunity to visit all 3 sites while in town? What is another concern is that " mistakes" are been made by Governors on press releases and they put this down to only been volunteers with full time jobs - so why are they involved in so many boards of Governors if this is the case. Lifeboat men and football administrator s are all volunteers but get disciplined or fined for mistakes. Finally I hope the issues that were highlighted by the children are in the process of been investigated as promised. The Governors only spoke about what they would like to happen in the future it would seem they haven't got anything to be proud of regarding the present time or passed.	10/3/23
57	Now the first consultation meetings have taken place you will obviously need to reflect on the way forward. No one will envy you for the task now faced. The meeting was well chaired, and it was good to see Senior Officers from County Hall in attendance. It was a shame our MP, Robert Goodwill, could not be present to hear from so many of his constituents and even some Conservative members when his help is needed. The voices from the floor were strong and extremely thought provoking. Some issues, mainly at Caedmon, but also to a far lesser extent at Eskdale, gave great cause for concern. It is to be hoped many of the issues mentioned do not occur in other schools across North Yorkshire. Whitby, since comprehensive education was introduced, has had fifty years of education based on buildings rather than pupil need. If this proposal is taken forward that will continue. The proposal focuses on excess places and cost, but what about the students, and the fact that it doesn’t even fully address those issues. Closing Eskdale would still leave 400+ unused spaces. Moving 900+ pupils to the Mayfield Road site does not make educational or common sense. From the comments heard last night Caedmon is certainly failing to address the needs of current students, therefore how will it cope with an additional 400+?! It is the oldest of the three sites with little outside space and already experiencing traffic issues. A larger school will mean no parental choice and teacher’s will find increased difficulty in knowing all the students and their specific needs. No one was willing to guarantee discipline and safeguarding issues couldn’t and wouldn’t increase. Some of the comments from students enlightened everyone to the problems currently being experienced and if the management teams can’t get things sorted now what hope is there going forward. The danger in the current proposal is that amalgamating two schools can have such disastrous results. Looking back at the Graham & Raincliffe amalgamation shows what could happen. A long-term plan is needed now. There are alternative options to the one being proposed which surely must be evaluated, costed, and considered. We have needed this plan to obtain the best possible educational provision for several years. Hopefully NYCC Officers and Councillors will have a clearer understanding after considering all the comments especially those given by our students. NYCC must commit to having a comprehensive strategic review of secondary provision in the area. Why has Whitby never had a new build for 50 years? Why haven’t alternative options been considered, costed, and discussed? There must be investment to meet the needs of our students. If the Eskdale was to continue it would need upgrading with maybe £1m of improvements. The Scoresby site is the largest and has scope for development to increase capacity in the long-term. The Mayfield Road site could facility a Scarborough 6th Form satellite campus, a Marine College and other FE courses. Obviously excess places and cost must be addressed, so shouldn’t closing the Mayfield Road site be considered? There would be no excess places but rather two schools still working in partnership. Excess land on the Scoresby site would be there for future development if needed. Eskdale with improvements could be viable as a 500 11-16 school and have a PAN of 100. Caedmon would remain as 11-18 schools with a PAN of 90 and a limited option 6th for up to 150 students. These PANs would ensure cost effectiveness and best use of space. Yes, 6th Form options would have to be restricted, but it could work and maintain adequate provision in the area. If there was a need for more going forward this could be achieved by some additional building work or even by using the premises of a redundant primary school if one became available because of reducing numbers at that level. Large schools can create major issues and it must not happen in Whitby. Is creating a Secondary school of almost 1200 students (one of the largest in North Yorkshire) really the best option for Whitby? There are already several small 11-16 and 11-18 schools providing good education across the County. We need quality teachers, leaders, and governors to achieve the very best in educational provision. Simply creating a large school will not necessarily provide it. Best wishes,	10/3/23
58	Please find attached 1. That attendence should be recorded as it would a normal meeting 2. That confidential minutes can be requested under a FOI and all since 2019 have been. 3. The evidence the EGM took place on 11th October 2022 4. The attendence record of WSP taken from the Eskdale website. Not no meeting on the 11th october 2022. In the request for transparency please can we have the attendence data, asap. While we wait on the extended FOI request date of 17th March.	10/3/23
59	I have resorted to messaging you direct as I  have sent emails to post@wsp.org.uk and have yet to receive an acknowledgement let alone a response. Please can we request a copy of all agendas from July 8th 2019 until present. As it is normal for these to be released with the minutes, to enable clarity, that process is clearly being followed. Also at the afternoon public meeting, it was said that the evidence that other options had been looked at in detail would be made available... We are now on Friday afternoon and nothing has been released, please can we have a timescale for this to happen or be complete. Also have all the figures quoted been independently verified by someone not linked to WSP or had involvement  previously. Ie not council officers or Mr Calton?  Please can we have clarification of the current Clark system in place? Kind regards	10/3/23
60	Dear Councillor Wilkinson, I attended the public meeting regarding the proposed merger of secondary education in Whitby on Wednesday evening. I had hoped to be in a position to write to you with my opinions and matters for your consideration much earlier after the initial announcement in January but it is only now that I feel the governing body have addressed, albeit unsatisfactorily, many of the concerns we as parents currently have. It was my ## ## who asked about the catering issues and was very vocal in her response to ##’s (Executive headteacher) response. I will come back to this. I come from a teaching background and until recently was employed by YEAT. I left due to family circumstances, on good terms and have no particular grievances or personal issues with my previous employer. During my employment I spent 5 years as a governor at Airy Hill Primary School Whitby. I understand perfectly well governance, financial pressures and the complex issues of running and maintaining a school, both structural and teaching/learning. It is with this understanding, having digested Ofsted reports from both Eskdale and Caedmon and now hearing from the WSP governors directly that I urge you to demand more detailed planning from said governors to model their vision. If their vision is as sound as they purport then they should already be in a position to furnish you and your colleagues with a staffing structure, a whole school timetable demonstrating how effective teaching and learning will be. Models of students, teachers and support staff fitting comfortably and safely in the current classrooms at the Normanby site - as a former student I am aware that many of these classrooms are small and conditions could be cramped even then. I would want to know in detail what and where the pastoral provision ## (Executive headteacher) repeatedly mentioned would be situated and how many students could be cared for in this facility. Mental wellbeing is undoubtedly a significant issue nationally for our young people and the disruption to our local students mental health due to the merger simply cannot be over looked. Catering and toilet facilities need to be more than adequate to serve such a large student body. Currently Caedmon fails to order or cook enough food to serve its current numbers. Staff too use the school canteen and as such should be recognised as requiring this facility. On the subject of catering I would request that menus, food options and costs are provided for your perusal as it is my understanding that at least currently there is a lack of nutritious, filling foods on offer. To quote my own child ‘no brown bread, never any fruit’ of course this may be on offer if you are at the front of the lunch queue… Other questions which I felt didn’t receive adequate answers from WSP was SEND provision, again I would expect a well laid out plan for this with detailed staffing structure and a curriculum adapted to the specific needs of students. Precisely how does WSP, plan to deliver sports to students on the Normanby site? I don’t believe that this was answered during the public meeting despite the matter being asked by many. Present at the meeting was ## who had also looked into the most recent Ofsted reports for both schools. He quite correctly pointed out that both schools have recently maintained  a rating of ‘good’ after section 8 inspections but crucially would have been unlikely to have received the same rating had they had a section 5 inspection. I am sure you will agree that this is troubling. It is my opinion that both schools should have section 5 inspections as a matter of urgency (I would go further and suggest they were carried out concurrently) and any improvements and recommendations be acted upon before the amalgamation process is allowed to proceed any further. The students who stood up so bravely on Wednesday and told WSP exactly what was happening in their respective schools on a daily basis must be applauded and the shocking issues they described addressed. The financial data we were all provided with also seemed to fall a little short and I feel that these should be investigated further. In particular the sixth form which simply does not provide value for money in its current guise. The evidence suggests that there are short-fallings in the current proposals and, because of a lack of a real terms planning and foresight and serious flaws in the current leadership at both schools it would be remiss to give the proposal to amalgamate Eskdale and Caedmon any more traction.	11/3/23
61	Dear Annabel, I would just like to start by saying what a friendly and very patient chair you were at the consultation meetings. As a very concerned Whitby local and mother, I urge you to reconsider the closure of Eskdale School. This is the second time my family has been through this. In 2016 the whole Town pulled together and fought the powers that be. Eskdale became an 11-16 age school and the people of Whitby were elated and very much relieved. Here we go again! The merge of the two schools means a new name and a new uniform. In the middle of a cost of living crisis parents who are already struggling will not be able to afford this. Will uniforms be provided for all? The parking on the Mayfield Road area at Caedmon College is already a disaster area. Caedmon College sent correspondence only recently with the concerns of children's welfare and not to mention the angry residents nearby. All this nonsense of no more traffic at school times, which was mentioned at the consultation is a load of rubbish. Eskdale has a lot of pupils who are bussed up to school, plus driven children. Over 1200 children on the busiest road in and out of Whitby twice a day, disaster waiting to happen. Eskdale School already has its own bus turning area which was purposely built for this. Dinner time, how will that work? Over 1200 children! Parents with pupils at Caedmon are already complaining that their children are coming home hungry because there isn't much left after last sitting. How much time will this take up? Where will they all play at break time? Caedmon hasn't even got a playground! What about the SENCO side of things. Eskdale has the highest SEN intake as it provides the best for children with Special Educational Needs. These children that are often left behind are thriving at this school. Parents have looked in to this deeply and Eskdale provides the best. Not to mention the extra wide corridors and staircases that give ease of access to all classrooms, plus a lift. What if the two schools do amalgamate onto the two sites, how will children with disabilities manage to cross over between sites over the busiest road in Whitby. What about the mental health of all these children in both schools, has anybody thought about this? The threat of closure in 2016, then the pandemic, home schooling, anxiety, not knowing where you are going to be doing your GCSE's etc. These children were just getting back to normal. Eskdale has just had a brand new sports facility built plus parking. It brings business from all over Whitby and the surrounding areas. These clubs use Eskdales changing facilities, where will they go? I agree if money is being lost something needs to be done, but not this way. Caedmon School needs to go back to its original site at Whitby sixth form. Why on earth did they change it ? Close Caedmon Mayfield Road site, this could be used for the Maritime Building. There are loads of options that haven't been considered. With the money you save from there you could build a new sixth form on the same site. Why are you only talking about closing Eskdale? At the consultation it was mentioned new hubs would be built. Why? we already have this at Eskdale. Save money! Also it was mentioned that Eskdale would lose £85.000 a year. How much does an Executive Head earn? and why do we need one? The money that would be saved would cover this and put money in the bank! The amalgamation of Graham/Raincliffe Schools in Scarborough has been a fiasco. It just goes to show that this type of action does not work, yet you are willing to try it again with the schools in Whitby. Our children should come first. This is not a trial, it is our children's futures. Whitby needs choice, surely a school on both sides of town makes more sense. Children would then be happy, could keep their uniforms and not the heaps of traffic congestion. Surely Secondary Education comes first. Surely it makes sense to sort this before the sixth form is even considered. Secondary education is vital! The children speak with passion about their school and their choice. What suits one child may not necessarily suit another. Please dont take this away from them.	13/3/23
62	Dear Cllr Wilkinson Please find attached a comment from a parent on the Keep choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale group. Also here is a link to some questions we asked following the public meetings. Please read the comments they are truly heart braking. This should not be happening to any child, and ## (Executive headteacher) said he knew about it. This is a bigger problem than us as parents, and highly concerning that they want all children 11-16  on 1 site.	13/3/23
63	Dear Councillor Wilkinson Will the notes from the public meetings be made available to the public? If not could you possible look at the part from the first question I asked, and ## (Executive headteacher) and ## (Co-chair) both stated he didn't decide on the FOI requests. I have evidence they were lying. I have requested the agendas to all meetings sent to ## (Executive headteacher) before the new Clerks appointment. He states it has to be an FOI ... this is incorrect . The new clerk has requested them for me, and will forward as soon as she gets them. We are a group feel our search for information has been hindered, and not allowed a fair consultation. We are nearly a week after the Public meeting and yet no evidence of the other options looked at has been releases yet. Even though you requested as well. Have all figures been independently verified? Mr Carlton is linked to two of the governors and £250,000 of opportunity area money used for the 6th form, and another £250,000 from NYCC at the same time. I know you must be fed up of us. But we want the best for all children now and future Kind regards	13/3/23
64	Good afternoon, I attended the public consultation last week where I quote from ## (Executive headteacher) that there is NO DRUG problem at Caedmon College Whitby. He later contradicted himself and stated that those involved with drugs had been sanctioned?! I beleive he is either hiding  the truth or failing at his job as an executive headteacher or both? I already knew this to be a blatant lie due to my professional role within the NHS and multiple times I have cared for these said children. Yet today I am made aware from a parent of a child currently at Caedmon College that indeed a child from said school has today ended up in intensive care due to taking drugs at school. I am led to believe this is also a police matter and unfair of me to speculate further however I sincerely hope there is immediate action undertaken. I strongly oppose this amalgamation of schools and I have a zero lack of confidence in our current governing body. Currently the WSP is unable to safeguard or protect the children never mind collating a further 400+ students on one site which is renowned for a culture of drugs, bullying, intimidation, sexual assaults and threatening behaviour. They are not safeguarding our children. This is not an isolated incident. The executive head is not safeguarding nor acting on and fulfilling his role for our, children. This is not every child matters. This is not nurturing and protecting our children's mental health. The governers need to resign with immediate effect and an interim executive boardneeds to be actioned before we are looking at a child death and not just poorly managed school and governing body. Without all the other information out there  in the public domain which the current governers and executive head fail to acknowledge such as poor transport access, not enough space, crowded classrooms, children going hungry etc etc. This is an ill thought out idea and quite frankly I would argue is a ludicrous proposal. I look forward to a response at your earliest convenience	13/3/23
65	Dear Annabel I write to you as a mum, of a year 5 child. I write to you as a person who has looked at so many facts and figures to do with these schools, listened to so many children, parent and staff concerns. But never in a million years did I think we would get to the point we did today. We knew there was a problem, we feel guilty we didn't push it harder. The children spoke out because they knew there was a problem, we should have pushed for the investigation harder. I could blame the governors, the management, but we are all guilty, we have all believed someone else will sort it, that it's not my child, so not my problem. We have all turned a blindeye. Every child deserves the best Education, to be safe, fed and to go home at the end of the day. For someone who is hardly lost for words. Tonight I am. We are totally heart broken that we as a town, and higher have failed these children.	13/3/23
66	Dear Councillor Wilkinson, I attended the public meeting in Whitby on Wednesday 8th March and spoke about my concerns over the inability of my school to adequately feed the students it already has, before questioning how on earth they plan to offer lunch to an extra 400 from Eskdale. Today I took a packed lunch. There was nowhere to sit and eat it but at least I wasn’t hungry today. At the meeting I also heard my friend ## describe the drug problems already rife among the Eskdale students and ## (Executive headteacher) deny that this was the case. Today, as I am sure you are well aware, there was an incident at my own school and a #### from my year is now in hospital and another was taken away by the police. I spoke to ## (Executive headteacher) about this, but he had even less to say than he did on Wednesday. If this is the situation at CCW and it is the same at Eskdale, combining the students is surely going to create an even bigger problem. I don’t want police officers and the ambulance service turning up at my school. My brother, who is in year 6 and due to start CCW in September is now terrified that he will be encouraged to take drugs. This is completely unacceptable. As children we rely on people such as yourself to safeguard us especially when those who are in charge of our schools do not seem to be doing a very good job. We need to feel safe and to be able to learn in a healthy environment with all of our needs met. Currently I don’t feel safe. I hope you are able to do something to change this as soon as possible and I know my family does too. I look forward to your reply and reassurance that things will not be allowed to go on as they are and that this is clearly not the time to be continuing with the proposed amalgamation.	13/3/23
67	I write in shear horror at the news of the incident which took place within Caedmon college yesterday ##. I pray ## makes a full recovery. I am appalled that only last week at the consultation meeting that myself, my partner, parents and ## attended at 6pm it was categorically denied by yourselves that there was any such activities taking place in either of these schools especially as there was a nurse who spoke out as well as students stating the contrary. I'm aware and in no way naive that this kind of behaviour wont be exclusive just at Caedmon. However it is alarming that it is the third safe guarding issue to have taken place on this site within recent weeks. I was contacted personally by a worried parent with regards to an issue with ## who had apparently played truant from school most of the day and was only informed of ## absence at 3.16 via the my ed app when ## been absent since 11.40, my personal opinion is that would be worth at least a phone call from school. Another incident involving a yr9 student set upon by a yr11 ## which had been filmed and circulated on social media of which I have personally seen the footage is also highly alarming and raises the question that there is clearly an issue with the current system in place. I am disturbed of these stories emerging which last week you had no knowledge of when surely these are key issues you should be well aware of in a school governed by yourselves. Bullying, drugs and vaping as well as bad behaviour and truancy and also knowing the whereabouts of all children within the school day should be key issues and as a duty of care is it not the staff as well as your place to know? Is it perhaps due to the many layers of management that the news of such pressing issues don't get out of the starting blocks? If the system in place to safeguard children is failing at the moment then I worry about what lies ahead should the absurd amalgamation go ahead when another 400+ children are added to the equation of a system that needs a complete overhaul. These are at the end of the day our children being placed in the care of yourselves and the staff beneath you, we should as parents feel our children are safe in their school surroundings and I really do not think that can be implemented in a school with such a huge capacity as the one you are proposing. Your Faithfully	14/3/23
68	Dear Annabel Further to the disagreement at the public consultation meetings about who replies to FOI requests Please find attached.. the ones submitted 7th Feb and the replies recieved today. All signed ## (Executive headteacher)	15/3/23
69	Dear Cllr Wilkinson I apologise for this email I know you are probably the wrong person but after over 2 months, of games and lies I don't know who to trust or who to complain to. No one wants to or is willing to listen to what is going on. Attached is an example of how hard getting anywhere is with WSP. 1. Is the Clerks reply. 2. Is ## (Executive headteacher) reply they have to be FOI 3. Is the reply from the governors through the clerk. Why can't I just have the Agendas? It took 6 weeks for the minutes to be put on there, we don't have 6 weeks, before you decide. This is frustrating, and heart braking in one, it should not be this hard to get the information we are entitled to. This is our children's future and present education at stake. Kind regards One very frustrated mum.	15/3/23
70	Dear Clark of governors. I would like to make a formal complaint about the attached advert. The photo included is causing distress to ex- pupils and current and ex staff members. ## was the subject of bully complaints which were mishandled by  the governors. - this resulted in planned industrial action. - this to many was the start of Eskdales problems. The use of his picture to try and attract staff, is insensitive,  and shows a compete disregard of previous actions. Kind regards	15/3/23
71	Dear clerk of governors Please can you check these responses for the FOI are correct, as ## (Executive headteacher) has been caught lying about the the need for information Requests. I request all FOI requests and responses are checked by yourself, any requests or refusals that are not needed, the information is released immediately. And this delaying tactic is made public. Kind regards	16/3/23
72	Dear clerk of governors Please can we have clarification of when and how ## was co-opted to the governing body of WSP. He has told people different stories. 1. That he was there when they voted in December. 2. That he didn't need to be approved by a meeting because he was coopted by NYCC Kind regards	16/3/23
73	Is this email secure to yourself or does WSP have access and vet what questions are forwarded to yourself? I question this because I sent a formal complaint to yourself last night in regards to an advert used by WSP, I got a strange reply (attached with the original email) The ad was taken down. But things for the Clerk should not be intercepted by the Governors. Please can we get clarification of the system in place Kind regards	16/3/23
74	Dear Cllr Wilkinson Yesterday I copied you in to an email regarding my FOI request for confidential minutes which after a 20 day extension for ## (Executive headteacher)  ‘to consider a Public Interest Test’ which I doubt he ever did, has now passed its deadline. I have now passed this matter to the ICO and will be requesting an internal review though I have no faith in the outcome that will produce! In addition there are numerous pieces of information that should be in the public domain, accessible immediately for example the agendas, financial information and destination data for Year 11 leavers, that ## (Executive headteacher) and the Governing Body are going out of their way to not provide in a timely fashion. This is a consultation and information should be readily available on request. It is unacceptable that with a limited time to respond that we are not getting the facts we need to allow transparency of data and to reflect on what has led to this situation. There can only be two reasons for this attitude by ## (Executive headteacher) and the Governing Body 1) that there is information to hide regarding the legality of their actions, issues of decisions made/voting actions/ attendees etc. Last week they were asked for the other options they discussed when coming to the proposal they made, which would have been obviously minuted had it happened, and despite saying this had happened there is no evidence confirming this? 2) that they are deliberately obstructing the flow of information pertinent to the issues, to ensure that parents/students/Whitby community members do not have this prior to the deadline for comments, or too late to consider the evidence? It is therefore totally unsatisfactory to continue with the deadline as it is, because we are not in possession of the full facts, and it appears we are being misled by the WSP governing body. At the very least the consultation period should be extended by at least the 40 plus school working days that I have been waiting for this very important information and the Governing Body should be thoroughly investigated for the legalities of the procedures they have been using since they ‘federated’ in 2019. In addition the mismanagement of financial matters needs to investigated as to why Eskdale finds itself in difficulties, in the period this partnership has been in existence! As for ## (Executive headteacher) having lied or at very least misled the meeting last week about drugs problems in school which parents knew to be happening, and which has now clearly and sadly been confirmed as a lie; he now continues to stop the truth coming out in the other matters we have asked him and the GB about? For this reason alone the consultation needs to be halted and the Governing Body replaced - they have lost all trust of parents and the community. Please note this is a complaint and not a comment for the ‘consultation’ and as such I request that it be dealt with as soon as possible and that I don’t receive the standard consultation response! I look forward to hearing from you Regards	18/3/23
75	Dear  Clerk of governors. Please can I request minutes, agendas and reports, for a sub committees used by WSP. This does not require a FOI. And they should be available and held at the school - I'm guessing Caedmon College. I look forward to you prompt reply with this information and the agendas of the full governing body meetings which are also held at the school. But seem to be lost as its nearly 2 weeks now. Very frustrated with the stalling tactics	19/3/23
76	Dear Annabel This is what is posted on our Facebook group: It's missing out that before update on sustainability becomes an item ## (council officer) - helped with the 5 year forcasts for both schools. You lied or they lied - this is a done deal has has been for nearly a year. NYCC are working along side the governors, and no matter how Corrupt they will never be called out. We know we have said a lot about transparency and honesty, BUT these make good leadership. We requested the confidential minutes through the correct process - Freedom of information request - 20 working days - ## (Exec headteacher) wanted to do a public interest test - extra 20 days - dead line was Friday - NOTHING WHAT COULD THEY BE HIDING?? It could be: 1. The 3 EGMS they have had that were fully confidential and no attendance recorded (30th March, 27th April, 11th October) 2. The agenda item - "update on sustainability" which NO staff governors were allowed to hear except ## (Exec headteacher). started 21st June 2022 3. The chairs reports were confidential in both June and July 22. - and staff not allowed to hear. 4. WSP Strategic Direction is hidden December 22. 5. Whitby 6th form - memorandum of understanding. Oct 21 6 . Dec 21 - Allocation of Federation costs - Eskdale was financial secure before this- predicted in year surplus. 7. The Two months were SEN provisions are discussed and the unconditional ones state they didn't have enough SEN TAs in Caedmon. 8. Eskdale start budget 22/03/22 THESE are only the main ones, there is a lot more hidden - THE GOVERNORS AND NYCC ARE HIDDING THESE, BECAUSE THEY PROVE THEY HAVE MISMANAGED CAEDMON AND ESKDALE FOR AN EGO BOOST - THE STAND ALONE WHITBY 6TH FORM. ASK QUESTIONS ? DEMAND ANSWERS LIKE THE CHILDREN DID Very disappointed as no child or education comes into this is about vanity, ego and money.	19/3/23
77	Dear Clerk Please can you remind ## (Executive headteacher) some FOI are due back today. Not that I hold out any hope of actually getting the information requested. Please can I have an update of when the agendas with be sent as they are urgent and the stalling is getting very frustrating. Kind regards	20/3/23
78	Dear Sir /Madam It has been over a week since, the evidence that other options to amalgamation was requested, and also the agendas to all meetings from WSP meeting since July 2019. Please can we have a time scale when these will be available as consultation ends in 2 weeks it is important that process and transparency happen. Kind regards	20/3/23
79	Dear Annabel Wilkinson,                                                                         I wish to let you know my views on the proposal of Caedmon and Eskdale schools merging:-  Firstly the meeting I attended at Spa Pavillion, Whitby, there wasnt enough time allocated, as people still had questions.                                           Also I am not in favour of one big school, children slip through the net. A head does not know every single childs name. If Sixth form were to shut that would make more sense,as only 150pupils would have to be moved, rather than 400+ which are at Eskdale. Caedmon site atm doesnt have enough green space for 400+children. Traffic along a busy road will be an accident waiting to happen. There is no turning point for coaches.                                          Do we really need a Head Executive of Education, ##? What is his role?                                                        Duke of Edinburgh awards are already an option. I know as my ## has completed both Bronze and Silver. So money does not need to be added to something that is already there.                    Why was distance of 0.3miles between sixth form and Caedmon mentioned? Is this because Secondary schools are to be run from two sites? If yes this has been tried before........and it didnt work. Too much time is lost.                           Caedmon already has problems with bullying and vaping. Police were called last year and this year. These are serious matters. More children adding to the equation will bring more problems. I urge you to please listen to us parents and the children of our town. We need choice.      Yours sincerely	20/3/23
80	please find a copy of the letter sent to the whitby secondary partnership governors. from The keep choice in whitby & save eskdale group. thank you Open Letter to the Governors of Whitby Secondary Partnership and North Yorkshire County Council. We feel for the second time this is the only option open to us. Since you made the announcement in Jan 4th 2023, our requests for information to be able to form the full picture of what has happened and is happening in Whitby Secondary education have be blocked. It took six weeks for the minutes of the meetings to be released, the agenda were requested after the first public meeting on 8th March, some have been released on the 21st March. The confidential minutes were requested via a Freedom of Information request, at the end of the 20 working day period ## (Exec headteacher) extended it by another 20 working days stating that there had to be a public interest test. WHY? The deadline was moved another 20 working days to the 17th March.. we have yet to receive notification of why the delay OR the requested minutes. A complaint has been sent to the ICO. The Governors missed the Whitby town council meeting to prepare for the public meetings yet COULD NOT answer any questions clearly, lacked details, and relied on the could be rather than will be, no details. North Yorkshire County Council have allowed the Governors to run WSP outside of Dfe guidelines for a while ( remember only 4 governors passed the proposal ) The minimum number is 7 but MUST have 2 parent governors, 1 Local Authority, 1 staff, 1 head teacher. - WSP have 1 parent, 1 staff, 1 Head - The rest are co-opt. The total staff can not be more than one third of the governing body. - they have three but only seven or eight members on the governing body. There should only be 2. EGMs can be classed as confidential minutes BUT there must be agendas and the attendence recorded as a normal meeting would be - WSP have had three NO attendence or Agendas have been recorded for any. Brian Crosby was co-opted on in January with out an official meeting by NYCC  but it is on the agenda for Feb as a LA governor nomination. North Yorkshire County Council (soon to be North Yorkshire Council) are compliant with the hidding of Information, and the wasting of public funds. North Yorkshire Coast Opportunity Area "Our programme is prioritising work on improving early years education, boosting literacy and numeracy skills, and helping more secondary schools to become good or outstanding" - no where does it mention spending £250,000 on capital investment for a stand alone 6th form site. 136 students on a site for 500+ with predicted failing numbers at 11-16 yet you say the numbers will increase - How?  NYCC added an extra £250,000 so this vanity project has had £500,000 of public funds. - Yet you say WSP can't afford to employ teachers. Three of you can answer why this happened - ##(Co-chair), ## (Governror) and Stuart Carlton as you were on the board of NYCOA at the time. You are now doing everything in your power to protect your investment regardless of the effect on 11-16 children, now and in the future. We request the following information be released so the consultation in its final week and a half is honest and transparent. The confidential minutes in line with the Freedom of Information Act. The agendas to ALL WSP meetings since July 2019 The Evidence that other options have been looked at in depth - as requested at the public meetings. An explanation why WSP and NYCC have not publicly advertised the consultation to parents and children at both schools, all primary schools and the wider community. An explanation of When, How and in what capacity did ## (governor) join the WSP governing body. ONLY you know why you are hiding this information, and DO NOT want a full and honest consultation. We will not compromise on our children's education. We will keep pushing for the truth, for transparency and most of all the Best education for the children of Whitby now and in the Future. Keep choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale.	21/3/23
81	Dear Clerk of governors Thank you for the agendas and the 7th of Feb minutes which have been added to the website. As shown in the attached screenshot the attendece for the meetings has been updated, please can the attendence of the EGM in October and the unscheduled meeting on the 24th of January be added, along side the agendas and minutes if possible. Also in the minutes of the 7th of February it says there were two ## (governor) in attendence. Please can this be explained - as both are co-opted but only 1 is on the attendence sheet.	22/3/23
82	To the Secondary Whitby Partnership, The big issue here for me is BULLYING! I ask each of you, have you ever experienced bullying I.E yourselves or your children? If that answer is no, you couldn't possibly understand the distress bullying/intimidation can cause. My ##  has suffered years of bullying throughout ## primary years, bringing on anxiety.  So much so ## changed schools several times, listed as follows:- East Whitby Primary - attended infants until encountered bullied from ##. Airy Hill Primary- after moving to escape bullying after a long period of Happy learning, bullying from a different child occurred. Hawker Primary School- after settling well, my ## became subjected to malicious and vindictive comments written in a book which is then circulated for all to read and add vile comments. My ##chose the quieter and smaller setting of Eskdale School which helped ## escape ## previous tormentors as they all chose Caedmon School. Here ## feels safe, settled and happier than ever. However you say that now that all has to change. As you can imagine ## anxiety and that of my ##( who is taking medication worrying about what is to come) is through the roof. As is that of my own too. Are you able to guarantee ## safety? Especially when ## is being forced into a school these children from her past already attend.  A school that up to now is proving safeguarding isn't really up to scratch. A drug abuse incident and a brawl between two #### three years apart both of which supposedly filmed to be broadcast on social media scare my family and myself out of our wits. The drug abuse episode happening after you announced to a room full of parents at the consultation that no such events take place in either of your schools, or not to your knowledge. Which don't you think should be of your knowledge? Especially ## (Exec headteacher), the Executive Head. Attending schools with previous bullies will have a dramatic effect on many children's mental health, my ## included. I'd like to know how you plan to control safeguarding in a school that can hold over 1500 pupils when you have a system that is clearly struggling to keep it at bay in a school that at the moment holds 786 across two sites? You really wish to add over another 400+ pupils to this already struggling system? A recipe for disaster! Fact! I raise also the issue of the lunch break situation,  at Eskdale alone are you aware that due to the first come first served basis food for those at the half way/ tale end of lunch food is in short supply, with no choice leaving cold pizza most days. Not offering much of a varied diet. My ## takes a packed lunch now but shouldn't have to, she would like a hot meal especially in the winter months but doesn't want to hungry as that doesn't aide her learning. I understand the meal time routine is exactly the same over at Caedmon. Not only do both schools lack food, they also lack space which is also limited. So how can dinner times work when all children will share the same buil? Your plan, if you can call it a plan is full of flaws, uncertainties, many unanswered questions and no permanent long term solution. Put the children and their mental health before profit! Your sincerely	23/3/23
83	Dear Annabel Please find attached, the evidence that Whitby Secondary Partnership is out of DfE guidelines. School Governance (constitution) Regulations 2012 Statututory guidance. Also Maintained school governance: structures and role descriptors. And a screenshot of the make up of WSP. Kind regards	23/3/23
84	Dear Cllr Wilkinson and Mr Carlton Further to my recent emails, one which you would both have received by Monday and one on Tuesday, I am disappointed still to not have had as much as a confirmation of receipt, never mind an actual response. This is not acceptable after over 36 hours and is unprofessional to say the least. Obviously I have not received a response to my outstanding FOI request from WSP either and we are now on day 44! Nothing clearly continues to being done to expedite the request. The way this consultation is being approached and the manner in which WSP are being allowed to act in matters related to provision of information is frankly appalling? I look forward to hearing from you on receipt of this email!	23/3/23
85	Good evening Councillor Wilkinson, I am contacting you today in regards to the proposed amalgamation of Eskdale School and Caedmon College. I would just like to say how polite it was of you to offer the floor to some of the young children of Whitby at the public consultation meeting on Wednesday 8th March during the evening session. These are the very people who are going to be impacted by any changes that are proposed and sadly they feel as though they are being ignored and so for them to be able to voice their concerns and opinions was refreshing. On to the matter of the amalgamation. I am a great believer in asking questions and then asking again and again. I am also a parent of a current Year 8 at Caedmon and a Year 5 at West Cliff who will be in the first cohort of new pupils in the proposed amalgamated school. There are so many unanswered questions, that you will be well aware of, that could've been answered during the public consultation meeting. Yet we were frustratingly left without answers or we just had answers that came directly from the slides that we all had access to. We had no real answer on safeguarding pupils nor any foundation to any of the questions regarding special education needs provision. There are real concerns coming from children, and parents of children, who have been bullied and now face the prospect of facing their abusers again. An amalgamated school won't stop these bullies. Transition periods and pastoral care really aren't going to alleviate the major concerns that children are having, especailly when children are going to pastoral offices only to find them closed or unattended. Sadly some people in positions of influence seem to think that children only care for friendship groups and favourite teachers but this could not be further from the truth. There have been incidents recently, especially at Caedmon, that have seen pupils seriously hurt and injured and I think it would only be wise for the council and schools to work out how to prevent or drastically reduce these incidents before even considering adding more pupils to the mix. Involving the parents and ensuring punishments discourage continued involvment in incidents are just a couple of ideas. During the meeting I was concerned that no Equality Impact Assessment was available. This is a very important document, as you're aware, and it would give the opportunity to list all available options of potential changes to a service/model, it will list who will be affected, it would contain evidence of the benefits to a change in service/model and then general information on other impacts including financial, travel and emotional. A worrying item that was raised was also the issue surrounding mealtimes and how busy it gets in the canteen area at Caedmon, with some children not even being able to get hot food. My major concern on this is that children who receive Free School Meals may not be able to access nutritional food and this may be the only decent meal that child gets as we all feel the pinch of the cost of living crisis. Will adding extra children into the mix not just add to an already desperate meal situation? One area that hasn't really been touched upon is staff safety. On Thursday 26th May 2022, Caedmon College had to go in to lockdown after a member of the public entered the school with a weapon with the intention of attacking a teacher. The swift actions from staff, pupils and Police prevented any injury but with all the heightened concern and worry, it would be irresponsible to not make sure that staff are kept physically safe as well as mentally safe. There was also another incident not long before this and so staff safety should be a concern. I would also wonder how damaging a second proposed amalgamation is for teacher recruitment and retention in North Yorkshire, especially when a recent study completed by the National Education Union has found that 44% of teachers will have left the profession by 2027. We heard how Eskdale and Caedmon are currently under a Notice of Financial Concern. It is my understanding that a school in this situation has limitations on it's spending and anything above it would require the approval of the Local Authority, who can also appoint Independent Observers to sit on the school’s governing body. I wondered if, before any amalgamations are considered, whether there had been an observer placed on the governing body in question to assist them with their financial situation? Also, if there are governors who are involved in notices of financial concern, is this something we as parents should be concerned about if a governor has involvement in primary educational settings? Finally, I'd like to touch upon the reasons for the amalgamation. One reason is that pupil numbers are falling. Less pupils entering secondary education in Whitby. By that reasoning there will then also be a drop in primary school pupils and makes the 'further amalgamations and cuts will be needed further down the line' comment made by a member of Whitby Secondary Partnership make sense. I worry that this amalgamation will just be the starting point for further amalgamations. I am simply a lay person and even I have sat and contemplated other options that could potentially have amazing impacts for the children of Whitby. I have recently spoke with Mr Goodwill about Whitby 6th Form and the fact that numbers have been declining, which of course makes sense as, according to the WSP slideshow, we have less children coming through the secondary system. Mr Goodwill stated that students are opting to go to Guisborough, Scarborough or Middlesborough for further Education. If we see a further decline in secondary pupils, then surely the 6th Form will see a further decline. Would it be an option for 6th Form to educate our 16 - 18-year-olds from the Eskdale and Caedmon sites? So, there would be 2 sites offering 11 - 18 years, but after GCSE level, each student would pick which 6th form they'd like to attend. If we had 2 6th Form sites, then perhaps we could offer our 16 - 18-year-olds more choice in what they study and would see our youths staying in Whitby and not having to leave just for further education. I am really concerned that the overriding factor for this amalgamation is money and this should not fuel any decisions to be made before all avenues have been exhausted. This is now the future of education in North Yorkshire, not just Whitby. Our children have lived through such tough times, from 2020 onwards their lives have changed forever. The least we can do is make sure that every child has a say, every child feels safe and every child has a choice. I am one of a lot of emails you've had to read but I do hope that every avenue is exhausted and that some real future and choice for our children's education is still available to them in years to come.	23/3/23
86	Dear Councillor Wilkinson First of all we would like to thank NYCC and the Governors for the Public meeting, and the excellent way you chaired a difficult meeting in the evening. I am sure none of us expected the outcome from the evening meeting with regard to the serious allegations of bullying and drug taking, and lack of food and water at Caedmon- Normanby site. I gather this has been common knowledge in Whitby for a long time, and the incident on the following Monday was a horrendous outcome of what appears to be the failing of the secondary school system in Whitby. We feel it would be helpful to the community if NYC commenced some dialogue with the community to identify what is being done to take this issue seriously. We would like have a greater understanding of  the position of North Yorkshire (County) Council (NYC) on provision of educational services for the Whitby catchment area, so we can respond with a better understanding  for the proposal to amalgamate Caedmon College and Eskdale School from 1 September 2024 resulting in the closure of Eskdale School, Whitby. Background : Whitby has a very different school catchment area, as well as a totally separate travel to work area to Scarborough - see attached maps, in fact Filey is much closely related to Scarborough on both counts. The decline in pupil numbers in Whitby appears to have accelerated since 2016 when the University Technical College was first opened in Scarborough, and more homes in Whitby have disappeared into second and holiday property markets, forcing young people and families out of Whitby & District. We have been reviewing the reports submitted to the Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee - for example the  minutes submitted to the Friday, 25th November, 2022 meeting, Minute 26: Schools, Educational Achievement & Finance and could find no plan for improving the education standards in Whitby or for dealing with falling pupil numbers which we find surprising following the announcement by the Governors shortly afterwards. Also it was disappointing to find that neither the long standing Councillors representing the catchment area, nor the Council officers appear to have queried why the Whitby Area catchment figures were never separated from the Scarborough catchment area, and why a plan had not been put in place to address this issue when falling numbers were first identified. The need for three senior schools in Whitby has been discussed for many years and we have never understood why a new school has not been built to save on maintenance and heating costs. The council appears to have failed to take any action to rectify this issue, and to ensure money was directed to educational needs in an area where achievement standards are below North Yorkshire and National Standards. We are still extremely concerned  over the Governance of the schools, how the decision was reached and the make-up of the school Governor’s board. We even emailed Mr Barry Khan, Assistant Chief Executive - legal and democratic services on the 23rd of January to ascertain if the proposal had been agreed according to the Constitution (this was not available to view) with the decision appearing to be invalid according to the Instrument of Government, however we failed to receive any response. These concerns appear to be still valid as the new appointments have not given a suitable cross section of parents, community and educational professionals. Also why has no local authority governor been in place since this Secondary school partnership was set up in 2019? We have been advised at a meeting with the NYC Stronger Communities team that the new Council will not work in “Silos”, however there appears to be no sign of this with regard to this school proposal for Whitby. We are particularly concerned over the lack of ambition for education in the Whitby catchment area for both education and skills training for school aged pupils and adults, bearing in mind the advancements made and already in use in other countries for rural areas such as metaverse education. We would have expected with the launch of the NYC Climate Change Strategy Consultation, that distance to learning, the 15 minute neighbourhoods, and the need to reduce private car mileage by 48% would have been included into any long term planning for future education needs. The proposal made by the Governors to the staff and via the letter to parents/carers from The Whitby Secondary Partnership in January 2023 is surely not the type of communication strategy fitting of a council wishing to be "the most local of all councils". Can you please endeavour to provide better communication of such changes to local communities in the future? We would like an open discussion of the education and skills training needs for the Whitby catchment area, and would welcome yourself (and indeed our NYC councillors who really ought to be representing residents interests on this, and other issues) to one of the Whitby Community Network meetings, particularly should you have something to offer that would improve the education and skills training of all our residents.	24/3/23
87	Dear Annabel We are still waiting for the confidential minutes and other FOI to be returned these hold vital information in regards to the amalgamation of the schools. The confidential minutes are on 46 working days so far ( half term doesn't count). This is a delaying tatic, nycc are with holding information about the North Yorkshire Opportunity Area, and the intertwining of the governors and Stuart carlton. This is meant to be about the best for children's education.	27/3/23
88	It is now over 5 working days since you received my first email below and still no reply, not even an acknowledgment!! Obviously as I suspected ## (Executive headteacher) and the WSP have still not replied to the FOI either- this is wholly unacceptable on everyone’s part and I request a reply by end of today!	28/3/23
89	Annabel, I hope you are well? Please forgive the intrusion, so late in the evening. I can assure you that I would not disturb you were it not vital to apprise you, as a matter of grave urgency, of information which has fallen into my hands today, by virtue of a Freedom of Information response published by the Whitby Secondary Partnership (WSP). You will certainly recall that both you and I attended the evening session of the Public Consultation event held at the Whitby Spa/Pavilion on 8th March 2023. It follows that we both witnessed statements made by representatives of the WSP. In particular, I distinctly recall the Executive Head, ##, emphatically denying, in response to remarks made by students, that there is or has been a drug-abuse issue at the schools. I have checked this recollection with a significant number of attendees, unanimous in their recollection that such was the case. Setting aside, for the moment, the near-tragic events of Monday 13th March 2023 - which many interpreted as giving the lie to the Executive Head's denials - I now learn the following, which I am duty-bound to set before you, with the request that your fellow Committee members and Mr CARLTON and his staff receives sight thereof, the following example extracts (there are others) from a large tranche of documents comprising Confidential Minutes of the WSP:  These Confidential Minutes, withheld from the public long beyond the 20 working-day latitude of the FOIA, make it clear that the Executive Head conforms to many or all of the following characterisations: I also recall the flat denial of Governing Board Co-Chair ## whose integrity has been undermined by her own words in her correspondence with me - that the WSP 6th Form facility is/was partially funded from within the Eskdale School Budget. From within the same FOIA response, I now encounter the following: Many parents would be shocked by the revelation that the School paid £74,000 for a supply teacher. My more serious concern is that, even at first glance, the above-mentioned budgeted £30,000 Sixth Form contribution appears to amount to a damning impeachment of the Co-Chair's honesty. Whitby Town Clerk ## has kindly provided a copy of the letter sent on behalf of the Mayor of Whitby, Councillor Linda WILD, pursuant to a successful Motion of mine (Seconded by a Whitby Town Councillor) at the Whitby Town Assembly held on Wednesday 22nd March 2023 at Whitby Coliseum. I present it to you here below, for your consideration: Dear Chairs, I write on the instructions of the Annual Assembly of the electors of the parish of Whitby, which met last week (22 March) in accordance with Sections 14-22 of Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972, to officially set out the following resolution of the meeting for your consideration.  Please note that this was NOT a meeting of the town council. This meeting resolves to write to the co-chairs of the Whitby Secondary Partnership Board of Governors call on them to write to the North Yorkshire Council Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, and the Corporate Director of Children’s and Young People’s Services, asking them to: ·        immediately withdraw the Whitby Secondary Partnership Board of Governors’ formal request for the amalgamation of the Whitby secondary schools; ·        mmediately formally appoint an interim Board of Governors for the Whitby Secondary Partnership; ·       and immediately after, they tender their resignations, along with all other members of the Board of Governors, from the Whitby Secondary Partnership Board of    Governors. My understanding is that, as of late this afternoon, there has been no response. In good conscience, I feel I have no alternative but to report on the subject matter of this email, in the public interest. In consideration of the courtesy you have extended to me previously, I do not wish to do so without offering you the opportunity to comment in response to my concerns. Please do so, Annabel. In my view - and we are all entitled to express an opinion - the circumstances leading to, and following, the WSP Governors' announcement on 4th January 2023 (that the EA had been requested to consult on the proposed Amalgamation of the schools) have been dogged by misinformation, procrastination and secrecy of such a nature as to be utterly incompatible with paid public servants who have a duty of transparency and have clearly abused the public trust. I urge and implore you to instruct your Corporate Director: Children & Young People Services, Mr Stuart CARLTON, to intervene in this process in the interest of the people of Whitby and the good standing of North Yorkshire (County) Council. To do nothing is surely not an option. I will refrain from submitting my copy for publication until close-of-play (5:00pm) on Friday 31st March.	28/3/23
90	Dear Annabel Please find attached confirmation that the federation is not registered with the dfe.	29/3/23
91	Dear Annabel Is it possible to stop the consultation? The federation and Whitby Secondary Partnership are not recognised by the DfE. They have had no documentation even though this is part of the consultation on forming a federation. See attached. This makes the governors decision to amalgamate  null and void. And brings in to question the money taken from Eskdale for federation costs and £30,000 contribution to 6th form. Please can you tell us who to contact. My number is ## I look forward to hearing from you.	29/3/23
92	Dear Annabel Please can we have clarification if the consultation is going to be stopped with the irregularities surrounding the  federation and the current structure of the governing body. There are to many questions and fundamental problems.	29/3/23
93	Dear Mrs Wilkinson, I write to you once again with the greatest of concerns regarding the proposal of amalgamation in Whitby between Eskdale and Caedmon School and look for some clarity with  a few issues. Is it true there is a level of deception within the ranks of the governing board? I personally was present at the consultation meeting to which we were told that no funding from Eskdale's budget has been forwarded to the sixth form yet in the minutes of the meetings its apparent that it has.  And is it also true that the Whitby Secondary Partnership holds no legal weight and is not actually registered with the appropriate authorities? I hope you can clarify these questions for me, as I would hate to think they are factual as surely that means the amalgamation proposal should be stopped. Yours sincerely	29/3/23
94	dear councillor i hope you are well i believe you have properly seen these but will  send any way we recently wrote to the DOFE to ask for copy's of the federation documents for caedmon college and eskdale school. the DOFE can NOT find any such documents in paper form or in electronic form so it begs the question certainly to is us . is there actually a federation and if there isn't then surely there can be no amalgamation. this needs halting ASAP. thank you for your time please see attached photos Keep choice in Whitby & save Eskdale School	29/3/23
95	Dear Mrs Wilkinson, I am very disappointed to hear about the possible closure of Eskdale School. I have two children one has just left Eskdale last year, and now attends the Whitby six form. The other is a year 7 pupil who currently attends Eskdale School. Both my children looked round both schools before making their decision to which one they would like to attend. My ## loved her time at Eskdale. It's a brilliant school and the teachers are fabulous. My ## also loves the school and has settled well. I have a few concerns about the possible closure of Eskdale. Firstly the children of Whitby should have a choice and shouldn't be forced to attend a school they didn't choose.  Secondly there is currently over 300 houses been built on the East side of Whitby. These will be catchment for Eskdale School. Caedmon will not cope with the increased amount of pupils currently attending Eskdale. Never mind with more children moving to the area,As it was brought up in the meeting about the food shortage. Also recent events concerning the vape/drug incident. Which seems to be an ongoing problem as the kids said this at the meeting.  The traffic will be pushed over that side of town which is already nightmare without adding increased traffic. Thiz is an accident waiting to happen The 4g pitch which has just been built at Eskdale would need changing rooms, and also busing the kids from Caedmon is adding to the carbon footprint. If the kids walked over to the 4g pitch it's eating into valuable teaching time. I'm my opinion the best solution would be to close Caedmon school (Mayfield Road) and move them back to the six form (formerly Caedmon). Accommodate the six form at either the current six form or Eskdale.Both these schools have plenty of acres of land to extend their currently buildings, and at the same time plenty of playing fields and sports for facilities for the pupils. Also I don't see why there needs to be an Executive Head, I'm an ex Caedmon and Whitby school pupil. We didn't have an Executive head and the schools were all ran well, with one head of each school. If its about saving money get rid of the executive head and you will save 100+k a year. My question is has the Eskdale School land already been sold to Barrett housing? Caedmon school has one field and the least land out of the three sites. It just doesn't make sense! It seems the Governors lied to everyone at the meetings stating that none of Eskdales money went to the six form or the federation. I have seen a document stating the figures. It clearly shows that Eskdales money has in fact been going to Caedmon and the federation. It's clear to me the Governors aren't bothered about the children's education. With this in mind I think these governor's just be dismissed,and we elect some governor's who are interested in the education of the children of Whitby. Also what provisions will be offered to pupils who don't want to attend Caedmon? What's the alternative? Will they be a bus provided so they can travel out of town? There's kids that have moved from Caedmon to Eskdale because of bullying. It's unfair to expect them to go back to Caedmon. Another point I would like to raise is regarding the six form. My ## currently attends the six form, and is resitting one of her Gcse's. On numerous occasions she has attended lessons and there has been no teacher. This is not a acceptable, how is she going to pass if she's not getting taught. Please listen to the people of Whitby and save Eskdale School. I look forward to your reply.	29/3/23
96	To Annabel Wilkinson Before I begin my thoughts about the proposal, I will begin by introducing myself as unfortunately I did not get the chance to do so last night, even though my hand was up for entire time. My name is ## a parent of a Year 10 child currently at Eskdale and a Year 13 who attends Scarborough Sixth Form. I attended the consultation meeting with lots of hope and an open mind for what should be an exciting time for the education of my child but left disappointed and with no questions answered. I walked through the Spa doors not to be greeted by people wanting to hear my ideas but by four police and Spa security guards. Nobody greeted or asked if I was here for the meeting or generally made me feel welcome. I am sure North Yorkshire Police could have been better serving the community than attending a consultation meeting, especially with rural crime at an all-time high in the area. Feeling intimidated and shocked that I was assumed to be some sort of criminal and not simply a concerned parent. Upon entering the room, I found 10 people sat up on a stage who didn’t appear friendly and like they wanted to hear the concerns being raised. Many of these people are paid for by myself and the residents of Whitby so surely they should listen to the publics options and set out a range of alternatives but unfortunately nothing. I listened in the hope that the questions I had would be covered in the presentation but sadly none were answered. After the presentation, I raised my hand in the hopes that I may be able to ask my questions and it remained raised the entire time. This left me with the only option to write my views with the hope someone might bother to read and actually listen to me. Surely with everyone wanting the same the very best education for all it should be a transparent meeting looking at several options not just one. My questions were very simple ones such as how many children can actually fit on each individual site. I don’t want to know just Eskdale and Caedmon College I want to know how many on the Scoresby site, Normanby site, and the Eskdale site. This information should very easily be available. I also do not want to know how many will fit onto the Normanby site after alterations to accommodate the extra children. Yet nobody will answer yet they are supposed to be transparent. The other main question I have is why there is no budget and predictions for the Whitby Sixth Form. Surely last night was to have an honest and transparent look at the education system of Whitby so why hide such a vital part of it. The actual only aspect of the proposal the governors seem passionate about and want to save is an extremely poorly supported sixth form. I find it greatly concerning that the people who are making these decisions have their own children in the Whitby education system and I don’t feel they can make an unbiased decision about the future of these schools. Especially when some governors children are in sixth form lessons of a ratio better than at a private school. It is incredibly alarming that the governor who told us she wanted value for money for our children, has a child in sixth form classes of 2 children. Is this really value for best value for money? Value for money is something I keep seeing and hearing repeatedly and yet still those in charge want to fight to keep open the one thing that is haemorrhaging the most money from the local schools, the sixth form which comes with a very expensive executive head. I read the WSP minutes for the 7th of February 2023 with great interest. The first part I noticed was the Core Function of Governance was “Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent”. However, even the Governors themselves in the proposal document for the restructure of the federation senior leadership in November 2021 said that the “It is true that the reduction in CCW’s numbers has made Scoresby a great drag on its finances”. This was when there were 175 pupils accessing the sixth form and in 16 months that figure has dropped further to 136 pupils. How is this providing any value for money? If you can squeeze Eskdale’s pupils into the current Caedmon site then put the sixth form back in it as well and keep Eskdale open, surely that would be the best value for money! I continued to read the document with interest to find the most alarming information going especially for my own child! Question: A governor enquired whether it was the case that the school had no lead of science. Answer: The Head of School confirmed that was the case. Question: A governor enquired about the plans to replace the lead of science. Answer: The Head of School explained that the LA did not approve the head of science recruitment to go forward due to budgetary constraints. A science teacher had been recruited instead and the Head of School had effectively become the Head of Science. It was noted that the greatest vulnerability academically in Eskdale was science. Now the above not only makes me angry but exceptionally concerned. My Year 10 child wants to be a vet, which even our own vets and the school know. She currently not only has no head of science but no Permanent Chemistry teacher, something she has to study at A-level in order to further pursue her dream career. This leads me to ask why, Why should my child’s dreams be squashed by the people who should care and help make them a reality; Why can ## get taught A-level Chemistry in a class with a handful of pupils yet my child can’t even have a permanent teacher for classes of 30! You employ an executive head but can’t afford a head of science or a permanent chemistry teacher. Where is the value for money in this? Are North Yorkshire County Council prepared to stop Eskdale’s pupils becoming doctors, vets, medical professionals, science teachers and going into other highly sought after and skilled careers, sacrificing their potential for a poorly supported sixth form and an expensive executive head. In my opinion the people put in charge to give my child the best possible education have failed her. She even said herself she can’t see her dreams coming true at any school in Whitby. There are no words for what you have done to the Year 10 and 11 pupils at Eskdale over science. All I can say is how relieved we are by the two amazing science teachers who are left and are going above and beyond to ensure they achieve. You all preach about value for money, yet you are not providing it! I feel options are not getting explored due to selfish and personal interest and not what is best for the whole Whitby community. I feel that there are other options available than the one presented. I feel that the most logical thing to do to finally solve the issues with education in Whitby is to close the current Whitby Sixth Form site. While I agree a small sixth form is needed I would suggest moving it back to the Normanby site and create an area specifically for the sixth formers.  This is the best option as the sixth form site is not sustainable even if you close Eskdale and cram all the pupils onto the Normanby site. How long before we fail the next generation of Whitby by going back to the dark days of educating the Year 10 – 13 on one site and the Year 7 – 9 on another. The actual reason why the schools are in a mess! Whitby is spoilt by the fact that there are two excellent Sixth Forms in operation at both Scarborough and Guisborough who offer free transport to them both. Both sites offer not only excellent results but a much larger range of courses allowing our children to access a broad and balanced curriculum to the highest level. Whitby Sixth Form offers 17 A-levels compared to 25 at Scarborough Sixth Form and 30 at Prior Pursglove College along with a lot more BTECS and T level courses. My own ## chose to attend Scarborough Sixth Form College after visiting all the local Sixth Form colleges due to the range of subjects he could study. Due to the small number of pupils accessing the Whitby Sixth Form College, I would suggest relocating this back into a building on the current Caedmon College site, leaving the Eskdale site as a fully functioning school. My ## is already looking around local colleges to consider her future options and having already looked at both sixth forms, is greatly considering following my ## to Scarborough. My ## has spoken nothing but positively about Scarborough Sixth Form. He loves the fact that he is allowed to be himself at Scarborough and have peers who can challenge him academically. It allows him to experience a range of opportunities to help him choose and fulfil his career path. All while Whitby could not offer the breadth of subjects he studies. My ##has peers at Whitby who deeply regret staying at the Whitby Sixth form as they have nobody in class to study with and bounce ideas off. I took by the fact that only 4 sixth formers (##) attended the consultation meeting that most aren’t bothered about it and having a separate site. Once again, the value for money sticks in my mind especially with the figures that an executive head earns, a post I really don’t feel Whitby needs. How many teachers could you employ if he went? I will now refer you back to the proposal document for the restructure of the federation senior leadership in November 2021 particularly the role of the Executive head. Executive Headteacher (EHT) The EHT position would be open to internal and external applicants and the appointed person would: ● Provide strong strategic leadership for secondary education in Whitby – someone who has time for planning/evaluation at Federation level. The EHT will also lead on the development. of wider educational opportunities and partnerships and ensure that decisions are taken in the interests of all secondary students. ● Support and hold Heads of School accountable. ● Spend a proportion of their time in both schools supporting the work of the Heads of Schools. ● Remove the current vulnerability that exists within the Federation structure, as true collaboration currently depends on the relationship between the two Headteachers. ● Lead an executive team which can develop the Federation in a fair and collaborative way. ● Develop partnerships and develop the use of Scoresby site. ● Bring in funding and investment. ● Bring coherence to the overall educational offer. Not only have neither I nor my ## ever met the Executive head until the consultation night, so obviously he is not in both schools as stated he would be. On his role it sates he will “Bring in funding and investment”, so how has Whitby missed out on a ten-million-pound project that is based in Whitby? Surely that really would have secured the future of Education in Whitby. Is this role really providing value for money? The other thing that alarmed me about the consultation meeting was the fact that not all children can get a meal on a dinnertime at the Normanby site. This fact is utterly appalling and should cause the management of CCW to hang their heads in shame. For some children this could be the only meal they get in a day. I was further appalled that nobody took responsibility for this. It demonstrates that the site can not house and provide an adequate education for all the children currently in their care, let alone all the children in Whitby. But the most alarming fact was that you were of drug use happening and you denied it all. Well unfortunately we all know that you all stood there and lied! A a massive failure in safeguarding that should not have been allowed. By my rough calculations there should be around 1 member of staff to about 6 pupils compared to about 1 to 8 at Eskdale and yet still you were unable to safeguard the children. So, what now? The best option would be the closure of all three schools and build a new school that is fit for purpose on the outskirts of Whitby, but this will now probably be impossible due to cost and land. Therefore, it returns to looking at all three sites, all of which have positives and negatives. However, when you look at all the sites, Eskdale is the actual best site to provide world class facilities for all the children in Whitby. It is a large site with the largest ability to extend and build what the children of Whitby need. Not stating the most obvious fact that is Eskdale now has the best sports facilities in the whole of the area that are used by an ever-increasing community which is a pleasure to see. Your first thoughts should be the safeguarding of all the children, something key in the educational climate of today that seems to be a huge issue currently. Eskdale is the only school where all the facilities are on one site, where the children can be safely educated. The children can access their transport from a safe designated area with no cars flying past unlike the Caedmon College site. I am able to pick my ## up safely from the layby near Eskdale while disturbing no residents. This is significantly different to what will occur if she must access the Caedmon College site.  The children have no reason to leave the site, unlike those at the current Caedmon College school, who must cross the A171 to access the sports pitch based at the Whitby Sixth Form site. The other main safeguarding issue is the proximity of the Caedmon College site to the back path near Beevers which can be accessed by an unsafe cliental! Other issues with the Caedmon College site are that there is nowhere really to expand on to it. It is already bursting at the seams, most of this site was built for a Victorian generation and not the modern day, hence the creation of the original Caedmon College and Eskdale sites. Access for busses and collection of children is next to a major A road. It was only just before Christmas that a Pedestrian was involved in a collision with a car on the same part of the road that all the children will access. This area is also very poorly lit making me ask how long before a child is hurt, or worse, on a dangerous road. Personally due to poor access and the limited site, this is the actual site I would sell off for building and place all the children back to the safety of the Whitby Sixth Form site. I believe that the removal of this site would allow for both schools to run as 11 – 18 sites. I would suggest specialising in different areas. One a more vocational/ sports-based site the other a more academic route. All teachers should be able to deliver the skills and knowledge needed to support GCSE’s and A -levels. This then allows for the children of Whitby to continue to have a choice of what they want. It also alarms me as to why you are using predicted numbers for Eskdale’s intake. The governors allowed Eskdale to be run in to the ground by an extremely poor head who did nothing but cause issues for the school. I sometime wonder if this was done to create this situation! They did nothing even when I complained about this heads attitude in September 2019. ## was rude and did nothing for the school except cause a very negative environment! I know many parents who have recently looked around Eskdale and now want their children attending there after primary school. My final question is this, why can’t Eskdale become the flagship school and shut the other two. This is just a thought, but they do have the land to create what is needed in Whitby with decent access and out of town. After the consultation meeting, I walked away thinking if my child was a primary school student now I would be looking at options outside of town. I don’t trust those appointed to be doing the best for the children. The only way forward and what should have happened from the start was a suggestion of possibilities and ideas, not just one option of closing a successful school while keeping open a sixth form site with no financial figures that is costing ever other child’s education for a select few. It is time to stop this appalling consultation and have an open and transparent look at the education systems of Whitby which provide value for money and choice. Not shut one school while we burn money on a sixth form that could fit back on the Normanby site and provide value for money. I really appreciate your time and I plead with you to carefully consider the many other options than closing the Eskdale site. Let’s give ourselves the time to research and consider the options carefully instead of making a rushed decision. We need to give the residents of Whitby a choice and not simply give one option which really isn’t an option due to the indicated sites. We only have one opportunity to get this right for future generations.	29/3/23
97	Dear Mrs Wilkinson I am writing to you about my concerns regarding the proposed amalgamation of Eskdale and Caedmon Whitby Having been to all the local meetings with the council and local groups I write to you to stop this proposal as everyone is totally against it and now it has come to light that the so called federation is not even in existence. As we know the WSP has been bleeding Eskdale dry for over 3 years now ther is no wonder that the school is in a financial mess. Please stop the process get rid of the governors and do things in a proper transparent way. Thank you	30/3/23
98	Dear Cllr Wilkinson It has taken a great deal to write my thoughts to you after such a traumatic three years experience. I cannot cope with the injustice that I and many colleagues have continued to suffer due to the inadequate leadership and governance. Context: Resident, Parent of # school aged children, Employee of Eskdale School ## yrs Background: As a former student of the Whitby Education System, I am fully aware of the shortfalls that the transition from either Eskdale or Caedmon to Whitby School had on the young people's education. You were easily lost in the system, mainly due to the lack of relationships with teaching staff. Noone knew who you were, your background or your capabilities. You left Eskdale School as a known individual and entered Whitby School as a number. When Eskdale School extended its age range to 16yrs I was overjoyed, knowing that my own children had a more stable finish to their secondary careers. The transition point at KS4 always had a detrimental impact. As an employee of Eskdale School I have worked under ##### different head teachers, the #### of them was a narcissistic ##### who was supported by the governing body to bully and victimize both staff and students. I was bullied by this #####, gave evidence to an “independent” panel and was then informed that myself and other staff were lying, to then demand action be taken and the #### was put on “gardening” leave, a colleague that was unfairly dismissed be given a payout and the whole despicable and devastating experience be swept under the carpet and now this amalgamation is proposed to wipe out the whole affair. It is appalling! I attended the public meeting and was dismayed at the lack of planning and clarity on the proposal. I have no confidence in the governing body and do not believe that they have taken any due diligence on any other proposals. If this was in the best interests of all children Whitby and its community then greater public awareness and discussion should be had. Low pupil numbers. Eskdale School was a thriving school that was oversubscribed. After the change in age range families that were traditionally Eskdale families were not allocated their first choice of school as the PAN was dropped by NYCC, in my own opinion to balance out the shortfall that CCW experienced due to the change of 11-16 age range. WIth the introduction of a new head in 2018/19 numbers began to fall as the school environment changed. Numbers continued to drop throughout ## employment. With the introduction of a new Head of school Eskdale was due to have an additional 20 students on the previous 2022/23 intake. Clearly showing the community was feeling more confident about the school and its new leadership. As staff we were informed that the school pan was dropped from 110 to 85 by the former head. Figures supplied by WSP do not correspond. The only numbers that do not appear to make any financial sense is that of Whitby 6th Form. I attended two meetings (one staff, one parent) when discussions were had to create a new stand alone site. In both, Mr Carlton NYCC stated that the 6th form would not be to the detriment of the two secondary schools. This proposal clearly goes against this statement. It is very blinkered to think otherwise. The finance that was provided for the project was not used wisely in my opinion - money was spent on the cosmetics of the building rather than on the courses and staffing of them. The young people of the town want to attend further education outside it and with the variety of courses available, the bespoke facilities within them, Whitby 6th form just cannot compete. Due to the lack of KS5 courses I chose along with many others to travel out of Whitby for further education. During the last ## years since I had to make this choice, there has been little or no change in the provision of courses at this educational point. The colleges in the surrounding areas have a wider range of facilities to support the needs and wants of the young people in Whitby. Whitby has never been able to compete due to the lack of investment. Continuing with this site does not make financial sense. As a parent I am more inclined to support my child to travel at the age of 16 yrs like I did, than at the age of 11 yrs which is what may happen should my children not enjoy their schooling in the proposed amalgamated school. Significant financial challenges at both schools. Why is this? Surely the governing body was aware of the drop in numbers of students within the town and therefore should have foreseen this earlier? Employing an executive headteacher and two heads of schools and additional SLT members whilst not replacing good staff that left Eskdale due to the ongoing bullying, paying off a narcissist who has not had to account for ### actions, paying for deputy head to step up in headteacher interim role and then have an additional interim head brought in for support is potentially a reason why Eskdale school is in financial difficulty; along with the extravagance and non essential items being bought and unaccounted for again under the noses of the governors. At the meeting the WSP were asked why they employed a £110,000 executive head role; the answer was because the head teachers could not work together. They employed the executive head prior to employing the two new heads of school so therefore made huge assumptions that these two individuals were so unprofessional that they could not work together without someone above them directing them! This surely says more about their incompetence rather than that of these two professionals. WSP were asked if Eskdale financed the 6th Form and this was categorically denied, yet the disclosure of the WSP minutes states that £30,000 was paid out and an additional £70,000 for WSP budget! Eskdale has lost its Bursar, finance officer, office manager and none of these posts have been replaced, in turn we have one day a week support from CCW finance officer. What is this money being spent on? Good people continue to be stretched due to the mismanagement by the governors. Both schools were meant to have separate accounts but everything suggests this is not the case. The announcement of this proposal has damaged the growth of Eskdale school for the forthcoming academic year. I have a child in Yr6 who was looking forward to their transition to secondary. The anxiety that this has caused then is something that was completely unnecessary and an additional worry that they did not need. It is such a distressing time again, left in limbo. Not knowing where my child is going to start the next important step in their educational journey is not fair. It is incredibly harmful. I also have a child in Yr9 who has had to make GCSE option choices at a time where they do not know whether their school will remain open or not, their GCSEs start and then possibly have to transfer to a new site, have new staff, be in unfamiliar settings when all they need is stability is unjust. The transition at KS4 had stopped but WSP governors clearly do not care about another cohort of young people who at Yr6 had their end to primary and start to secondary school defined by covid restrictions. Imperative to give the best education and curriculum to young people. Putting together two schools onto one site will only ever be to the detriment of the young people unless it was on a purpose built site. The reason young people flourish is the relationships that are forged between staff and themselves. Eskdale school has predominantly had a reputation as a caring school and this is down to the strong pastoral ethos that is at the heart of the school. Staff know how to get the best of each person, students know they are cared for and not just a number, they know they cannot pass through the gaps. When issues arise such as bullying and no matter what strategies have been agreed to, a young person may just need a fresh start and the ability to move from one school to the other has been a lifeline for many. It was mentioned in the meeting that many staff were teaching two or more subjects. This is true but only because staff have not been replaced. Jobs not being replaced - again due to financial mismanagement. Why have there been no questions asked as to why staff have left? Why choose a site that has the least outdoor space? Both CCW and Eskdale have helped nurture the sporting talents of many youngsters and the town has acquired two additional playing surfaces which has helped to provide experiences that many before have never had. Why then would these two facilities and their surrounding playing fields not be utilised to their full potential to support the horrifying rise in poor physical, mental and social well being. #### involved in the steering group for the sand based Astro sited at the now 6th form site, 16 years ago and helped to promote its use both in and out of school time. However when funding for transport to the venue was cut it was not financially viable for the students of Eskdale school to use the facility during the school day. When CCW moved to the old Whitby school site, their students lost their experience of playing on the surface due to timings and logistics moving from site to site. As #### that successfully worked with the FA and Football Foundation to secure match funding to build 3G pitch close to £1 million pound s for the people of whitby it is incredibly frustrating that again no thought has been given to the impact that it will have on the young people of the town because they will have limited use. Finances and logistics will see the use of the pitch be limited to after school time. Young people gain many experiences throughout the school day, outside this comfort zone many would not have the courage to venture out on their own and use the facility. Disposable income is a huge barrier to physical activity along with family and friends. It makes no sense to lose these facilities for one with limited green space. This green space can only decrease in size to accommodate additional parking that is needed and access to the proposed site. If Eskdale School is closed, where will four football pitches be found and replaced within the town for the hundreds of young people to play on? Following on from the Covid pandemic mental health and well being is in crisis, especially with young people. They are less resilient and have more complex needs than ever before. I am frightened that students who experience difficulties are going to be failed by the proposed system. When one school cannot meet needs the young person is still able to be educated within their home town. If two schools become one what happens to them? Where do they go? I fear a greater number being homeschooled and again lost within the system and then the burden of their well being is then passed out to the wider community with more and more vulnerable youngsters being taken advantage of and a cycle of poor social health continues. What are the plans for those students who are permanently excluded? What access / provision will youngsters have who cannot cope with the larger establishment? I am frustrated that the school system within the town has not been addressed and that the proposed amalgamation has not been thought out and is just a knee jerk reaction to and not a true solution. Change brings fear unless all stakeholders are consulted and listened to. The process must be open and transparent for all to see. The young people need to be at the heart of the process. If the schools must merge then the only way to make it a successful one is to have a new purpose built one, with a variety of hubs located on one site. Changing the name of a building will not change the strong feelings that the building evokes for thousands of its residents. Those of my generation use Whitby school / grammar school for the Mayfield road site, current CCW. The Whitby 6th form is still known as Caedmon school. Too much injustice has gone on and the mistakes made by those who are meant to protect should not be swept away and stated - its in the past we need to move on. Acknowledge mistakes, accept responsibility and people may be able to move forward. Things were moving forward but all that has been created is animosity within the town. Whitby has always been a poor relation, the east side of town especially. The community is proud of its history, and helps the young people continue to make their school days their happiest ones.	31/3/23
99	Dear Cllr Wilkinson I accept that pupil numbers are declining and that the financial situation of the federation is not healthy however I strongly disagree that the proposed solution of closing Eskdale School has been made with the best interests of the children and for the future of education in our area at its heart.  This is a huge decision that will effect many,both now and in the future.  It should not be rushed through or any decision made lightly.  All parties should have a voice and, whilst we have been given this consultation process and a meeting with the governors, it is not enough.  The children, teachers, parents and community should be part of the decision making process along with the governors and council representatives.  It needs to be a far more open and transparent process than it has been to date.  I suggest that a panel including representatives from school, parents and the community discuss this issue further so that all parties are involved. There are so many unanswered questions, including: •           Why are some of the governors meeting minutes being withheld? •           Why are the governors ‘hiding’ the sixth form figures. •           Are we being told the correct details regarding investment for the sixth form and federation using finds from Eskdake ?  Figures of £30,000 and £70,000 are being disucssed in the public domain.  I would like clarification and evidence from the governors. •           It appears that a lot of funds have been redirected or badly spent, for example, “paying off” ##.  Why should the children be penalised as a result of this? •           Is there a conflict of interest with governors of WSP and YEAT. •           How can the federation afford a salary for an executive head and yet not afford science teachers?  Surely teachers are a priority rather than even more management! •           Recently information has been made public querying the legitimacy of the federation.  Is this correct? I was able to ask a question at the consultation meeting however I didn’t receive an acceptable answer and wasn’t allowed to press for further information. Why is money being wasted on trying to save the ailing sixth form when pupil numbers clearly show that it is not what children want.  It has been going on for a number of years and investment has been made but the children are still choosing existing, established courses in Scarborough, Redcar etc. I implore you to not make a decision on this biased information that has been presented. Yours sincerely	31/3/23
100	Following the meeting held 7th march I have lots of questions. The evening provided absolutely no information about how the amalgamation would be processed, how it would function, how it would be executed to meet the needs and demands of the children of Whitby. I have a child who has autism, I have no idea how they will work to keep children who have extra needs within the classroom. Throughout primary school he has been provided with a 1:1. Will there be extra staff in classrooms? If so how many assigned to children with extra needs? He struggles with noise and when things are just too chaotic, or too much, so overcrowding, too noisy, too much going on…. What will there be to facilitate these moments. I heard ## (Executive headteacher) repeatedly mention a sensory room. I have absolutely no idea how this is going to be incorporated into school day when the children will be in a classroom. Yes I appreciate there may be times they can go to this to use it as a calming aid, however how are they helping these children at classroom changeovers and within the classroom itself. My ## has had so much help in primary school to help ## stay in a classroom environment I need to be told how this will go on into secondary school. I do not want to see my ## be segregated or restricted if ## cannot cope with overcrowding in classrooms. I have  been informed by many children who currently attend Caedmon College that there isn’t enough seats or desks within classrooms now and they have to go find spare chairs at the start of class. How on earth a school which isn’t on the ball currently is going to deal with another 450+ pupils cramming in is beyond me. I honestly thought I would attend that meeting and there would be the plan the details of how it will be executed and the reassurance that they would be going to make this place great. All I heard was negative experiences of current Caedmon, about food issues, drugs, bullying and over crowding issues. The food situation was very shocking to hear, as I honestly don’t know how the current people who deal with the catering are going to have it right for the larger number of pupils when they don’t have it right now. When Whitby school used to accommodate a much larger population of children they used to be able to leave the school premises for lunch. It wasn’t cool to have dinner at school. Why are so many saying they don’t get any dinner as nothing is left or there wasn’t time??? No child learns well on an empty stomach. I honestly don’t understand how a school can have toilets locked and them only be available to pupils at certain times of day. Surely its a human right to be able to access these when they need. Oh yes i know why  they lock them as this is an area where drug use is and violence according to many many pupils. There are lots of pupils whom I have spoke with that have stated they will not go to the toilet for the full school day to avoid the area. Why on earth has this not been addressed by now. Surely they could have 2 members of staff in high vis tabards stood outside of the toilet block when they are unlocked to deter this antisocial behaviour from happening. I  expected to hear lots of Eskdale parents voicing their concerns about the amalgamation but I didn’t expect to hear all the issues that Caedmon is currently facing and which isn’t getting addressed. These are very serious issues and no one should be considering sending a large increase to the pupil population for them to deal with. There was no mention of if there would be extra buildings greatest to cope with the increase. No mention of job opportunities or how they would be restructuring the staff. The original planned date for this amalgamation was for September 23 how on earth was there no details ready for the meeting just vague non answering replies. Everyone know s that over population leads to increased demands, lack of supply  and lack one infrastructure which creates a poor standard of provision. Please do not reduce Whitby to this level of standard. I was informed directly by 5 members of Caedmon college staff over 2 years ago that Eskdale was getting closed… “ that they had let them believe they had won but it was always going to happen” I even voiced this concern at a Senco meeting at school. I was told by the staff to not even worry about secondary school as there was only going to be one choice as Eskdale would be closed. There reality is after the meeting in march I am now more concerned than ever. For such a big event to be happening there was no information that could possibly reassure any parent. I do not want my ## to be segregated from the classroom as he won’t be able to cope with the chaos of large number for unruly children, for which this last few weeks has highlighted the lack of control, discipline of children. I am not talking about just at Caedmon but all over the education system. Its time the focus got back to the children, respect, discipline, education , experience and not about money. Especially when there has been so many and management decisions and money has been wasted on crazy ideas. Why on earth would you close a school to save 80 - 85k a year, they talked of falling numbers which meant falling funds and yet their saving idea was to create a job that was advertised for a 6 figure sum online. So to save 80k lets spend 100k minimum ????? Where is the logic….,. we are a small town and a very close knit town. The schools should have been able to work alongside each other without a need for an executive head role. We have just over a thousand pupils within the town. Other schools individually have more than that with only one head. When the executive head role was advertised people of whitby petitioned about that to say put the money back into the schools rather than that role. But again ignored. Caedmon school lost a very respected headmaster due to governors decisions. Governors put in A very poor headmaster at Eskdale and ignored non stop complaints of bullying and inadequate leadership resulting in money being  wasted again on pay offs. There was talk of a super sixth form last time there was talk of Eskdale closure, why? ## spoke of people travelling to whitby to use it?? No they won’t! Scarborough has an abundance of courses and so does prior/ Redcar Middlesbrough. Why on earth would they travel to whitby. There is talk of further investment int eh 6th form… why? They have told us numbers are falling, well that means the 6 th form numbers will be more diluted than ever too. I have had 4 children got through the education system in whitby. One CHOSE Caedmon and whitby 6th form, one CHOSE Eskdale and wanted to stay on for the 6th form, but guess what they dropped several subjects on enrolment day as not enough interest so she had to travel to Scarborough 6th form and throughly enjoyed it. The third one CHOSE Eskdale and this last few years I have asked repeatedly if he wanted to change as the disruption that ensued following ##s leadership made me feel that he may get a better education at Caedmon but he CHOSE to stay. The last one has looked at the schools and had CHOSE Eskdale however that will be out of the window if the amalgamation goes ahead. If anyone can provide me with any figures at all to show any difference I would be grateful to see them, but as it is and as business owner it is crystal clear the only way to go forward to save expenditure.  Return 11 - 16 year  pupils to original Caedmon site, Leave 11 - 16 year pupils at Eskdale financially better and gives all the children of the town and surrounding areas the CHOICE Create a small Sixth form layout at the current sixth form site/ old Caedmon for the 6th formers to continue and expand if needed. I do not want my child having to travel to Scarborough creating long days and missing out on his extra curricular activities at the age of 11. I have been to Scarbrough 6th form and prior open evenings this year and they have stated they have never had such an influx of pupils signing up from whitby before.This indicates that there will be less using the sixth form here in whitby this next year, again which will mean more subjects get dropped and the knock on effect continue. Children of this age are ready for that stepping stone of independence between school and uni life. It is more acceptable that they travel for choice than young children. Maybe it isn’t ideal in some peoples eyes but its definitely more acceptable.	31/3/23
101	Dear Councillor Wilkinson, Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would like to ask that this be included in the consultation process and that however my personal details be omitted. However please allow me to share with you my background which I believe is relevant. In 2015 I moved to Whitby from abroad and came to Eskdale as a year 7, in the middle of their campaign to “Save Eskdale”. Back then, the campaign was supported by almost the entirety of the school and it gave me a valuable insight into the community I had moved to, and the heart and passion students and parents had for Eskdale and the education options in Whitby. As I moved through Eskdale (and while it transitioned to and 11-16 school), I became an active member on the student council from year 8 onwards, leading the council in year 11. During this time I represented the student’s voice on matters concerning the transition the school was undertaking, the selecting of a new headteacher (##) and general issues important to the student body at the time. Unfortunately, along with fellow students felt back then, I experienced first hand a decline in the quality of the education experience at Eskdale. The spirit that I felt particularly made Eskdale a special place while a middle school (a spirit and inspiring sense of belonging), was lost during the transition of a headteacher, SLT (as ## stepped down as assistant head), and the transition to 11-16 where the school approximately gained an extra 200 students. With the loss of this spirit (which really was something special), there was a noticeable decline in the satisfaction of the student and teaching body, and the quality of education. After graduating in the class of 2020 (covid year group), I enrolled at Whitby Sixth Form. There I was actively involved in setting up a student council which I chaired through year 12 and year 13. In year 13 I had the great privilege of leading the student panel (which reported to the governing body on this matter) in interviewing the candidates for the positions of headteacher of Caedmon and Eskdale, and the position of Executive Headteacher. During these interviews student councillors from all three schools making up panel made it clear to the candidates that they were strongly opposed to the amalgamation of the two schools (especially in the interviewing process for the executive head). After completing my A-levels in 2022, I am now working as a subject specific tutor for Caedmon as part of the National tutoring program. After having carefully thought about the proposal I have a few concerns and suggestions I would like to voice. Firstly, I completely understand and agree with the Governors that the secondary education system in Whitby needs urgent reform and change mainly but not exclusively because of financial reasons. However I am concerned that they may not have carefully considered and evaluated all options. I feel that what could have been two very productive consultation meetings where alternative options could have been presented, created more division among the community because of a senseless few, who created an environment where most staff and students did not feel safe in speaking out. This minority who identify themselves with the campaign “Save Eskdale” (even though it has a very different spirit than the group seven years ago), do not represent the views of the majority of parents, students and teachers whose voices have been drowned by the publicity of this group. I think that the respectful majority would hopefully agree with my main concern which is that the governing body seems to be trying to rush through a solution they have come up with, without ensuring that the proposal they have made considers all the opinions and voices that should be heard from the community. I know that the governors have been quick to come up with this proposal to protect and enhance the future of education in Whitby for everyone, but feel like they are have missed concerns that the community and myself feel more strongly about. Perhaps unforeseeable circumstances such as the many changes with the governing body have had a more heavy influence on this as there seems to be a lack of connection between the community and the governing body. I believe that for the Eskdale community, there is a strong sense of connection with the history of the school. Many of the parents of current students went there themselves, value the experience they had and see the school as a memory or constant that they have had through their lives, as do the students. A school is a place that reminds of who we were, what we did, and where we are now going. This memory exists through the physical school building rather than the name of the place. Caedmon’s community probably share this feeling with their own school yet as there is no risk to their buildings in the current proposal, they have not been vocal about this. Understanding the need to close one of the schools in Whitby, I personally would like to suggest that Eskdale becomes the town’s sixth form. That would mean that the excellent music and sport facilities (far superior to the current sixth form’s facilities) can continue to be benefited from, and the “school” with its history won’t disappear but rather new history will be written. I would then suggest that the Normanby site becomes the town’a 11-16 school and the Scoresby site is given back to the council, with any profit made from it being used to refurbish and develop parts of the Eskdale site and Normanby site. However more voices than just mine should be heard. Therefore I would suggest that a subcommittee of parents, staff and students from all schools representing all views meet to consult this matter and discuss all the concerns and options. If members from the community feel heard, more people will understand that we are actually all working for a common goal. If you have read through the whole of this, I would like to thank you for taking the time  to do so, and for dedicating your time to help resolve the education problems in Whitby. I know that the hard work many councillors and governors do often gets overlooked and ignored - especially among all the complaints. However I am grateful and look forward to hearing back from you on this matter.	31/3/23
102	Dear Annabel Please thank the nice lady in Governor support whom I spoke to and said she was going to get Whitby Secondary  partnership to update their information about schools. As this is the website used by Ofsted. So is vitally important	31/3/23