THE headteacher of a public school which closed due to financial difficulties is hopeful the school will return to its former glory.

Oliver Price is delighted Newlands School in Seaford will reopen on Monday four weeks after it closed.

The £17,850-a-year school will be based in one of its original buildings, Newlands Court, after parents funded its purchase from the administrators.

It is expected at least 50 students will enroll there during the summer term.

The plans depend on how many register this morning and the number of students with places elsewhere who opt to return in the autumn term.

But it is envisaged the school will expand in time for the next academic year, perhaps to its former 450-capacity.

Mr Price said: "It's quite a remarkable outcome to what has been a ghastly story. It means Newlands will be up and running in the summer term and it's entirely down to the wonderful support of our benefactors.

"There's going to be independent education in Seaford and the name of Newlands is going to continue. I'm so happy - if I die tomorrow it would be all right."

He added: "We're going to plan everything day by day. My backers are fantastic people and they have been working very hard to make this happen because they were determined this wonderful school shouldn't shut.

"We're still here and we will be expanding for September."

GCSE and A-level students can expect to continue their studies at the smaller school as a priority, with younger students taken on the following week.

Administrators Kroll stepped in on April 4 after the Chittenden family, which owns the land, refused to transfer the lease to independent schools group Cognita to save it from financial ruin.

The closure sparked a flurry of panic and despair as students - many due to sit their GCSEs and A-levels six weeks later - had to find alternative places.

Those who have found places elsewhere, including Brighton College and St Bede's School in Eastbourne, are being urged to remain there for the term.

Mr Price said the schools had known the placements might only be for one term and he hoped as many students as possible would return to Newlands in September.

A meeting for parents to register their children starts at 10.30am today at Newlands Court in Sutton Avenue.