Dear WishesToFly,
Welcome. Here are some tips; firstly take your time, buy a logbook and take some introductory flights and log them. It is fun and it all counts, but you will be finding out who and what you like best.
Secondly, it may be better to learn at Southend because it is nearer. I say this because bad weather along with available cash may be amongst your biggest obstacles to getting flights in. I learned in winter and would get a call from my Instructor asking if I could get down to the airfield quickly because there was a 'hole' in the bad weather, or there had been a cancellation.
Thirdly, a stall can be quite a non event from a movement point of view. It is perfectly possible that a passenger in the back may not even notice anything untoward has happened, particularly on a hot day when its been a little bumpy. I am not suggesting that is a good idea (to stop me getting flamed) but pointing out that a stall is just part of your training and once you have done one you will wonder what the fuss was about.
Lastly, you are the customer and do not accept anything that you would not accept when buying elsewhere. You will find learning to fly slightly stressful at times because it is a learning curve outside of your normal experiences and you should not accept arrangements that take you outside of your comfort zone e.g. Instructor keeping you hanging around each time you turn up because he is overbooked, or a variety of Instructors when you have been lead to accept you have one assigned. Lessons cancelled etc.
However, it is terrific fun and you will make some new friends. I have never been frightened by something that has happened, concerned sometimes, but only because of my inexperience at the time. When I got my license I started flying further afield and learned a lot more! Have fun.