Nursery staff at Shrewsbury Lodge School in Esher are already getting used to doing a double take after four sets of twins started at the school for the new term last week.

The twins join two set of twins already at the school - one set in the reception year and one set in year two - meaning out of only 120 pupils, 12 of them are twins.

Headteacher Gill Hope said: "One set of twins is fairly unusual, but to have four sets in our Nursery is a record number for us, especially as we already have two other sets of twins higher up the school."

She said the "golden rule" of teaching twins was to treat them as individuals, which meant the staff had to learn quickly how to tell the siblings apart.

Pupils at the school were also being encouraged to follow suit and work out ways to make sure they were not calling one of the twins the name of their brother or sister.

Mrs Hope said: "Respecting a twin's individual identity is crucial in school."

The new twins have joined following a major modernisation of the school, including the opening of a fourth nursery class.

There is also a new nursery playground, which includes a stage area, a playhouse, a sandpit and a link to the main school block.