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Secondary Schools
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James Hornsby: Leinster Road, Laindon


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James Hornsby High School
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Location: Leinster Road
Photographer: P.G.C.
Year of photo: c.2005
Copyright: Basildon History Online
Comments: The first James Hornsby High School nameboard seen from Leinster Road.
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The James Hornsby School in Leinster Road, Laindon opened in September 1998 following a merger between the two local senior schools Nicholas and The Laindon.

For the first two years of its existence the school was based at the former Laindon School site at High Road while the former Nicholas School at Leinster Road underwent an extensive refurbishment. This was completed in 2000 and subsequently The James Hornsby High School, as it was then known, relocated to the Nicholas site for the September opening of term. The name The James Hornsby School was adopted from the beginning of the school term commencing 1st September 2012.

To learn more of the history of the school site is to go back to the 1960s when Nicholas County Secondary School became the fifth new secondary school to open since the designation of Basildon New Town in 1949. This was in September 1963. The others at that time were Fryerns Grammar and Technical, Timberlog, Woodlands (Boys) and (Girls) and Barstable Grammar and Technical, along with two pre-new town schools Laindon High Road and Craylands in Timberlog Lane.

The school has extensive grounds parts of which run parallel with St. Nicholas Lane, which along with the school took its name - in the school's case less the abbreviation St. (see notes) - from St. Nicholas Church which stands overlooking the area at the top of Church Hill. The main entrance to the school is in Leinster Road which existed years before the new town but was realigned and extended to create a direct route to Markhams Chase.

Mr. John Goodier was the first appointed Headmaster.

Sometime around 1966 and with pupil numbers on the increase following the partial completion of the Laindon 1, 2 and 3 (Siporex) estate a proposal was put forward to create a third Basildon Grammar School on the existing playing fields adjoining the school. Another proposal for consideration was that the land should be used as an extension to the existing school. In the event the second option was the one adopted and a new large rectangular three-storey extension block and other additional buildings including an indoor swimming pool were erected and brought into use in stages from 1968 onwards.

The school on opening was classed as secondary modern though this changed to comprehensive in September 1968.

Nicholas survived to July 1998, the last day being Thursday 16th July, and the school was then refurbished over a two year period, re-opening in September 2000 as the James Hornsby High School.

To learn more of the history of Nicholas see this link: A history of Nicholas School - 1963-1998

To learn more of the decision to amalgamate Nicholas and Laindon follow this link: Education in Basildon - 1996


Notes of interest:

1) Since 1998 when Nicholas closed there has become a common misnomer regarding the school's name. Some sources including newspaper articles, Facebook and Twitter posts etc., local history books and even former pupils often make the mistake of referring to the school as St. Nicholas, probably on the assumption that it shared the name of the nearby church and main road (St. Nicholas Lane), part of which runs parallel with the school grounds. Although it did take the name Nicholas, from that of the saint the local church is named after, the preceeding 'St.' was never used at any time in the life of the school. Quite why the school wasn't named St. Nicholas at the time of opening has never been revealed but it might have been thought that had it had that name some might have presumed it to be a catholic only school.

2) Two members of the synth/rock group Depeche Mode attended Nicholas between 1972-1977. Martin Gore and Andrew Fletcher (08/07/1961-26/05/2022), who both lived on the neighbouring Lee Chapel North estate, along with Vince Clarke and Dave Gahan, also from Basildon, went on to achieve both stage and chart success around the world (though Clarke would leave early on), right up to the present. The four members first performance, using the name 'Composition of Sound', was on the main stage in the school hall on Saturday 14th June, 1980. A plaque commemorating the event, though not the full date, adorns a wall in the school hall.

3) Another former Nicholas pupil Alison Moyet achieved lasting success through music. In late 1981 she joined former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke as the singer in the synth/pop duo Yazoo. Following the break up of Yazoo in 1983 she embarked on a solo career which proved successful and continues to this day.

4) Conservative politician Mark Francois attended the school from 1976. He served as a councillor for the Langdon Hills Ward from 1991-1995 and went on to win the since abolished Rayleigh seat in the 2001 general election. He now serves as the MP for the Rayleigh and Wickford seat, which he has held since its creation in 2010.

Page added: 2013
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Text researched and written by William Cox, 2013 with revisions 2023.
Copyright © 2013, 2023 B. Cox - Basildon History Online. All rights reserved.

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