THURROCK'S education chief walked headlong into controversy as plans to revitalise the troubled Grays Media Arts College sailed into troubled waters.

The school's long-terms plans to apply for Academy status have met with a hostile reception from its teachers - as well as the former board of governors who were in charge when the school slipped into special measures and even some pupils.

Eighty members of staff at the Grays Media Arts College walked out on the borough's director of education, Robert McCulloch-Graham, at a meeting about the school's future.

Tension around the school has been rising ever since a job advertisement for a new headteacher referred to the drive for Academy status.

Featured in the Times Educational Supplement, the advertisement read: "There is a major drive now for Academy Status, supported by staff, the local authority and governors."

Still smarting from this, staff read out a pre-prepared statement at the meeting outlining their anger at how they had been treated. They then walked out en-masse.

Andrew Palmer, head of the arts faculty at the school, explained: "The staff are really annoyed at the underhand tactics used by the council.

"They talk about Academy status like it is a possibility when it is clear from the job advert that they have already made their minds up.

"We decided to use this meeting as a platform to voice that we feel we have been treated with contempt as a staff body."

The school governors, who have now been replaced by an "interim executive board", were also angered by the advertisement. They said they agreed to step aside only if there would be no change to the nature and status of the school.

The former governors have a letter from council head of schools Christine Tinkler dated October 5 2007 which reads: "There will be no discussion around the possible change of status to the Grays School without the full knowledge and involvement of the governing body."

Gerald Tessier, chair of the governors - who have been promised they will eventually be reinstated - said: "I am not at all happy with the advert.

"I am personally opposed to the Academy schools movement, as are many. I am very concerned by the concept of giving total control over a school to a sponsor, who may or may not have put some money into the school. I would not want to see the ethos of the school changed."

Andrew Palmer echoed Mr Tessier's concerns, saying: "I am opposed to Academies, as are many fellow staff. We will to fight - we will not allow Thurrock Council to rip the educational heart out of our community."

Year Nine pupil Zoe Gibbons, 14, is also against Academy status. She said: "I believe that our school should not be in special measures and worst of all, be turned into an Academy.

"Thurrock Council is not thinking about the students or teachers. All they care about is the money."

Thurrock Council spokesperson Andy Lever said: "Thurrock Council did not promise' that the Grays School Media Arts College would not be turned into an academy'. However, it did say this would not be done without consulting the previous governing body.

"Creating an academy school is a long and the Office of the Schools' Commissioner has stated the earliest possible date for academy status to be granted is over two years away.

"The council has short-to-medium-term measures in place to improve the school. What is needed is a long-term plan - and that needs a top-quality, full-time headteacher."