Search icon

Juniors

12th Jun 2018

Mum asks for advice after her twins are split up when starting school

Olivia Hayes

There has been a lot of discussion around this one.

A mum has asked for advice on an online forum after realising her twins will be split up into different classes when they start school in September.

The concerned mother thinks it’s best if they are in the same class as it will help them settle into school life a bit more.

She wrote: “Due to start reception in September. School has put them in separate classes without consulting me.
What do I do now? They won’t do well without each other, especially just starting out.”

However, many mums got back to her, saying that sometimes it’s usually a school’s policy to break them up, and it can be good for their personal growth.

One user said:

“Most schools so far as I know will split twins if there are multiple classes in a year group. It gives them a chance to develop friendships and to cope independently of their sibling.”

While another wrote:

“‘They won’t do well without each other’ is exactly why they’ve done it. Not because your children actually won’t cope but because you’re (unintentionally I suspect) setting them up to be dependent on each other and it’s often not a good idea. They need to be allowed to develop as individuals. They will be fine.”

However, some disagreed, with one saying:

“I think they should have discussed it with you. Most twins seem to be split at my dc school too but it’s quite sad, you see all the children coming in for the “getting to know you” class picnics, and the twins find out they are in different classes, and the mum can only go with one?!

“I’m a twin and was with my sister all the way through primary and even secondary. We did a few of the same a levels too so together mostly in college too, and being together never held us back or caused an issue.”

Have you had twins separated in school? Did you think it was a good idea in the end?