The summer holidays are over and it was back to school last week for thousands of students across the region and the hundreds of thousands across the state.

Public schools were open for class on Wednesday and catholic schools commenced on Thursday. 

Mudgee Public School will see growth in the 2015 school year with 26 new enrolments, which Principal Alan Kerr said has required an additional class.

Three schools from across the Cudgegong Learning Community (CLC) – the group of 20-plus public schools in the region that stretches from Ilford to Dunedoo – will begin this year with relieving principals at their helms.

They are Wayne Eade at Mudgee High School, Caron McDonald at Lue Public School, and Jodee Burcher at Rylstone Public School.

School is back for most children however the region’s youngest students, Kindergarten of 2015, will begin their first day of ‘big school’ this week.

This is also a timely reminder that after the extended break over summer that 40km/h school zones are back in force between 8am and 9.30am in the mornings and 2.30pm and 4pm in the afternoons of school days.