A HEADTEACHER has shared a statement after pupils were accused of using a hedgehog as a 'football'. 

Fitzharrys School head Jonathan Dennett has said sorry after pupils were allegedly caught wearing uniforms and kicking a hedgehog before school in a nearby park. 

Read about the incident. 

His statement in full: 

"There are reports on social media of an incident involving individuals who go to Fitzharrys behaving in a way that we do not accept, expect or recognise from our students.

"I am so sorry to hear about this very distressing incident of cruelty towards a defenceless animal.

"We will follow this up robustly in school with the students involved, include the parents in this follow up and take advice from the police.

"We have been in touch with Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue to discover more about the incident, share our disappointment and the next steps. It is very distressing to learn from Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue that such incidents are happening across the county, and they have no place in our community.

"Our school has an Eco club and is involved with a project with Oxford University supporting badger populations. This incident lets down our students and community and is not who we are as a school.

"We look forward to welcoming Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue into school to see the conservation work we do and further explain the value of conservation to our students.

"I am very sorry for what has happened, for the hedgehog, the lady and volunteer involved in dealing with the incident and for the distress that this will have caused to those who have heard about the actions described."