Among the 237 new students starting year seven this year are six sets of twins.

The school said it is the largest cohort of twins to enrol in the same year for a very long time.

Westport students Benjamin and Isabella Diaz, Mohuanaga and Vaha Fatai, Shenoa and Tayla Chisnall and Jack and Liam Styles​ joined their Port High campus schoolmates Hayley and Alarna Brennan and Bodie and Beau Burgess.

 “The teachers have already commented that some of the twins can look quite different,” said year seven adviser Leon Ruhl. “We are now starting to distinguish the differences in features and personality of the identical twins.” 

Twelve-year-old identical twins Alarna and Hayley said their identity has already proven challenging for many.

“Everybody mixes us up. We are told we are identical looking, but we have differences and like different things,” Hayley said.

“We are close but fight like any other brother or sister. I think the best thing about being a twin is that you are never by yourself, even though they get annoying sometimes.”

The antics the identical twins devise for their own entertainment come as no surprise.

“One day we changed classes, and the teachers couldn’t tell us apart,” Alarna said. “Now that we are in high school we are in the same classes, so there is no changing classes to trick the teachers.”

The first week has provided opportunities to challenge new students to develop the valuable skills they take into adulthood. 

Students familiarised themselves with the campus surrounds, learned to read a timetable, to get to class on time, met their new teachers and now understand the expectations and school values. 

The students will continue to make new friends and build stronger friendships – with their twin by their side.

“We don’t like any of the same things. I don’t think we have much in common at all, and she’s older than me by a minute,” said Mohuanaga Fatai.