Illawarra School Celebrates Unique Kindergarten Cohort with Three Sets of Twins
The first day of school is a milestone filled with excitement and nerves, but for six young students at Mount St Thomas Public School, that experience is shared with a lifelong companion. The Illawarra school has welcomed an extraordinary kindergarten group for the 2026 academic year, featuring not one, not two, but three sets of twins.
A Special Start to the School Journey
Among the cohort of 54 kindergarten children, aged five, are twins Vivienne and Leon Coelho, Margot and Alice Wright, and Archie and James O'Leary. This unique occurrence marks a first for the school, which has never before had three sets of twins in a single kindergarten intake. The children are part of a larger wave of over 62,000 kindergarten students commencing their education at New South Wales public schools from Monday, February 2.
For the twins, the day was met with enthusiasm. Leon Coelho expressed his excitement broadly, declaring he was looking forward to "everything". Alice Wright shared that she was most eager to meet her buddy—an older student assigned to help her settle into school life—and to play in the playground, a sentiment echoed by her sister Margot.
Parental Emotions and Community Growth
The parents of the twins experienced a mix of emotions on this significant day. Cassandra Coelho, mother of Vivienne and Leon, described it as "double the amount of chaos, but a very special day". She noted the bittersweet feeling of spending less time with her children while being excited to see them flourish socially. Bryan Coelho, the twins' father, admitted he was probably more nervous than his children, who appeared to be handling the transition well.
School principal Ronda Moon expressed delight at the unique cohort, stating that Mount St Thomas, affectionately known as "Mountso", cherishes the beginning of each child's seven-year journey. "They sort of become part of your family, you get to know them well over seven years," she said.
Record Enrolments and Family Connections
The school is experiencing significant growth, with 360 students enrolled from kindergarten to year 6 in 2026, its largest student group ever. This increase is attributed to more young families moving into the area. Ms Moon highlighted the strong community spirit, saying, "It's a great community here."
In a remarkable statistic, 38 of the 54 kindergarten children have siblings already attending the school, underscoring deep family ties within the institution. This record number reflects the school's appeal and the trust placed in it by local families.
Broader Context for NSW Schools
The start of the 2026 school year sees over 780,000 students returning to or beginning their education in NSW public schools. Mount St Thomas Public School's story of twins and community growth serves as a heartwarming example of the vibrant educational landscape in the region, where schools are not just places of learning but hubs of familial and social connection.
