Devastated parents have been left 'utterly shocked and stunned' after their children's school was closed down yesterday with less than an hour's notice just days after its new owners promised they would save it from closure.Inconsolable pupils at historic Abbotsholme School who believed it had been saved were left to say a final goodbye to their friends as staff attempted to comfort them. Their parents had only received a letter at 4.11 pm telling them the day and boarding school, which charges up to £44,000 a year, was closing at the end of the day to everyone except those sitting public exams. It made no mention of any future arrangements for the school, meaning more than 220 children aged 2 to 18 have been left without a school to go to next term.One parent they 'had pulled over to read the letter in a lay by on the way to school pick up thinking it was an expected letter about plans for next term' only to be stunned to read the school was closing that night. 'I literally had to read it four times to work out what I was reading,' said the outraged mum. Parents received a letter at 4.11pm on Wednesday to say school, which charges up to £44,000 a year, was closing at the end of the day to everyone except those sitting public examsMeanwhile the school's Executive Head Charlotte Molloy and its new owners were nowhere to be seen to explain what had happened, leaving 'dedicated staff who have not been paid for two months to pick up the pieces', said the mum.The tearful scenes followed an astonishing and fast-moving series of events which saw the school's new owners Syd Phillimore, a local shooting ground owner and old boy of Abbotsholme, and Jamie Buchanan, an insolvency practitioner, apparently buckling to pressure to reverse their sudden decision to close the school later this month only to change their minds again.Parent Virginia Parkes said: 'The emotional harm this has caused to our children is immense. First, we are told the school is closing then the Head writes to everyone to say it isn't and now it has closed.'The kids were even told directly on Monday in a special assembly that the school was staying open and being saved. It gave them false hope.'There has been no care for the children and you can only imagine the confusion it has caused them being told the school was closing, starting to look at other schools, and then celebrating what we were told was a reprieve then finding out three days later it really was closing.'The 137 year old day and boarding school in Rocester on the Staffordshire and Derbyshire border, which 'was founded on values of 'integrity and trust', was sold by its Chinese owners Achieve Education at the end of May.But just days later Tony Costigan, who said he was a 'Director of Abbotsholme 2026 Limited, the company that recently acquired the trade, assets and goodwill of Abbotsholme School', blindsided staff at a surprise staff meeting telling them that the school was closing down on June 22.He told the staff at last Thursday's meeting, who had not been paid since April, that they 'would not be paid for May or June either' but appealed to them to stay on without wages. Parents later received an official letter from Mr Costigan confirming the school would close and saying: 'Since acquiring the school on 29 May, 2026, I have undertaken a detailed review of its financial position.'Whilst we entered into the acquisition with intention of securing the long-term future of Abbotsholme, it has become apparent that the financial challenges facing the school are significantly greater than originally understood.'But following a huge backlash from parents – many of whom has found out the closure news from their own children - and staff - which saw school signs defaced at the school near Uttoxeter in frustration - the school's owners appeared to have a change of heart last weekend. Furious staff previously defaced the sign outside the school after being told Abbotsholme would be closed in two weeks To much jubilation from pupils, Ms Molloy wrote to parents out of the blue on Sunday just as they were coming to terms with the news that the school was closing to say that it would not shut after all.Instead she said 'an agreement had been reached with Syd Phillimore and Jamie Buchanan which will allow Abbotsholme to remain open in September'.She told parents she would continue to lead the school and 'was excited about the opportunity ahead' and 'the next chapter in the school's story'.But in an incredible volte face, parents received yesterday's letter from Mr Costigan, signing himself off as 'school proprietor', telling them 'that today, Wednesday 10 June, 2026, will be the last day the school is open this academic year to pupils who are not sitting exams'.It went on: 'From tomorrow, and with the safety of our pupils at the forefront of every decision we make, the school will be closed to pupils.'He later told parents Ms Molloy 'had been removed from the site for her own safety' claiming rocks had been thrown at her house by parents and students.Ms Molloy told the Daily Mail today that 'it became necessary to suspend normal teaching for those students not sitting examinations yesterday, as the ongoing uncertainty and financial situation had reached a point where the school could no longer be safely and effectively staffed'.Confirming that she 'would not be remaining as Headteacher', she said: 'A number of colleagues were, understandably, unable to continue attending work, either because they had not been paid and could no longer meet the cost of travel, or because they needed to attend interviews and make arrangements for alternative employment.'I understand that there are ongoing discussions regarding the future of the school.'Meanwhile boarders at the school were left stranded on school premises where Mr Costigan promised they would be looked after 'by our dedicated boarding staff, exactly as normal, until collection arrangements have been confirmed'.Parent Phil Rigby said his son had been made 'sick with worry' over what had happened and like many of his friends had already been looking at other schools when they were told there was a reprieve.'It's a disgraceful way to treat children. Yesterday children were left with less than one hour of school in a desperate rush to obtain school friends' numbers. Pupils have been robbed of end of school trips, proms and celebrations which has left them distraught.'Mr Rigby said that he contacted Mr Costigan for an explanation but said he had blamed the previous owners Achieve.'Whatever has happened in the sale of Abbotsholme, there has been a severe lack of ethics and principles and this lies with either the new or previous owners, both sides seemingly blaming each other for the debacle and claiming the wage liability lies with the other party,' he said. The school was founded in 1889 It is believed the school, which was founded in 1889, and its entire 140 acre estate was sold for just £1 million with an agreement in place for it to remain as a school. However, plans are now said to be afoot to turn it into a luxury spa.Virginia Parkes, who has two daughters at the school, said the school's founder Cecil Reddie, who is buried on the grounds, would now be 'turning in his grave'.'This school was founded by an influential educationalist and on an ethos of integrity and trust which has now been totally smashed out of the water,' she said.'We are all in a state of shock and it feels like someone has died and we are in limbo.'A spokesman for Achieve Education, which closed down nearby Chase Grammar School last year after buying it, said the group 'acted in good faith and sought to ensure a transparent process' and 'absorbed and settled the school's historic debt rather than transferring those obligations to the purchasers'.He said: 'Achieve Education's principal objective throughout the sale process was to secure a sustainable future for Abbotsholme School and protect the continuity of education for its students. It is therefore particularly distressing to see the school facing closure despite the significant efforts made to facilitate a successful transition to new ownership.'Mr Phillimore and Mr Costigan did not respond to a request for comment.