Twins in school - together or apart?

No discussion

Mrs Preedy said that more than three quarters of schools questioned did not discuss this issue with parents.

"The steady increase in multiple births heightens the need for increased awareness of the special consideration required in managing the children's progress," she said.

One child in 35 is now a twin, triplet or quad, according to the survey.

Some twins had seldom been apart
 
The national increase is partly a result of fertility treatments - particularly the incidence of triplets.

Better neo-natal care has led to a higher survival rate for small or premature babies.

There has also been a trend towards older motherhood when twins are more likely.

Mrs Preedy, who is educational research consultant for the Twins and Multiple Births Association (Tamba), said that there are no clear-cut answers.