Table of Contents
W hen 2025 rolled along, East Doncaster Secondary College found itself in an unprecedented situation with the arrival of eleven pairs of twins into Year 7. In September, Manningham Life spoke with Assistant Principal Cameron Campbell and some of the twin pairs about their first-year experiences in high school. Through questionnaires, they offered valuable insight into their school lives and evolving twinships. Their honesty was inspiring — at times vulnerable, at others brimming with excitement for what lay ahead. From the outset, Cameron emphasised that the twins were not treated differently from any other student. “We make a point for it to be that way,” he said.
Of the eleven pairs, seven were free to capture this special occasion.
It is a blustery Monday morning, and the manic wind outside the office is silenced by the glide of automatic doors. The school buzzer announces the end of break, and the students begin to arrive in pairs. Once assembled, we walk noiselessly towards the portables at the opposite end of the grounds. One wonders if this is simply excellent discipline — or the famous twin telepathy at play.
The size of the school and its cohort of almost 2,300 pupils did not go unnoticed by the group. Tailin described it as “a small society.” In his experience, the transition helped him discover his individuality. His sister Ailin added that they eased the challenge of making new friends by “making friends together.”
At the photoshoot, the wind drops momentarily. The air is still as the twins sit on steps wedged between double-storey chequered walls. Posing for photos can be a hard ask of most twelve-year-olds, but these EDSC pupils present themselves beautifully. “How long will this take?” Stephen and Hayden ask, eager to return to their shared English class. Like them, siblings placed in the same homegroup will remain together until Year 9 and share most classes.
Life and Learning in Pairs
At EDSC, classroom allocation draws on feedback from primary school teachers about suitable pairings, as well as parent preferences. Sisters Sia and Gopika share the same homegroup — something Sia notes brings them closer physically, while Gopika notes the “independent working time” means less time interacting with each other. Brothers Roy and Riyaan, on the other hand, have different homegroups. “I spend less time together because we are both wrapped around our own lives,” Roy explained. Riyaan, meanwhile, recognised the support of his twin in ways beyond the classroom. Brothers Max and Liam, who were in separate primary classes, are sharing classes for the first time. Having established their own friends, they now support each other with schoolwork. “It helps to have someone who remembers the work I’d have to be doing,” Liam said appreciatively.
For the next photo, the group heads towards the library, passing lockers, shaded corridors, and grassy courtyards framed by school buildings. These spaces, along with the library, are among their favourite places to relax with friends. Sisters Sima and Maysam love the library for their shared passion for reading. “It is also a nice place to calm down,” Sima added. Inside, the group quietly arranges themselves on bright-coloured sofas and pouffes.
The photoshoot may be over, but the school day rolls on. Another buzzer sounds; another round of lessons and deadlines awaits. Every day offers chances to make and keep friends. Each interaction could bring a smile — or, as some confided, pain from hurtful words that linger.
Finding Their Own Voices
High school will give them knowledge and skills, but also the chance to understand other lives and cultures, to seek being understood in return, to be recognised not as “the twins” but as individuals. “It is important to see them as their own individuals on their own journey,” Cameron reminded us.
As we stride out the automatic office doors, petals from ornamental pear trees scatter across the grey pavement. The twins may take different paths through high school, but they will always have each other. Once at home, bags dislodged and uniforms shed, they can return to the easy comfort of twinhood. There will be annoying moments and bumps in the road, of course. But as Aleena confided, “It feels better knowing you have someone you trust, to be there for you.” Cassie echoed the comfort of having her twin brother David, who treasures his “good sister.” And Alison summed it up simply: “It helps to know that you always have someone who gets you.”
