An adorable brood of ducklings were led through a Bromley school by their mother as they made the annual migration to the local lake.

Staff at Bromley High School ushered the female mallard through the reception, which connects to the sheltered courtyard where she safely laid her eggs over winter.

The ducks moved on to a lake dug by parents in 1981 when the school moved to Bickley, which also attracts heron, frogs and newts.

A spokesperson for the school said: “In recent years, mature ducks have arrived in the school courtyard in February each year and one duck has had her litter in the quiet of the courtyard.

“Of course, the mature ducks can fly into the courtyard, but the little ducklings cannot fly out.

“They are visible to the girls from the corridors and classrooms surrounding the quad, but we limit use of the Quad so that it is very peaceful whilst the ducks are nesting.”

Staff try to guide the family through the building while the 900 pupils, aged from four to 18, are in lessons or not in school.

“The oohing and aahing would be rather overwhelming!”, the spokesperson said.

You can view the school’s website here: https://www.bromleyhigh.gdst.net/