Confused staff and pupils are literally seeing double – as they try to cope with a UK record of 20 sets of twins in the same school.
Twin-credibly, there are even SIX sets of identical twins who started in Year 7 in September.
Teachers at De Aston School, in Market Rasen, Lincs., now believe they have more twin pupils – 12 sets of identical siblings – than any other school in the UK.
The chances of 20 sets of twins attending the same school are a staggering 400,000-1 while the odds of having six in the same year group are 175,000-1.
Stunned teachers at the school, which caters for 907 pupils aged 11-19, say they have never seen anything like it and believe there must have been “something in the water” in the town.
Elizabeth Humphrey, English teacher and Year 7 tutor, said: “I have two sets of identical twins in my tutor group alone and when I first found out, I thought it was ridiculous.
“The number of twins we have in the school is surprising.
“A couple of the girls wear their hair differently but other than that it’s really tricky to tell them apart.”
Victoria Davies, Head of Year 7, added: “We are looking to get little name badges for their blazer lapels so we can tell who is who.
“In my 12 years at the school I have never known any more than one set of twins in a year group.
“I have managed to tell the difference between four of the six – but I’m still working on the other two.”
Headteacher Ellenor Beighton said: “All of our twins are delightful young people who we treat as individuals and we’re very happy to have them here.
“There’s something in the water around Market Rasen, that’s for sure.”
The school is now making a formal application to Guinness World Records to see if they are a world beater.
But the twins admit that they are often mistaken by classmates and staff – especially for those who are studying the same subjects.
Charlotte and Laura Wilson, 17, are both studying maths and physics at the sixth form.
Charlotte said: “The teachers can usually tell us apart but other people get it wrong all the time.
“So after sixth form we want to try and be separate so we’re looking at different universities.”
* The previous record holder for the most twins was Netherthorpe School, near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, who had eight sets in the same year group.
