A proud mum has taken identical pictures of her daughter on her first day of school for over a decade - with the schoolgirl striking the same pose for the final time this year. Dagny Barnett, 54, has got a snap of daughter Chloë, 15, in the same stance outside her home since she started nursery back in 2010.
And the new school term - which will see Chloë complete her GCSE exams as a Year 11 pupil - was no exception for the family tradition. Dagny has taken special pride in her "miracle" daughter, who she had after a seven-year ordeal that included seven rounds of IVF.
Dagny poignantly recalled: "Chloë's a rainbow baby as I had a daughter at 24 weeks who sadly died, then the following year girl boy twins sadly came prematurely and died too. Chloë was our sunshine after the storm."
Dagny now has a catalogue of pictures documenting Chloë's transformation from "a cheeky little redhead with an adorable lisp to a beautiful redhead young lady with the world at her feet".
The stay-at-home mum from Surrey explained: "I used to stress and worry about her doing well and getting everything right and onto the next reading level at junior school but she was book adverse and hated doing anything which required effort.
"But I’ve now realised that children all blossom at different times and she’s impressed me with her resilience and determination in her school work."
Dagny has strict rules for how Chloë must pose - side-on, smiling and in school uniform - outside their house near Redhill. The first batch of pictures shows Chloë from the age of four to 11 - from nursery to Year 6 - while the second batch in her red blazer documents her time at secondary school.
Dagny added: "Chloë started her nursery in 2010 and reception in 2011. She left juniors in 2018, joined her secondary school in 2018, and will be class of ‘23 when she leaves next July."
As Chloë is sitting her GCSE’s next May, Dagny just wants her daughter to do her best. She reflected: "All I’ve said to her is to do your best and remember that her father and I will be very proud of her whatever she achieves.
"We all want our kids to become high flyers and successful but I’ve realised that as long as they’re happy and safe that’s the most important thing. We’re not putting any pressure on her as long as she just does her best that’s all we ask.
"I’ve spent the last nearly 16 years watching her develop and grow and I’m so very proud of her. This is the last ‘First day back to school’ photo for me and it’s bitter sweet. I’ve loved doing it every September but now it’s time to ‘retire’."
