Four-year-old Taylor Collits will be starting her first day next Monday at Forbes Public School.

“I’m most excited to meet my teacher Miss Norton-Knight,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s mother, Jennifer Francis, said her daughter had been talking about kindergarten ever since she began the Prep 4 Big School Program with her class at Forbes Learning Ladder.

Ms Francis said the program had taken a lot of the fear out of starting big school for Taylor, and herself.

“For a lot of kids it’s a big step,” she said.

“Prep 4 Big School shows them the structure and how it all works. It’s good for parents to see too and for them to see their kids excited about it. It’s still going to be hard, that first day, but I know she’s ready for it.”

This week, more than 780,000 new and returning students will begin the 2015 school year.

Forbes North Public School, Forbes Public School and St Laurence’s Parish School all resume on January 28 for years 1-6, with kindergarten classes starting on February 2.

At Forbes High School, classes will begin tomorrow, January 28 for students in year 7, 11 and 12, and all years will attend from Thursday, January 29.

Boarders will return to Red Bend Catholic College on January 28 and school resumes for all years on January 29.