Vange County Primary School in London Road is the second oldest
school in the Basildon area after Laindon Park Primary. It opened in 1885 as a Board school having
replaced an earlier school building which had been considered too small that still exists in London
Road close to the site of the former zoo. It was built by Mr. Francis Woodhams of Sutton Street,
Southend who submitted the lowest tender earlier in the year. The architect was Mr. John Young of
3 Great Winchester Street, Old Broad Street, London, E.C.2. Following the Education Act 1902
which abolished Board Schools the school became Vange Council.
The building was enlarged in
the early 1900s by Mr. Harry Bridger, builders of Vange, who also built Gordon Hall in Timberlog Lane
(now Clay Hill Road), and again years later when an extension was added to the front of the building. Additional
accommodation was added in 1928.
Other points of interest:
1) The original
course of the A13 London to Southend trunk road originally ran past the school until it was finally diverted in the early
1970s, following the completion of the Vange and Pitsea bypass. | 
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