Education in Basildon

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The following is reproduced from a 1996 Essex Council Council Education pamphlet distributed to parents of school children attending both primary and secondary schools in the Laindon/Langdon Hills/Lee Chapel North areas of Basildon.

Education in Basildon

Preparing secondary education for the Laindon community into the 21st Century

The Problem

There are more than 2,200 empty places in Basildon secondary schools. Central Government is pressing us to take action to reduce the size of the problem. Although primary school numbers are rising - and new housing developments will continue - there is still likely to be a minimum of 1350 empty places remaining.

Empty or surplus places in schools cost money that is better spent on pupils.

Here are the numbers for each of the Basildon secondary schools for September 1995.

They will have changed only slightly since then.

Barstable
capacity	1,396,	pupils	1,102,	surplus places	294

Chalvedon
capacity	1,831,	pupils	1,441,	surplus places	390

Fryerns
capacity	633,	pupils	437,	surplus places	196

Laindon
capacity	1,169,	pupils	732,	surplus places	419

Nicholas
capacity	1,151,	pupils	530,	surplus places	621

St. Anselms
capacity	750,	pupils	636,	surplus places	114

Woodlands
capacity	1,263,	pupils	1,093,	surplus places	170

Total
capacity	8,193,	pupils	5,971,	surplus places	2,222

The Review So Far
We met with staff representatives and governors of all the secondary schools in October and they were given the opportunity to state their views about surplus places in Basildon. A full report setting out the issues and their views was considered by an Education Sub-Committee (Strategy) at County Hall on 11 December.

The Way Ahead
The County Council decided that there was support for some action to be taken and that further discussions should be held with the governors and staff at Nicholas and Laindon schools, as well as parents and local community, about a preliminary proposal to amalgamate the two schools on one site in September 1998. If this action was taken it would nearly halve the number of empty places in the town, and allow money to be invested into the newly formed school so that the buildings could be significantly improved.

The Laindon community would then have one thriving secondary school with its long term future assured.

At this stage, our view is that the fairest way to do this is to close both schools and at the same time open a new one in their place. This will provide the opportunity to build on the strengths and traditions currently offered by both schools rather than simply expanding one and closing the other with the loss of all that it currently has to offer.

We are also keen to ensure that the interests of all staff are safeguarded and handled as fairly as possible. By mergin the two schools, all the staff involved would be able to apply for posts at the new school on an equal basis.

Exactly where the new school would be located, either at the Laindon or Nicholas School site, would be the subject of another public consultation in the future.

We need to know what you think.

Please remember:
Empty school places are expensive to maintain; this money is better spent on pupils, teachers and school equipment.

Empty school places create uncertainty about the future of each school affected.

If Essex County Council does not itself take the initiative to reduce empty school places in Basildon the Secretary of State for Education and Employment may consider doing so direct from London instead.

A locally agreed solution through consultation is preferable to one imposed on Basildon centrally.

Facts and Figures

Forecast pupil numbers

	Nicholas		Laindon		BASILDON
Capacity	1,151		1,169		8,193
Year	Roll	Surplus	Roll	Surplus	Roll	Surplus
1996	484	667	707	444	5,960	2,233
1997	434	717	704	447	6,066	2,127
1998	425	726	713	438	6,213	1,980
1999	423	728	734	417	6,368	1,825
2000	438	713	769	382	6,537	1,656
2001	441	710	784	367	6,611	1,582
2002	455	696	806	345	6,670	1,523
2003	445	706	808	343	6,673	1,520
2004	446	705	810	341	6,681	1,512
2005	439	712	804	347	6,623	1,570

Forecast intakes of 11 year olds

	Nicholas	Laindon
September 1996	82	139
September 1997	84	149
September 1998	88	155
September 1999	90	157
September 2000	94	170
September 2001	86	154
September 2002	98	170
September 2003	78	157
September 2004	91	159
September 2005	87	163

Our reassurance to you and your children
Essex County Council, your Local Education Authority, has had considerable experience in reorganising secondary education in Essex since the 1980s, most recently in the Rayleigh area. Steps and safeguards are taken to ensure that during periods of change children are protected as far as possible from anything that could disrupt their education.

Hear the issues for yourself and air your views
The change proposed is still at an early change and we invite you to put forward your views either in writing to County Hall or at a public meeting at:

Bluehouse County Junior School,
Leinster Road, Laindon
on Wednesday 17 January at 7.30pm.

The County Council will then consider all the views put forward and decide whether to procede with this or any revised proposal. If it does procede, further consultations would be held with you, probably in early summer, before any decision is taken. At that time we will put forward our views on which of the two sites should be used.

A full report recently discussed at County Hall on Seconday Education in Basildon is available:

Education Premises Unit,
Essex County Council Education Department,
PO Box 47 County Hall, Chelmsford CMI ILD or ring (01245) 43*2*0 or 4*6*96.

If you would like to put forward your views please write to us at the above address to arrive by Friday 9 February 1996.

Published by the Education Department.

Page added: 22/04/2024

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