A teacher who spent a week at a troubled south Essex school has claimed it was being run by a "gang of teenage thugs".

Thomas Thibeault, spent a week at St Chad's in Tilbury last month, starting on the same day as "super heads" John Sherbourne and Dr Mike Bee.

Now he has written a letter to the Echo's sister paper, the Thurrock Gazette, in which he details many of the alleged problems at the school.

Mr Thibeault - an American who has taught in American and Russian schools as well as 15 years teaching in Britain- wrote: "The school is permeated with an anarchy that threatens every person in the school with casual violence.

"In the five days I was a supply teacher I was assaulted, spat on, sworn at and harassed by the children. My experience was typical."

He claimed fights are common-place, children are frightened and racism is rife among the pupils, but little is being done to combat the menace.

Children had told him how drugs, from "hashish to crack cocaine" were available. He said: "Children told me they were 'frightened to be in school'."

The acting head of St Chad's, John Sherbourne, said: "While I wouldn't say anarchy reigned here, there are some anarchic children with serious behavioural and emotional problems."

He said the pupil involved in an incident with Mr Thibeault had been excluded and that the police had been called. He said there were major problems caused "by a large minority".

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