The Mill School will close tomorrow for good after a buyer failed to emerge.

The demise of the private prep school in Potterne ended on a sour note as staff were told their wages would not be paid this month and parents were told there would be no guarantee they would get their deposits and pre-paid fees back, despite hopes the costs would be met by a mystery benefactor.

The school went into administration in February after the owners Matt Hill and Dave Stanley said their other companies had collapsed because the businesses were owed money.

Parent Mr Hill, who lives in Seend Cleeve, and Mr Stanley, of Basingstoke, bought The Mill School in May last year and saved it from closure.

Staff were informed last Wednesday by the administrator that their wages would not be paid for March but, despite this, they decided to work on until the end of term tomorrow.

Sylvia Parry, deputy headteacher, and Gill Davies, head of early years, have both worked at The Mill for almost 12 years.

Mrs Parry said: “The school has been going since 1958. We were going from strength to strength and through no fault of our own the rug has been pulled.

“We decided to carry on teaching for the sake of the children. It wasn’t fair on them. We want to go with our heads held high. We are greatly saddened by the whole rigmarole.”

Mrs Davies said: “It’s very, very sad. It’s the end of an era. We have educated generations of children and we have been part of the wider community.”

Tim Owen, who has been headteacher at The Mill since last September and lives in Devizes, said: “I’m a school inspector and The Mill really did have a very special flavour. It’s a very beautiful environment and encourages a very different approach to education.”

Parent Charles Anderson, of West Lavington, said parents had initially wanted to put money in to keep the school open until the end of the summer term but the idea was shelved as they looked into the finances.

He said: “The further we went down the line looking at the financials the more of a blur it became. Parents were told by Matt Hill that their deposits and pre-paid fees were being looked after by a benefactor. The teachers have behaved admirably.

“It’s very, very sad that it is closing. There’s a demand among parents locally for such an establishment, it’s a unique environment.”

Nicky Fisher, of the administrators, said: “We did have a benefactor who was going to pay the wages of the staff at The Mill School but the offer has been withdrawn.

“They should be paid in full after the building has been sold. Claims for redundancy pay will need to be made to the government.

“Parents can claim from the administration (the sale of the building) but they will be unsecured creditors. It completely depends on what we sell it for.”

Once the school closes tomorrow the property will be put on the market by the administrators, Herron Fisher.

It emerged that John Ren-dell, previous owner of The Mill School and who lives in Devizes, is a creditor as the sale of the school to Mr Hill and Mr Stanley was done on a deferred payment basis.

Mr Rendell expressed his disappointment at the closure. He said: “I am very sad about it.

“I thought I had sold it to the right people but sadly things have turned out as they have.”