My son Elijah and many other children from Whitby, and the surrounding areas, currently have to embark on a demanding, in excess of 40 minute, commute every day just to attend school. Mainstream schools in the town could not cater for his needs but we were fortunate enough to get placement at the amazing Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school that is Kilton Thorpe Specialist (KTS) Academy near Redcar.

We were fortunate to get him a school place, some families are not so. Every child, no matter their circumstances, has the right to receive education. With an increase of over 40% in new Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) in the area, this strain will only set to increase further with the other schools, who are currently having to refuse placements due to funding and capacity issues.

The travel ordeal, while physically and psychologically taxing for our children, also constitutes a substantial financial burden to the local authority due to high transport costs - funds that might otherwise be reallocated to providing further and more effective services to the community. It is within this context we firmly propose the restructuring of the presently unused Eskdale school building into a new, local SEND school.

A reliable SEND school within Whitby would not only provide an inclusive learning environment that would be less stressful and friendship opportunity for our children, it would see mental health improvements for those children and families as a by product. The proposed SEND school is a necessity, considering the ongoing rise in the number of children in the region. Let us better allocate our resources towards more effective spending instead of the substantial sums on daily commutes outside our town and catchment area.

We implore our local government and education authorities to consider our plea for this urgently needed provision in our community. Repurpose and breathe new life into the vacant Eskdale School - an action that would embody a victory for equitable accessibility, rational fiscal administration, and above all, for our children's welfare. Please sign our petition as we endeavor to bring about this significant change.

Thank you for reading 🤞❤️