Should pets ever be kept in classrooms?

Animal charities say it's teaching the wrong lessons - but schools argue it inspires children to learn about the natural world

Watching duck eggs hatch in a classroom was a "wow" experience that brought the topic to life, says Sarah Holmes, teacher in Derby High School's primary department. "It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to learn about the life cycle, see the ducklings grow and learn to swim. They also learned to take responsibility for looking after them."

Classrooms across the UK house a wide range of school pets: hamsters, fish, guinea pigs and even tortoises. But though they teach children about nature it is not always a happy story, animal charities say, and it might be teaching children the wrong lessons.