The fight for a new secondary school in Basildon is not over, MP Angela Smith has vowed .

Devastated parents were told this week by county council education bosses that a feasibility study into the need for a new school will not be funded.

Parents believe such a study will prove the need for a new school in Langdon Hills. However, the Basildon and East Thurrock MP has said the fight is far from over.

She said parents must now lobby county councillors before the issue goes before a meeting of the full education committee later this year.

Mrs Smith, said: "I think parents are very disappointed but they still have an opportunity to put their case to the full education committee.

"They can contact the councillors on the committee and see if they can sit down with them to discuss their concerns.

"We need a feasibility study carried out from primary, right through to secondary schools. It isn't much to ask for. You can't pre-empt what the result would be."

Many parents refuse to send their children to James Hornsby High School because of its poor record. They instead get their children educated in Billericay, Brentwood and Shenfield.

Mrs Smith said the number of places and the quality of education in Basildon were two separate issues.

She said: "A feasibility study is a good idea because we have to know how many places are available now and will be available in the future.

"It's no good saying how many places we need just for now and in the next couple of years.

"There is lots of new housing in Basildon and the town has a young population so we need to know what is needed in the next ten or 15 years.

"The second issue is the need to make sure that James Hornsby's results improve. I've met with the headteacher and the school does seem really determined to make sure this happens."

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