Double delights:

Education: Thousands start learning curve

A few small steps into the playground marked the beginning of one of life’s longest journeys as around 4,000 Fife youngsters started school yesterday. They included twins at Burntisland Primary, from left, Isla and Morag Cotton, Uri and Lara Miezitis and Innes and Ethan Finlayson.

A few small steps into the playground marked the beginning of one of life’s longest journeys, as around 4,000 Fife youngsters started school yesterday.

Watched by emotional parents, the scenes were similar at school gates throughout the kingdom as children were waved off for the very first time.

But while any parent would be nervous watching their little one on their first day of school, spare a thought for the parents of Amy, Erin and Sam Robertson, triplets who started at Duloch Primary in Dunfermline yesterday.

However, all did not go exactly to plan, with Sam having to miss his very first day through illness.

Meanwhile, it would be easy to assume that teachers at Burntisland Primary School are seeing double this term, with three sets of twins all starting their school lives.

This new school year will also mark a change in how buildings are used on election days. Following concerns raised by parents when schools are closed for use as polling stations, teacher training days will now be timed to coincide with next year’s Scottish Parliamentary elections in a bid to minimise the loss of learning time.

Pictures: George McLuskie. Amy, left, and Erin Robertson with Duloch PS deputy head Laura Spence.

Burntisland Primary School’s trio of twins, from left, Isla and Morag Cotton, Uri and Lara Miezitis and Innes and Ethan Finlayson.