School sees double as 10 sets of twins start new term

A PRIMARY school has 10 sets of twins in the playground after three new sets of sibling pairs turned up for the start of term.

Staff and pupils at Duddingston Primary, Edinburgh, are seeing double like no other Scottish school after Annabel and John Aitken, Ellie and Gregor Robertson and Calum and Finlay Bruce joined P1 on Wednesday.

But headteacher Karen Morris said staff would cope with the double trouble.

 

Most of the twins are non-identical or brother and sister.

She said: “It’s quite exciting to have three sets of twins starting primary one.”

Valerie Rogerson, mother of five-year-olds Ellie and Gregor, made the decision to separate her twins into different classes.

The 38-year-old said: “I think it suits them. They’re really competitive and are always comparing each other.

“I knew that one other set of twins – Calum and Finlay – would be starting the school too because they went to the same holiday club.

 

Enjoyed

“To have three sets of twins starting the same school, considering it’s a small school, is quite unusual.”

Jackie Saridakis-Aitken, mum to Annabel and John, also five, said they had enjoyed their first day at school.

The 41-year-old full-time mum, said: “They just took it in their stride because they have been going to preschool at Duddingston. After school, they just gave me a big cuddle and looked very happy.

“I’m not surprised by the number of twins at school. I’m a twin myself but back in my day it was very unusual.”

Vikki Bruce, mum of non-identical 4-year-olds Calum and Finlay, said: “There are quite a lot of twins around Duddingston and Portobello so it’s not too surprising to have three sets of twins starting.”

The number of multiple births has increased about 74% since 1980, according to the National Centre for Health Statistics.

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