The school has a long history of excellent links with the community. We have an on-going commitment to developing new and innovative projects, which foster these relationships, a few of which are listed below.

Our work with businesses in this area helps us with our work towards the Every Child Matters agenda, Enterprise Education and to reach subject-specific objectives.

We work with businesses in many ways:

• We are a BP Link School. This provides us with a small budget but more importantly access to many additional resources - especially people;

• We run annual Year 7 Industry Days. Many representatives from local businesses help out with these days;

• Many businesses sponsor departmental awards which are given to pupils in the annual Awards Evening;

• AOT (Adults Other than Teachers) Mentoring Scheme - this was set up as a pilot scheme in October 1997. We started with 6 mentors from industry and the local community who each mentored 2 pupils. After evaluating the scheme with the mentors and mentees we were very pleased with the positive feedback and have been able to develop the scheme further;

• Carnival ’99 - a multicultural activity run with the help of local businesses;

• We are involved in the 'Ambassador Engineer Scheme';

• Our pupils are involved in the 'Built Environment Project'.

We work with the following organisations from the local community:

• The Castle Point and Rochford Adult Education Centre is based at Cornelius running daytime and evening classes;

• The Samaritans help in school with PSD classes and assemblies;

• Bar `n` Bus provide in school counselling;

• The Gideons come into school to talk to Year 7 pupils in assemblies;

• Music School / Rock School is based at Cornelius;

• Family Centre and St. Nicholas’ Church

• Connexions provide careers advice, personal mentoring and counselling at the school;

• Year 10 and 11 undertake Community Service and work experience through Trident;

• The Duke of Edinburgh activities are run in school;

• We have a School Police Liaison officer, PC Esther Howitt.

Examples of Subject-Specific links are in the table below:

Subject	Curriculum Links
Science	- Primary links & FE awareness raising, Science Challenge - Vocational GCSE – visit to BP Oil
English	- Work Experience project
ICT	- Posters/leaflets etc. for local clubs, schools, societies charities etc. - GNVQ pupils visit Fords in Dunton
RE	- Visits to various churches
PSD / Careers	- Careers & Counselling – Connexions - One day placement & return visit - Endaim - Work experience – Project Trident - 2 prongs/ 3 prongs- Gold Cert. - Lessons taken by Essex Police, Essex Fire & Rescue, Bar ‘n’ Bus - Drop in counselling/assembles – YPAS - Widening participation activities – YPHE, SEEVIC, SEEC and various universities - Theatre in Education – London Bus Theatre Co. - Theatre in Education – Basildon Women’s Refuge - Transfer post 16 – SEEVIC, Basildon & Thurrock - Careers Convention – many companies - Plans for lessons – Basildon Hospital- Oncology
Citizenship	- Phil Williams – environmentalist talks sponsored by BP Oil
Technology	- Ambassador Engineers Scheme - CITB Project - GCSE Food groups to Safeway’s & McDonalds
MFL	- Trips abroad
Combined Studies	- Local environment walks - Year 7 Mountfitchett Trip
Geography	- Local environment walks - Visits, project work - Colchester Zoo visit - Walton-on-the-Naze visit - Eastbourne & South Downs visit
Music	- Peripatetic staff, visiting artists, Music Schools, Primary links
Art	- BP Art competition - cross-curricular developments using visiting workshops - many community projects
Learning Support	- Parents, Educational Psychologists and advisory staff - Life skills visits – Wimpy, Safeway, Health Centre, Wildlife Rescue Centre - Visits to old people’s homes and special teas in school
PE	- Police - personal safety, professional coaches - rugby / FA - Waterside Farm Sports Centre / Snooker / Golf - Ex-pupil - Reebok Activity - Girl’s football coaching by Corver Coaching - Educational talks by Always and Tampax Education Service
Child Development	- Local Playgroups
History	- Anglia Battlefields trips to Belgium

Additional Information

Download further information from the links below:

• Information Sheet on Community / Business Links (Acrobat - 72Kb)