North Yorkshire Coastal Secondary Schools

[NorfolkMama]

Looking to move to the Whitby/Scarborough area next year. I have a dd who needs a decent secondary school. There doesn't seem to be any outstanding secondary schools in that part of Yorkshire, but sometimes school are really good, but are not properly recognised by Ofsted.
I'm looking for some good insider knowledge of schools in the area. Can anyone help?

I used to live in Whitby and there was only one option for secondary (two middle schools I recall but both fed into the same higher school). These schools serve the whole area right up the Esk Valley. No idea how well they are rated these days btw.

Don't know about Scarborough but I imagine there is more choice. But if you plan to live in the Whiby area then Scarborough is a bit of a long way tbh.

Thanks Clary. It seems a lovely part of the world to live. There's an outstanding school north of Whitby at Marske by the Sea, but I think you have to live within 10m of the school 😉. I'm not married to the idea of an outstanding school though. Caedmon College Whitby and Esk School interest me. I'd love to hear from anyone who has had their kids in either of these schools in the last 5 years.

My DD y9 is currently at Graham in Scarborough. It's pretty terrible. More like a young offenders institute. She will be going to UTC in September for y10.
Scalby is ok (I didn't like it) St Augustines is also OK but over subscribed and Catholic. There is Fylinghall near Robin Hoods Bay which is a nice private school, quirky. To be honest the population here is growing and there aren't enough school places to cope.

Classic case of coastal isolation & economic deprivation. This explains to some degree why there are no outstanding schools:
"This is highlighted not least by the shortage of strong secondary
leadership in the area – for example, there are no secondary National Leaders of Education or secondary teaching schools based within or relatively near to the area." assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/675038/Social_Mobility_Delivery_Plan-NYC.PDF

If your DD is academically strong then I would do some research on Scarborough College which is independent. If relevant, their website says financial assistance is means tested & can be "very substantial". Met the new headteacher, wife and baby last year and they were lovely.

Or look to relocate to Pickering which is only 18 miles from Scarborough.

Thank you for your frankness, lovelilies. It's that inside knowledge I'm after. I know it's subjective, but it very helpful. Sorry if I sound thick, but what is UTC?

Thanks for your reply, Freefreesia. Very interesting information. Does Pickering have a good secondary school then? We are relocating our glamping business, so were looking to be near the coast, but Pickering could possibly work as a family glamping destination. Is Pickering the sort of place that has families taking their holidays there? For some reason I imagined that part of North Yorkshire would mainly be for adult walkers.
I did look at Scarborough College but discounted it because of the fees. DD is currently on a bursary at a private girls school, but is struggling with the pressure to perform well. Maybe we should take a visit to the school at some point.

Pickering draws lots of family holiday makers with the key attraction being the north yorkshire moors steam railway (which goes to whitby & they do santa specials in Dec). It's close to Dalby Forest (bike trails & GoApe) and Flamingo Land. Example of the local competition to show there is a market www.forestholidays.co.uk/cropton/

I don't have insider knowledge of either school but Scarborough certainly used to have a reputation for not being as academically pressured as the York schools. Another visit to the area & both schools sounds a good idea.

The UTC is a technical college for 14-18 year olds. It's only been open 2 years and has had some teething problems, but from what I've seen it looks pretty great for Stem studies and the sciences

Update: So dd and ds now have places offered at Ryedale School and Kirkbymoorside Community Primary School. Thanks for the tourism information Freefreesia. I had a look at Forest Holidays and was encouraged that there would be enough family tourism in the area. We're going to rent as house first and take our time buying. There's not much on the market because of Brexit anyway. Excited to be finally on our way to living in Yorkshire!

Thanks for the information about UTC lovelies. Sounds a better option for my son in a few years time. 😊

We're moving to the Kirkbymoorside/Beadlam area in North Yorkshire at the end of August from Norfolk. I have a 13 dd and a 7 year old ds. We're looking to rent at first, but there's hardly anything to rent on Rightmove. There is a house in Farndale, but I'm a bit nervous that it's a bit too remote. Does anyone out there have experience of living in a moors hamlet with a family? Also, are there any tips people might have for finding somewhere to rent outside of Rightmove universe? Maybe a country estate cottage? 😊

How exciting! Farndale is lovely but I would guess in winter the roads would be dire.

Came across this if you want p/t job while find your feet but you'd need to apply tonight. forest visitor services officer

Cundalls is the country estate agents for your area, not sure if they're on Rightmove or not but I saw they had a sign up outside a gorgeous house in rosedale abbey the other day and that would be convenient for you,

Yes, I think I've seen that house, Awks. Is it down from the White Horse Inn? I wondered what access would be like in the winter? I've lived in a village before, but not on the moors.

I came to advise against Whitby and Scarborough for secondary. J grew up there and was in schools 15 ish years ago. In and out of special measures and according to my sister niece/nephew nothing much has changed. Living rurally as a family is fine but takes a bit more planning for things like shopping and to pre empt bad weather in winter. Get a decent 4 x 4 so you're less likely to get trapped and be prepared to give your kids lifts places as they get older so they're not stuck/isolated!

My parents last house in Fylingthorpe was never o Rightmove just an ad placed in local newspaper the Whitby gazette

All the best with your new start

Great advice jellybean85. We have a 4x4 luckily. I'd better get looking on notice boards next time we're up in a weeks time. 😊

Another local here. Whitby school is rubbish on paper but every now and then people go to oxbridge and loads of people go on to do really well at uni. I know lots of doctors/ lawyers/ engineers that went to Whitby. It teaches you self resilience and some of the teachers are fantastic. If you live on the moors close to Whitby, without boarding its really the only option. Some kids from nearer guisborough go there or stokesly.

Growing up on the moors was hard work as a teenager, it's quite isolating if your not even in a village. Be prepared to give loads of lifts all the time. There's also not many clubs such as gymnastics for those really good.

I suggest checking the mobile reception and broadband where you are moving to. Get a big freezer and always have the essentials frozen in winter. You'll get snowed in at times, the kids might miss school but they'll catch up the schools will be used to it.

I live in a city now but I'm amazed at the amount of people who want to live rurally but have no idea how hard it is. Being in a village is completely different to living on the moors. I hated it as a teenager and think it affected my mental health and extra curricular opportunities. I personally would love to live somewhere like that as an adult but I won't do it to a teenager.

Secondary schools in Scarborough are not great but I will put in a word for Scarborough Sixth Form College which I think offers a really good education and experience for young people, and is well-regarded locally.

Rosedale Abbey can be a nightmare in the snow but locals are used to it and it doesn't put a stop on life (the pubs are always open with a coal fire roaring in Winter) Beautiful part of the world to be, we are only a 20 minute drive away and love it