A SOUTHEND headteacher has blasted c2c for its “blanket punishment” for all students using Chalkwell train station. 

Andrew Cooper, CEO of the South East Essex Academy Trust and former headteacher of Westcliff High School, has said his pupils are being “disadvantaged” by the queuing system c2c has introduced.

The firm has recently forced all schoolchildren to queue outside Chalkwell station after a state of anti-social behaviour on their trains.

In one incident, damage costing thousands of pounds was caused to a train.

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Bosses are confident the queuing system will help relieve issues - but parents and staff have said that children are being delayed by up to an hour getting home.  

Andrew Cooper, CEO of South East Essex Academy Trust (SEEAT) said he expressed concerns to c2c on behalf of Westcliff High School for Girls at the end of last year, especially with the “risk young women may missing their trains as dark evenings approach”.

He said: “I expressed concerns to c2c on behalf of Westcliff High School for Girls before the summer break.

“In response we were told ‘CCTV footage has been shown to senior teachers, resulting in exclusion from school for several students, including a travel ban on c2c until September’.

“No footage has ever been shown to staff at WHSG because none of our students were involved, yet they are nevertheless being disadvantaged by the measures c2c have introduced.

“We are talking about young girls and young women potentially missing their trains and connections and coming home significantly later than they would otherwise.

“That raises an alarm bell for me, particularly as the dark evenings are approaching.”

In response, a spokesman for c2c said they had “been in frequent conversation with Westcliff High School for Girls over the summer”, and that there had also been an increase in complaints regarding the behaviour of schoolchildren on board.

They added they are now arranging a meeting with the students directly.

A spokesman said: “We are in the process of arranging a security/safety-focused visit to the school to speak directly with students and staff.”