Tony Costigan orders Abbotsholme School Closing on 22 June

Abbotsholme school closing on 22 June now has a date, after Tony Costigan wrote to parents that the school would shut following a review of its finances by the new owners. Staff at the day and boarding school near Rocester in Staffordshire were told on Thursday that they would not receive their May salaries and that their June salaries would also not be paid.

Costigan, director of Abbotsholme 2026 Limited, said in his letter that it has become apparent that the financial challenges facing the school are significantly greater than originally understood. He added that the school would remain fully open until 22 June, with his immediate priority to ensure pupils, particularly those sitting exams, can finish their studies with the minimum possible disruption.

Tony Costigan letter to parents

The school was recently sold, and the new owners said the closure would follow their review of the school's finances. Costigan told parents the school would close on 22 June, setting the timetable for staff, families and pupils in the final weeks of term.

Charlotte Gallimore, the school's registrar, said staff were told on Thursday that they would not receive their May salaries and that their June salaries would also not be paid. She said staff had been encouraged to keep working until 22 June to support pupils through the last weeks of term.

Charlotte Gallimore on staff pay

Gallimore said, “Staff, parents and pupils who have been reassured about the school's future have been left shocked by the sudden turn of events.” She also said, “Despite these circumstances, staff have continued to turn up each day, placing the needs of pupils above their own personal and financial uncertainty.”

The immediate practical effect is on people still inside the school now: pupils remain in class through 22 June, while staff are working without May pay and without June pay. Costigan's letter places exam pupils at the centre of the shutdown period, making their final weeks the main operational focus before the closure takes effect.

Abbotsholme 2026 Limited

The closure follows the review by Abbotsholme 2026 Limited after the sale of the school by its previous owners, Achieve Education. Gallimore said several interested parties came forward after that sale, including established educational organisations, and it had been understood at the time that the school would continue operating with significant capital investment to improve facilities and secure its future.

Instead, the school now moves to closure on 22 June, with staff pay and pupil continuity carrying the weight of the last term. For families and employees, the next step is not another announcement but the run-in to the date Costigan set in his letter.