No Hidden Agenda?! – Part 3

Guest Author Mike Ward follows up on his recent articles.

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No Hidden Agenda?! – Part 3

It has long been said that there is a right way, a wrong way and the Whitby way.

However, educational issues, with the widely publicised Tweet from a local Headteacher, have now taken a serious and ‘non-professional’ turn.

HIS AGENDA IS CERTAINLY NOT HIDDEN.

Education is not a ‘Tweeting’ game and we are dealing with the lives of the young people of our area.

There has to be a professional approach to all the difficult issues currently being faced so the very best educational opportunities are provided for our young people.

Everyone can appreciate there are detailed and complicated on going discussions which quite rightly must remain confidential to all except those directly involved.

However many key issues should not be confidential and have no need to be hidden behind a cloak of secrecy.

It is now incumbent on Keith Prytherch to inform everyone where he read the information he provided.

Which publicly available document said what he Tweeted?

If not in a publicly available document how and where did he source his information ?

Was this information ‘leaked’ to him via County Hall or someone close to Eskdale?

Does someone speak with a dual hat – or with a forked tongue?

We would seriously hope not.

Questions now need URGENT ANSWERS.

Maybe an APOLOGY is also due ?

What is known?

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ESKDALE SCHOOL –  the Chair of Governors and parents have responded to KP’s Tweet:-

Eskdale’s publicly expressed aim is to become an 11-16 by September 2017.

Governors and Staff have not waivered in that desire for 5+ years.

The only obstacle in their way is gaining the official approval of NYCC.

Budgets have been provided to County Hall and next year’s options discussed with pupils and parents.

Yes, there are confidential issues; but everyone in the community knows where they stand and what they are working towards with widespread help and support – the very best educational opportunities and life experiences for their students.

Eskdale School has been and is being open and transparent.

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CAEDMON COLLEGE  have equally made their position clear.

They support the County’s preferred option of one 11-19 split-site school.

They are working to achieve that aim.

Can their argument of ‘big is beautiful and will provide the very best for all, on split-sites’ be justified?

Maybe not, but they have another opinion.

Yes, there are cost savings to be made but should education be simply down to cost? Everyone knows there are personal advantages to some in terms of salary, career enhancement, status and increased pension provision.

At Caedmon College Whitby, much is, and many are, open and transparent.

However, what is being discussed between senior members of staff and Officers/Councillors at County Hall behind closed doors?

WHY that TWEET now?

Are  ALL at Caedmon College Whitby being open and transparent?

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COUNTY HALL – that leaves us with Pete Dwyer and his Officers at County Hall.

Again we know their preferred option is for one 11-19 school – not least as ‘Whitby is already costing the County too much money’.

But what is their current position?

What are they waiting for? Surely no forthcoming Ofsted Inspection could be ‘influenced’, or be ‘politically motivated’.

Why no public media press release outlining their position following the overwhelming support from the community for Eskdale’s bid to become an 11-16 School?

What have they learnt from the Graham School fiasco?

Why haven’t they as yet approved Eskdale’s move to become an 11-16 Comprehensive School?

Do any personal relationships and promises play a part in any possible scenarios? One would seriously hope not.

Does what is said at any purely social meeting e.g. at a golf club, in a restaurant, etc, have any bearing on the current discussions? Again, one would hope not.

What confidential papers, if any, about Eskdale have been released to anyone outside of that school ?

URGENT ANSWERS are required from all at County Hall.

THEY ARE NOT BEING OPEN and TRANSPARENT!

For more on the hotly-debated attempts, orchestrated by Mr PRYTHERCH and his friend Mr Pete DWYER, Corporate Director: Children & Young People’s Services, North Yorkshire County Council (the Local Education Authority), readers are recommended to read NYE Guest Author Mike WARD‘s take on the present impasse:

• “A Hidden Agenda for our Schools?!” (16/03/17)
• “No Hidden Agenda – Part Two” (21/03/17)