Education chiefs ‘are committed to resort’s sixth form provision’
EDUCATION CHIEFS have stressed they are committed to preserving schooling in one of Yorkshire’s remotest coastal towns as they admitted financial constraints will mean schools will have to work closer together to avoid further closures.
A review is being conducted into the two secondary schools in Whitby in the hope of introducing a closer working relationship between the two sites and helping tackle the funding shortfall that North Yorkshire County Council is facing.
The county council has warned it faces “difficult decisions” after revealing in May that one in five of its 350 schools is set to be in deficit by the end of the academic year.
Four small schools in deeply rural communities in North Yorkshire have already closed this year, with concerns more sites are to follow amid the deepening financial crisis.
A public outcry was sparked two years ago when plans were considered to merge Caedmon and Eskdale schools with a petition against the proposals garnering 4,800 signatures.
But it is understood that plans for a merger are not under consideration again despite a working group being launched to look at streamlining how the sites operate.
The council has stressed it is committed to ensuring sixth form provision remains in Whitby, otherwise students would be faced with commuting as far afield as Scarborough for their classes.
Coun Patrick Mulligan, the council’s executive member for schools, said: “Whitby’s young people deserve the highest quality education.
“We will work with both schools and the new headteachers to create sustainable, vibrant teaching and learning fit to equip our students for life in the 21st century.”
Two new headteachers have been recruited with Simon Riley taking on the role of Caedmon College’s principal and Andrew Fyfe being appointed as the headteacher for Eskdale School.
They have taken on the roles from Keith Prytherch, who has retired as Caedmon’s principal, and Sue Whelan, Eskdale’s headteacher who has also taken retirement.
Mr Fyfe, who was the deputy headteacher at South Shields School, and Mr Riley, who was previously the acting headteacher at Brigshaw High School in Castleford, will work closely with their new schools’ governing bodies to form a partnership to raise teaching standards in the town.
The governing bodies set up a joint working group supported by funding from the North Yorkshire Coast Opportunity Area, established by the Government to raise aspirations among young people in coastal communities.
The project has also helped to provide students from both schools with the chance to work with the global fashion house, Burberry, which has bases in Leeds, Castleford and Keighley, as part of an initiative to provide skills and training. Sir Martin Narey, the chairman of the Opportunity Area, will also work with the two schools to look into support for post-16 provision.
In addition, Caedmon and Eskdale collaborated this year on PE provision and also worked together on the recent Captain Cook Festival in Whitby, which marked the 250th anniversary of the Marton-born explorer’s first voyage aboard to Australia and New Zealand.