For two decades now, a mother duck has used Hampton School as the go-to place to hatch her offspring.

This year proved no different as the mother arrived in the middle of May and set up camp in the enclosed garden at the heart of the school buildings.

Food and water was left out by the Hampton staff and a few weeks, five new Mallard ducklings were welcomed into the world.

After a day of finding their feet, it was time for the mother duck and her babies to venture into the wider world.

Staff members helped to safely escort the brood through the school corridors and across the playing fields to the nearby Longford river.

Head of biology, Mr Phil Langton, believes the current proud parent is a daughter or granddaughter of the original visitor.

“It is always an exciting event when the mother duck arrives at Hampton and all the boys and staff keenly wait the arrival of the babies," he said.

"The mother wasn’t phased at all by the walk to the river.

"She knew exactly where she was going, remained calm, calling to her ducklings along the way and did a brilliant job of getting her brood to the water."