PUPILS at Penglais School in Aberystwyth staged a protest against the sacking of a popular teacher today.

It was reported in the Cambrian News earlier this week that the secondary school’s head of art, Richard Edwards, had been sacked for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing on Friday, 1 July, despite a petition to save his job gaining more than 1,400 signatures.

The Cambrian News now understands that pupils organised a walk-out in protest at the decision to dismiss Mr Edwards at 9am this morning - view footage from the protest below.

Police, who say they happened to be at the school for an unrelated matter, spoke to the pupils who were protesting on the school field.

Police said the pupils voiced their concerns about the sacking before returning to the school building for a meeting with teachers and senior staff.

One parent said she understood there were around 70 pupils who were a part of the protest and claimed teachers were threatening pupils with suspension if they did not go back to class.

“They have been told that if they don’t stop, they will all be suspended,” the parent told the Cambrian News.

“This is about freedom of speech — they have every right to be upset, Mr Edwards was a really good teacher. They are all very passionate about it.

“I feel quite strongly about it because I know this teacher has brought out the confidence in my daughter. He wrote a comment on her art work that was so positive. They would enjoy going to school because of him. I’m so gutted he was sacked.”

Police said they were not called to the school by staff to manage the protest or any disorder and no offences of disorder have been reported to police or witnessed by police.

They said they work with all educational establishments under an agreed all-Wales school liaison policy.

The school has been asked to comment.