This year COVID-19 safety measures meant we couldn't visit schools, but we reached out to primary school principals across Armidale to ask their new starters what they liked best about big school and what they want to be when they grow up.

This week we feature a submission from Ross Hill Primary School.

Answers ranged from the usual childhood dreams of joining the police force or becoming a firefighter, dancing ballet or becoming a mermaid, teaching and becoming a doctor to the fantastic desire to be a shark ( and swim like one).

We hope you enjoy looking through this gallery of excited and eager faces on their first day of school.

We thank the school's assistant principal Jenny Schiller for taking these gorgeous pictures for us.

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