Campaigning parents are celebrating their first victory in the battle to get a new secondary school built in Langdon Hills.

Education officials have finally agreed to present figures compiled by action group the Campaign for a Local Area Secondary School to councillors that could prove the need for a new school.

The decision followed a fiery showdown last night between 200 parents and education officials at a public meeting.

However, the victory could be a hollow one. Essex County Council, the local education authority, is flatly against the new school and officers last night refused to meet with parents before a crucial meeting at County Hall to discuss the issue.

The public meeting at Great Berry Primary School was the culmination of a four-year campaign to get a school for secondary pupils built in the area.

Many parents have refused to send their children to James Hornsby High School, Laindon.

The action group, CLASS, claims the county council has underestimated the number of children who could fill a new secondary school.

The group believes as many as 1,050 extra secondary school-aged children would emerge from Langdon Hills primary schools over the next five years.

Chairman Derrick Fellowes said: "We are going to prove these guys wrong. It may take a few months, it may take a few years but we will get a secondary school."

Central to the issue is how many homes the council has accounted for in its planning. CLASS claims 1,221 future homes in the district remain uncounted for.

It accused education bosses of refusing to address the situation because of the millions of pounds spent merging the Laindon and Nicholas schools to create James Hornsby.

However, beleaguered planning and admissions manager Brian Catt stuck to his guns.

He said: "We do not believe there is a basic need for a feasibility study or sufficient evidence to justify looking in detail at a establishing a new school."

Education councillors will meet on Monday to discuss the situation.

They will be advised not to grant a feasibility study, according to a confidential document given to the group.

The meeting will be held in private but Mr Catt promised he would present the group's findings.

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