By the end of the twentieth century, Pitsea's school network was no longer simply expanding. Changes in pupil numbers, educational policy and school organisation led to mergers, new names and the replacement or reorganisation of some institutions.
In January 2006 Chalvedon School and Sixth Form College federated with Barstable School. Chalvedon had already served Pitsea for around four decades and remained an important secondary-school name in the area.
Chalvedon School formally closed on 31 August 2009. From September 2009 the Wickford Avenue site became The Basildon Upper Academy, initially serving older secondary pupils, while the former Barstable site became The Basildon Lower Academy. This marked the end of the Chalvedon School name but not the site's role in secondary education.
The same period saw several older infant and junior arrangements simplified into single primary schools. Briscoe's infant and junior schools became Briscoe Primary School and Nursery in 2002. Pitsea's old infant and junior schools became Maple Grove Primary in 2015, while Northlands Infant and Junior Schools also combined in 2015 as Northlands Primary School and Nursery.
School names are an important part of Pitsea's social history. Residents may remember the same site under different names depending on when they attended: Pitsea Council School, Pitsea County, Len Wastell and Maple Grove are all connected with one long educational story, while Chalvedon and the later academy arrangements represent another.
Buildings and official dates only tell part of the story. Class photographs, school reports, sports teams, teachers, fêtes, swimming lessons and pupils' memories can reveal what these places were actually like. Preserving such material is particularly valuable when schools merge, change names or old buildings disappear.
1909: Pitsea Council School opens.
1965: Chalvedon School opens.
1968: Northlands Infant and Junior Schools open.
1977: Briscoe and Eversley schools open.
2002: Briscoe infant and junior schools amalgamate.
2006: Chalvedon and Barstable federate.
2009: Chalvedon closes and the academy era begins on the site.
2015: Maple Grove and the combined Northlands Primary School and Nursery begin under their new arrangements.