Triple trouble at school as three sets of siblings start P1

No less than three sets of twins turned up for their first day of school at Duddingston Primary yesterday morning.

But few eyebrows were raised among staff, who are already being run ragged by seven other sibling pairs.

Annabel and John Aitken, Ellie and Gregor Rogerson, and Calum and Finlay Bruce settled in well during their first day, with not a single tear shed between them.

Valerie Rogerson, 38, mother of five-year-olds Ellie and Gregor, decided to separate her twins into different classes.

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

Jackie Saridakis-Aitken, mother of five-year-olds Annabel and John said they enjoyed their first day.

The 41-year-old full-time mum, who lives in Duddingston, said: “They just took it in their stride because they have been going to pre-school 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 the school – there’s more and more twins and it’s not unusual any more. I’m a twin myself but back in my day it was very unusual.”

Despite the high number of twins at Duddingston Primary, headteacher Karen Morris doesn’t expect the teachers to have too much trouble distinguishing between them, as most are non-identical or mixed gender.

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

Vikki Bruce, 36, mum of non-identical four-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.”

Across the Capital, 4346 children started school yesterday – 271 more than last year.

For the first time ever, all city primary schools will open their doors on September 27, between 10am and 3pm, for parents and prospective parents to go and have a look around and learn more about their catchment-area school.

Paul Godzik, the city’s education leader, said: “I would like to wish all pupils, parents and teachers the best of luck for the year ahead.

“I would encourage parents who will be registering their children this November to take this opportunity to learn more about their child’s potential future school.

“Sending children to their local school can have many benefits for both parents, children and the community where they live.”