THREE little ducks have made a Latchford primary school their home after the nursery staff and children grew attached to them.

Six fluffy ducklings hatched at Alderman Bolton Primary School as part of a springtime learning project – but instead of disappearing over the hill and far away as in the famous nursery rhyme, three of them have become a permanent part of school life.

Rather than sending the birds back to the farm once they had hatched, the children decided to raise three of them as school pets with one staff member giving the other three a home on an allotment.

The feathered trio, a Runner drake, a Welsh Harlequin duck and a Khaki Campbell duck, now have a duck house and a fox-proof enclosure, funded by a sponsored ‘Toddle Woddle’ in which the nursery children completed laps of their outdoor area dressed as ducklings, raising more than £800.

 

The children did a sponsored duck run

The children did a sponsored duck run

 

The ducks also have a large area outside the reception children’s classrooms where they can roam and forage among the grass and flower beds.

Clair Ralphson, early years lead and acting assistant head, said: “The children help with the daily care of the ducks, making sure they have fresh water and helping to clean the duck house.

“The ducks are very much part of our school and local community and give the children so many learning opportunities.

“They also have regular local visitors who stop by to talk to them.”

 

They have welcomed three new feathered friends

They have welcomed three new feathered friends