PICTURE the scene: A pupil confides in a teacher about problems at home.

The girl has to care for her parents because they are ill.

The family are not getting the benefits to which they are entitled.

Normally, teachers would then refer the child to social services to get help, but at Shoeburyness High School such a move is a thing of the past.

The school is the first in the UK to offer pupils and their families a range of support and services through its own one-stop shop.

As well as advice and support, occupational health staff will be on hand to offer physiotherapy to physically handicapped youngsters.

The school’s new “learning village” promises support both for troubled pupils and the wider community.

The centre was officially opened last week by Southend mayor, Gwen Horrigan.

Jane Theadom, Southend Council’s head of school support, said: “We are making history in Shoebury.

“Children with educational needs will benefit from this range of services.

“It’s for children who are getting behind in their learning at school. They may have issues at home, such as a family bereavement, which are compounded by living in poor circumstances.

“The aim is to prevent issues in children’s lives becoming more acute than they need to be, through early intervention and prevention.

“If people are working together, there’s a better chance of things being improved. And it offers the borough fantastic value for money.”

The centre is housed in four wooden chalets joined together which only cost £50,000. Its facilities will also be open to local primary schools and Shoebury’s two children’s centres.

The project is the brainchild of the school’s headteacher, Sue Murphy, and took about a year to get off the ground.

Some of the services had previously been based in the school itself. Moving out will free up space in the school for more offices and a performing arts studio.

The centre sits close to the police office at the school, the base for the neighbourhood policing team which serves the local community.

Imelda Callowhill, the council’s local co-ordinator for that part of the borough, is now also based at the centre.

She said: “We are the first in the country to join forces with other colleagues to provide these services in one location.

“It’s a joined-up approach to issues which need to be resolved.

“We describe it as ‘one child, one written form’. They won’t be telling the same story five times to five different people.”

Year 10 pupil Kirsty Waters, 15, one of the pupils at the opening ceremony, gave the learning village the thumbs-up.

She said: “It’s great we have a place where we can go to get extra support and help.

“The learning support staff know us there and understand our needs.”