YOUNGSTERS at a Swindon school have been developing their caring side.

The four to six-year-olds at Beechcroft Infants School have spent two weeks looking after three quail's eggs which have now hatched.

Under the guidance of headteacher Lynne Harper the children have also taken care of caterpillars as they transformed into butterflies.

The butterflies were set free yesterday and the children have a couple more weeks looking after the birds before they go to their permanent home with one of the teachers.

Mrs Harper said: "All the children across the school have been involved.

"They have been learning to care for other creatures and they have been really excited by it."

The quail eggs were kept in an incubator for two weeks before they hatched and the children took it in turns to keep an eye on them. "It's lovely for the children to see how it happens," said Mrs Harper.

"They have seen them from when they were eggs and now they have hatched and all the children have been really excited by it."

Each class had three caterpillars and watched as they each turned into a chrysalis before hatching into butterflies.

"It's been wonderful for the children to watch the process," said Mrs Harper.

  • Our picture shows Hannah Telling cradling a quail chick