Fryerns Comprehensive School Explained

Fryerns School
Motto:	Latin: Age Quod Agis ("If you do something, do it well.") Motto on Fryerns pulpit in hall "Labor omnia vincit"
Coordinates:	51.577°N 0.487°W
Established:	1956
Closed:	1999
Head Label:	Headteacher
Head:	Cyril Baggs (First) David A. Anderson (Last)
Address:	Craylands
County:	Essex
Country:	England
Postcode:	SS14 3RN
Ofsted:	yes
Urn:	115224
Gender:	Mixed
Lower Age:	11
Upper Age:	18
Colours:	Blue/yellow
Publication:	Fryern' Easy
Free Label 1:	Former name
Free 1:	Fryerns Grammar and Technical School, Craylands County Secondary
Free Label 2:	Fate
Free 2:	Closed in 1999
Website:	http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/fryerns/index.html

Fryerns Comprehensive School, also known as Fryerns Community School, was a mixed intake secondary school in Basildon, Essex that opened in 1956. The school was situated around one mile directly east of Basildon town centre. It was closed in 1999 due to falling pupil numbers. The site is now home to both Essex County Council's Adult Community Learning service and Social Services, while the remaining site has been redeveloped into two housing estates.

History

Fryerns School was the first new secondary school to be opened in Basildon New Town.^[1] Its name came from the nearby Fryerns Farm which also provided the name for the local area.

Fryerns was created as a Grammar and Technical school. In August 1968, it merged with Craylands County Secondary school, which had opened on the same site in 1935, to create Fryerns Comprehensive. The influx of families into the area meant that another secondary school, Barstable, was placed across the road. In 1994, the school changed its name once again to Fryerns Community School.

Essex County Council Education department closed Fryerns in 1999 due to falling pupil numbers and a serious funding issue.^{[2] [3]} Basildon's demographics had changed markedly over the previous four decades. A rapidly ageing population meant that there were too many schools in the district for the number of pupils and Fryerns had to close. Fryerns, had been threatened with closure in 1990–91 but a strong defence of the school was launched in parliament by the then Basildon Conservative MP David Amess.^[4] In the speech he stated that no school would close in Basildon while he was its member of parliament. This turned out to be the case as in 1997, he did not contest the Basildon seat as the New Labour candidate Angela Smith MP was elected. Less than two years later the school had closed.

After closing, the newer school buildings to the south of the site were taken over by Essex Social Services and the playing fields next to it were used for a new housing estate. The school buildings and fields of the old Craylands school were left derelict. Eventually the buildings were demolished and work was started on another new estate.^[5]

School traditions and achievements

• Perridge Awards – These were medals awarded for consistent effort, progress and conduct. They were awarded in three categories, bronze, silver and gold.
• Cake Competition – An annual five-a-side football knockout competition. If a class played a team from the year above they would get a two goal head start. So if a year 11 team played a year 7 team the match would start at 10 – 0. The prize was a large cake produced by the Home Economics department.
• Skiing trip to Villach, Austria was organised annually for pupils in years 8 and 9.
• In 1987 the sculptor Sokari Douglas Camp was artist-in-residence at the school. Her piece “mother and child” was on display in the entrance hall.^[6]

Headteachers

Below is a list of all the headteachers in the school's history.^[7]

• Cyril Baggs - Left as head of Grays County Tech to become first appointed head in 1957.
• Sydney Hopewell - Became head in April 1969 after Baggs' departure.
• Ken Hunter - Took over the headship from Hopewell in September 1974.
• Mr. Turner - Became acting head in August 1980 after Hopewell left. He took charge to the end of the year.
• Timothy F. Slater - Was appointed headteacher in January 1981 through to August 1994.
• Bob Plimmer - Became acting head for the following autumn term after Slater's resignation.
• Stuart Hayes - Took over in January 1995.
• David A. Anderson - Took charge for the school's final year until it closed on August 31, 1999.

Notable former pupils ("Fryernists")

• Graham Bonney - singer (chart hit with "Super Girl" in 1966)^[8]
• Nicholas Farrell - actor
• Aden Hynes Sculpture Studios - Sculptor
• Jillean Porter, former England Netball Captain and winner of 100 international caps.^[9]
• Jon Robson - golfer^[10]

Badge

The school's badge is a stag lying in a laurel wreath. This denotes peace, harmony and triumph.^[11]

External links

• Department of Education report showing the school's performance from 1998. Retrieved 18/01/13.
• "Size matters: does school choice lead to 'spirals of decline'?" 07/09/2000. By Stephen Gorard, Chris Taylor and John Fitz. An academic paper discussing schools that closed due to the effects of government imposed league tables. Fryerns is used as an example. Retrieved 18/01/13.

Notes and References

1. Web site: B. Cox (2006) "Basildon History Online." Retrieved 17 January 2013 . 2013-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130102220035/http://www.basildon.com/history/basildon/bh1.html . 2 January 2013 . dead .
2. http://mobile.basildonrecorder.co.uk/search/5539352.Fryerns_School_to_close___it_s_official/ "Fryerns School to close - It's official." Basildon Recorder, 21/09/98. Retrieved 13 January 2017
3. http://mobile.basildonrecorder.co.uk/search/5539001.Basildon__Carry_on_teaching_until_1999/ "Carry on teaching until 1999" Basildon Recorder, 1 October 1998. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
4. Web site: David Amess MP defends Fryerns School. 6.44 pm. Retrieved 19 January 2013 . 2013-01-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121222114208/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1991/dec/12/adjournment-christmas-1#S6CV0200P0_19911212_HOC_273 . 2012-12-22 . . 12 December 1991 . live .
5. Web site: "Craylands and Fryerns redevelopments." Retrieved 18 January 201313 . 2013-01-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103220656/http://www.basildon.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2093 . 2012-11-03 . dead .
6. http://www.sokari.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SokariDouglasCamp_CV.pdf ‘’Residencies’’ Fryerns School, Basildon 1987. Retrieved 19/01/13.
7. Web site: Fryerns School - Basildon. 2021-11-14. www.basildon.com. 14 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211114112657/http://www.basildon.com/history/schools2/fryersch.html. dead.
8. http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/Discussion/901844 From a former pupil
9. Web site: Netball career of Jillean Hipsey, nee Porter. . 2013-01-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160603173111/http://www.laindonhistory.org.uk/page_id__56_path__0p49p21p.aspx . 2016-06-03 . live .
10. Web site: From a former pupil. . 2013-01-19 . https://archive.today/20130216023906/http://www.friendsreunited.com/Discussion/931256 . 2013-02-16 . dead .
11. Web site: "Meaning of heraldry symbols" (sic) Retrieved 18/01/13 . 2013-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130329030341/http://www.irishjeweler.com/meaning_of_heraldry_symbols.htm . 2013-03-29 . live .