It’s the time of year when parents are frantically preparing their young ones for their first day at school.
So spare a thought for Sharon and Julian Turner, who are trying to get their four-year-old quadruplets ready for their big day.
The 70million-to-one children, who are two sets of identical twins, were born on March 30 2013 after the couple’s fourth round of IVF treatment.
Twenty polo shirts, six skirts and six pairs of trousers later, the quadruplets are set to start their first day of school
And this week, James, Joshua, Lauren and Emily, will all attend their first day at school in Berkshire.
Their parents have just completed their back-to-school shopping trip which included 20 polo shirts, six skirts and six pairs of trousers.
Despite looking forward to some well-deserved rest, Mrs Turner is still worried about getting the children ready on time.
Speaking from their country home in Upper Lambourn, near Hungerford, she said: ‘I am excited for them to start school and I am looking forward to it.
‘The school holidays have been quite tough. It will be good for them to have a routine and make new friends. It’s a new adventure.
‘My main concern is if we are going to be late and getting them all dressed on time.
‘Josh is a nightmare to get dressed, sometimes I just threaten him that he will have to go out in his underpants.
‘Getting their school uniform was very expensive, I can’t remember quite how much we spent but it was a lot.
Sharon and Julian Turner have a nine-seater VW Transporter to get their children to school
‘We got 20 polo shirts, six skirts, six trousers, wellies, school shoes, black socks, white socks, plus they do outdoor Forest School so they need outdoor clothes as well.’
Mrs Turner’s mother, Sandra, has been helping to get the children ready while her husband works for American software firm Kronos Systems.
The family have a nine-seater VW Transporter to load the children in and drive them to St. Michael’s Church of England School in Aldbourne, Berkshire, which is eight miles from their house.
The quads will all be in the same class at school as there is only one reception class.
Mrs Turner said: ‘Thirty-three in one class. Had it been split I would have wanted a boy and girl in one and a boy and girl in the other because when the boys are together they are quite hard work.
‘The four say they are looking forward to it but I don’t think they fully understand it yet.
‘They have done some play and stay days, we split them up into two and I stayed with them and then they did half an hour on their own.
‘I think probably Lauren will do really well at school, I would say Emily because she is the boss at home but at pre-school they said she was the least confident.
‘It’s funny how they change when they are at school. The boys aren’t bothered at all about trying to write their name or anything, they don’t want to sit down they just want to play.
‘I asked their new teacher how she is going to cope with having quads and she just said that she is going to treat them all as individuals.’
The two sets of identical twins were born after Mr and Mrs Turner tried IVF for the fourth time
Mrs Turner explained each of her children have their own personalities and have a very special bond with each other.
She added: ‘They get on most of the time, they fight sometimes but they are all really close.
‘We went to soft play one time and Emily’s glasses were taken off and they all came together and really protected her.
‘They come as a pack. Another time at soft play Emily made friends with a little girl and she was asking “Why are those three always following us?”
‘They all have their own personalities. Emily is really a girly girl, she loves her princesses. Lauren is more of a tomboy and likes wearing trousers and doesn’t mind getting muddy. James is really sensitive, he cries if he gets told off, he’s more like me I think. Josh acts all tough and acts as though he doesn’t care but he does deep down.’
Mrs Turner admits she is looking forward to a well-earned rest while the children attend school.
‘It will be nice to have space, there are so many things I need to do but I just never have the time’, she said.
‘Them being at school from Monday to Friday will mean I’ll have the routine and have a few hours every day.’
When the children were asked what they were most looking forward to about going to school Lauren shouted ‘having fun’ and James said he was looking forward to having pasta for lunch.