The site of the derelict St Peter's College was revealed by photographers, raising questions as to why the building remained empty after so long.
In 2011, when the school's doors closed for the last time, Essex County Council said it planned to build a state-of-the-art vocational centre on the Fox Crescent site, with 300 places for students from mid-Essex aged from 14 to 19, but those plans have not yet come to fruition.
But several groups are making use of some of the buildings on site - with the all-weather football pitch being used by Future Soccer, the whole of the south block leased to the Thiftwood special needs school, and charity Kids Inspire also on site.
But the main building remains woefully empty, with lesson plans still written on whiteboards and books scattered around the school's former library.
Even more concerning is that the urban explorers, from forum 28dayslater, found that the electricity in the building was still connected, and some of the lights had been left on.
One member of the forum commented: "Seems like a waste of electricity to me but I guess somebody is still putting money in the meter somewhere!"
The school has been closed since 2011, when declining pupil numbers meant it was no longer viable to keep the school open, and pupils were transferred to Chelmer Valley High School or Hylands School.
