PUPILS at a village school returned for their first day back after the summer holidays to discover their headteacher had resigned.

Parents with children at Kempsey Primary School , near Worcester, were handed a letter on Tuesday explaining that Adrian Osborne would be leaving at the end of this week for personal reasons, four-and-a-half years after taking the post. It is not yet known who will lead the school in the meantime.

A parent, who did not wish to be named, said they were surprised by the news.

“We don’t know why he’s going. We had a letter [on Tuesday] to say he’s resigned, and that’s all it said. I’ve been totally happy with him and am really sad that he’s going. When the children found out they were really sad.” Another said: “It was completely out of the blue.

“He arrived when the school had seen four heads or acting heads in two years. He seemed to bring some much needed stability to the school.”

Yesterday Mr Osborne declined to comment on the decision to hand in his notice, which he made at the end of the summer term.

In a prepared statement, Jonathan Sutton, chairman of governors, said: “Before the end of the summer term, we received and accepted the resignation of headteacher Adrian Osborne.

“We have been working with the local authority to recruit an interim head teacher and are hopeful to have someone permanent in place for the school as soon as possible.

“The governing body would like to thank Mr Osborne and his supportive family for all the work they have done and the sacrifices they have made for our school.