THERE must be something in the water in St Julians, Newport - with five staff at a school set to become mums by the end of the year.

Glan Usk Primary School is having a baby boom, with three teachers and two teaching assistants falling pregnant within months of moving to the new purpose-built school building on Bank Street.

Deputy head, Claire Williams, 32, is expecting her first child with her partner Matthew Williams, 37, on November 26, while teacher Louise Neal, 39, is having a little sister for nine-year-old Rhys, with her partner Neil Hernaman, 40, on October 14.

Fellow teacher, Louise Cooper, 31, and her husband Joseph, 31, are awaiting the arrival of a little brother for Ella, who is almost two, on August 6.

Teaching assistants, Lauren Collette, 25, and Ashleigh Hart, 23, complete the quintet of mums-to-be.

Miss Collette is expecting a little girl with her partner Steve Jones, 29, who is also a teacher at the school, on October 2 and Miss Hart is having a boy with her partner Shane Eve, 27, on September 30.

Mrs Cooper was the first to announce her pregnancy and on the same day she brought in the photo from her first scan, Miss Collette and Miss Hart told management they were pregnant.

Mrs Neal soon followed with her news, just as Mrs Williams found out she was expecting.

Mrs Williams said: “We think there’s something in the water. My class have only just found out, but they’ve been speculating for weeks. They can’t get their heads around the fact that I don’t know if I’m having a boy or a girl.”

Headteacher, Jeff Beecher, who is set to become a grandfather for the first time in December, said: “It’s a new start for the school and a new beginning for five members of staff as well. I’m going to be a grandad as well, I just can’t believe it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever come across a school with five pregnant staff members. It’s all fantastic, but obviously it’s going to have its challenges.”

Since the news broke, Mr Beecher has been busy interviewing candidates for maternity cover and has now got two new teaching assistants and two teachers to step in when the time comes. Mrs Williams shares her deputy head role with another teacher, who will be covering her duties.