We have received a response from the Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale School group to the decision by North Yorkshire Council to proceed with the proposed amalgamation of secondary schools. This is as follows
The problems with the FOI request response from Mr Stuart Carlton (or his Department) has lead to other questions and realisations … backed up with Evidence.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST: sent 15th Feb – received 19th April (problematic in itself as this should have been part of the Consultation – if it had not been withheld).
Regarding any board / committee that Stuart Carlton has been on at the same time as Christina Zanelli or any of the governors of Whitby Secondary Partnership post July 2019, or Eskdale school and Caedmon College pre July 2019 – names and dates and which ones.
- Stuart Carlton was a board member on the Opportunity Areas board. Stuart attended one meeting on teams as a board member on 15 July 2022 when Christine Zanelli was also invited to attend.
- As you will see below both Christina Zanelli Co-Chair of Governors at Whitby Secondary Partnership and Stuart Carlton were Board members in January 2019.
- And they were joined in May 2019 by Mr Brian Crosby co-opt governor and CEO of Coast and Vale learning Trust, who were approached by the Co-chairs about academising the schools in October 2022.
- We now have two of the present Whitby Secondary Partnership governors and Mr Stuart Carlton on the board of North Yorkshire Coast Opportunity Area.. (not mentioned in the FOI)
In January 2020, the grant for £250,000 from NYCOA and the capital funding from NYCC matching it, was put forward for approval to the executive members. This was meant to enhance and safeguard 6th form provisions in Whitby. Stuart Carlton was involved in both parts.
How many of the Executive members and Officers, where members at that decision as well as Tuesdays meeting?
Richard Flinton, Cllr Carl Les, Stuart Carlton, Barry Khan and all the councillors who spoke about how brilliant the proposal was, Cllr Janet Sanderson, Cllr Gregg White, Cllr Derek Basiman, Cllr Gareth Dadd – transparency? honesty? Nolan’s principles?
With decreasing numbers where were the forecasts and research for this money to be assigned from Public Funds?
This did not work as another application for funding was made in March 2021.
This could relate to the Freedom of Information Request :
The amounts of money requested from North Yorkshire Opportunity Area, and the amounts given to support Whitby 6th Form.
The amount requested and funded = £114272.00. But again this didn’t last long as in March 2022 the contributions from Eskdale are no longer mentioned but just taken.
To the untrained eye it would look like Eskdale has been mismanaged to enable its closure to protect NYCCs investment?
How much public money has been put into a failing 6th form?
We can account for at least £644,272 – yet Eskdale has been left without teachers, and children’s education has been damaged.
In 22/23 Whitby sixth form had decreased to 137 students on a site for nearly 500, with the sports facilities needed for the 11-16 pupils of Caedmon College – children crossing the busiest road in Whitby to have PE lessons – lost teaching time more educational damage.
The big question is without NYCOA and Eskdale where Is the Public money being taken from to keep it going?
This is not about Education and it never has been. The children, OUR children are being failed because of a lack of honesty, accountability and research.
Eskdale should not be sacrificed, for the 6th form that is swallowing public funds at an alarming rate, and not improving the Educational standard of Whitby Children, in reality the opposite as both previously good Schools will be Requires improvement at best if inspected now.
The children in Whitby Secondary Partnership and NYC’s care have been Failed. They are having a sub standard education now not because of the teachers and staff, they are as much victims in this as the pupils.
If this had been heard by any other Councillors, if there had been a fair, honest and transparent Consultation the outcome would have been different, the majority of public responses were against the Proposal.
Both Whitby Town Council and Whitby Community Network have requested an independent review of Whitby’s Education and haven’t even been ccknowledged.
This process needs stopping now so an independent body can look at the process, the decision making and the use of Public Funds.
Serious flaws and safeguarding issues has been ignored, leaving children in danger, the mental health and well being of Staff and Pupils Damaged, and SEN children in crisis.
North Yorkshire Council has failed to follow any of the Nolan Principles of Public Life, in this process.
OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER. Everyone deserves answers, honesty, transparency and accountability.
Who is Education for?
Certainly not Whitby children aged 11-16 in the eyes of the Governors, the Director of Child and Young people services, and the majority of the Executive members.
