Pupils at a Den Bosch high school were sent home early on Monday after a teacher committed suicide by jumping off one of the school buildings. A number of pupils at the Stedelijk Gymnasium school witnessed the maths teacher jump, a police spokesman told reporters.

Local broadcaster Omroep Brabant said the man jumped off the building shortly before 10am, when many pupils were arriving. The school has some 800 pupils.

One person told the Telegraaf that it was widely known the teacher was lonely but that he was a popular teacher. He had taught at the school for some 10 years and is said to have been aged around 50.

‘This has had an enormous impact on the school, the pupils and staff, school head Etha Schoemaker told the paper.