A TOWN’S two secondary schools are looking forward to closer working next year under new headteachers.

They will be working with their governing bodies to form a closer partnership in continuing to raise standards of teaching and learning for students in Whitby..

Simon Riley will be the new principal for Caedmon College and Andrew Fyfe, will be the new headteacher for Eskdale.

Mr Fyfe has been deputy headteacher at South Shields School and Mr Riley acting headteacher at Brigshaw High School, Castleford.

“This is good for the students and good for the town” said Gillian Teanby, Eskdale’s chair of governors. “We are making a lot of progress in working together and we look forward to continuing to improve the quality of education with the support of our new headteachers.”

Governors of both schools also thanked Keith Prytherch who has retired as Caedmon’s principal and Sue Whelan, retired headteacher of Eskdale.

“We cannot thank Keith and Sue enough and we are very much looking forward to building on their good work,” said Pen Cruz, chair of governors of Caedmon. “Both schools have a great deal to look forward to next year in continuing to improve education for Whitby’s young people. “

The governing bodies of both schools set up a joint working group last January to look at ways of working closer together and they are also committed to ensuring that Post 16 provision in Whitby remains the best pathway for the majority of students graduating with GCSEs from the two schools.

The joint working group is supported by funding from the North Yorkshire Coast Opportunity Area, which was established to raise aspirations among young people on the coast.