Mr. Byrd had sought leave to appeal against conviction on six counts – three of occasioning actual bodily harm, and three of cruelty to young people – and against the five-year sentence passed at Hampshire Assizes on May 9.
Boys involved in the charges were all pupils at his school at Cholderton College, Hampshire.
Lord Parker said the Court would quash two of the six counts, subject to the prosecution who were not present yesterday, arguing to the contrary, which seemed unlikely. The sentence would be reduced to two years.
Lord Parker sat with Lord Justice Winn and Mr. Justice Ashworth.