A Scottish local authority colloquially known as “Twinverclyde” is bracing itself for the second-largest number of twins on record starting primary school next week.
Schools in Inverclyde will welcome 17 sets of twins next Friday.
The only other time more twins started school in the region was in 2015, when 19 sets of twins started primary school.
On Friday, the majority of the 2023 class gathered at St Patrick’s Primary School in Greenock for a dress rehearsal ahead of their first day.
Most of the youngsters were present with 15 of the 17 sets of twins in attendance.
St Patrick’s, along with Ardgowan Primary, is one of two schools in Inverclyde taking in the most pairs of twins, with three sets each joining their respective primary one classes.
The class of 2023 will take the Inverclyde twin count to 147 sets since 2013 – an average of 13 sets each year.
Graeme Brooks, depute provost of Inverclyde Council, said: “It has become an annual tradition in Inverclyde, or Twinverclyde as we’ve become known, to welcome our twins into primary one.
“Excitement is definitely building for the start of the new term next week and what better way to look forward to that than seeing the pupils here looking resplendent in their uniforms.
“It’s also a good bit of fun for parents too – and a handy dress rehearsal ahead of the real thing next Friday.
“We’re lucky to have so many incredible schools here in Inverclyde with every one renewed or extensively refurbished, including St Patrick’s which was rebuilt and opened in 2016, thanks to the council’s unprecedented quarter billion (£250,000,000) investment in our schools estate.
“But schools are nothing without the children, staff and families who make them and it’s great to see some of the next generation coming through here today and I wish them all the very best as they embark on the next stage of their education journey.”