THE new name for Brighton's Marina High school has finally been chosen.

It closes this summer and will re-open in September as East Brighton College of Media Arts.

The name was agreed by head teacher Tony Garwood, the new school governors and Brighton and Hove Council.

Media personality Simon Fanshawe and Chris Barron, the director of Brighton Festival, have now been confirmedas two of its new governors.

They were invited by Brighton and Hove Council to be involved in operating the new college and will advise how best to run its new media and arts courses, which will be held alongside pupils' normal GCSE studies.

The council has also said it is hoping that all teaching jobs at the new college will be filled by the end of next week.

The school is closing under a "fresh start" plan to raise standards and all staff have had to re-apply for jobs.

But parents and pupils have already begun protesting in support of the former teachers and from Monday many have threatened to keep their children away from lessons.

Teachers who belong to the local NUT have voted to strike in support of axed staff and a second ballot is expected to be held in just over a week to decide if any action, likely to be half-day strikes, is to take place this summer.

Ged Rowney, acting director of education at Brighton and Hove Council, said: "It is a very tense time at the school with all the protests and strike ballots."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.