Almost 2,500 sign petition opposing Whitby secondary schools merger plan - with consultation now under way

Last month, plans to merge the town’s two secondary schools, Eskdale and Caedmon College, were announced by the Whitby Secondary Partnership in a shock letter to parents.

Campaigners launched a petition which currently has 1,157 written signatures and 1,322 online.

The petition was presented to Cllr Neil Swannick, who represents Whitby’s Streonshalh ward on North Yorkshire County Council.

He will hand it to Barry Khan, the council’s Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) and Monitoring Officer.

Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale School campaign group member Carla Blackman said: “The petition shows just how strongly this town feels about the threat and the decline of education in Whitby.

“Addresses from up and down our coastline have signed their support wanting to see an improvement in the quality of schooling so that their children and their children's children can continue to be educated in our town.”

The six-week consultation period on the partnership’s plan to amalgamate Eskdale School with Caedmon College from September 2024, is now under way, with the new school set to operate across a split site.

The partnership cited three reasons for their proposal – low pupils numbers, “significant” financial challenges at both schools and “an imperative to give the best education and curriculum to the young people of Whitby”.

The planned merger would result in the closure of Eskdale School which has been met with concerns and anger by parents and the Whitby community – campaigners gathered outside the school gates last month, some armed with placards, to make their feelings known.

Carla added: “We welcome the consultation as an opportunity to air some serious concerns over the failing governance of the schools.

“This is our chance to reboot education in the area and provide a legacy of schooling for generations of Whitby residents to come.

“We urge everyone whether they have links to the schools or not, to review the document and put forward their views.”

Public meetings are also due to be held on March 8 – details of how to take part in the public consultations will be advertised by the county council in due course.