Eskdale: The Hidden Agenda
Today’s Letter to the Editor, concerning the proposed ‘amalgamation’ of the Whitby secondary schools, is from the members of the Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale School campaign groups, who have asked that readers study it carefully and share it with parents, students and the wider public in Whitby and the surrounding catchment area. This letter has been propagated widely on social media.
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Dear NYE,
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 body were, amongst others, Stuart Carlton (then NYCC Director of Children & Young Peoples’ Services), Christina Zanelli, and Brian Crosby.
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 Christina Zanelli, 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 2021/JANUARY 2022 – 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 WELLBEING 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 – Mr Jamie Henshaw is made a Trustee of Yorkshire Endeavour Academy Trust – the same Trust where Christina Zanelli is CEO, and Mr Simon Riley is also a Trustee – former 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:
CHRISTINA ZANELLI, JAMIE HENSHAW, MARK TAYLOR, AND SU CROSSLAND (daughter of the former Vice Chair)
2023
24th JANUARY 2023 – When there has not been an official meeting of WSP governing body since December 2022 and the next one was due 7th February 2023, Brian Crosby was CO-OPTED on to the Board (same one who was on the Board which funded Whitby 6th Form with Zanelli 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!
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